Addicted to Video Games? Signs You May Need to Stop Playing

I think we’ve all sat at a computer (or in front of a console) and played that one video game for hours, just to finish it. And at the end, our eyes ached and were straining to stay open, our bodies hurt for staying in one position for too long, and chances are, your room looked like a tornado swept through it with all the wrappers and empty soda cans lying around. At that point, it might have been better to stop earlier, but who knows? How do you know when you play video games for too long?

We’ve all been a victim of playing video games for too long or too much. But some video games (*cough* World of Warcraft) are actually addicting. So how do you know when to stop? Here are a few signs that, if you notice them, you may need to cut back on the games.

1. You begin to look like Jabba the Hut. Have you seen the South Park episode where Cartman and the others play WoW for days straight and begin to look like gigantic blobs? Well, if you notice a startling trend towards obesity (such as, gaining twenty pounds in a single month), it may be time for you to switch games. You know, play Wii Fit or actually go outside and play a sport. Obesity is a growing concern in America, and the gaming world really doesn’t need to give conservatives another reason to blame video games for the downfall of our society.

2. Your optometrist notices that your vision has severely worsened… in six months. Your eyes do get strained when you play video games for too long, and it can lead to real damage. So when your eyes start to hurt, pause the game for a while. Maybe take a nap. Or listen to some music. What you should not do is turn off the lights in your room and watch a movie. Or play more games. This is another case where it’s best to stop playing for your own good.

3. You notice that you’re spending more money on energy drinks than food. Now normally, this wouldn’t seem that hard to do, given the outrageous prices of energy drinks. However, you should be spending a decent amount of money on food in order to survive (eating out or in), so you would have to buy a ton of caffeinated beverages to spend more on them than food. And if you’re drinking all of those drinks while playing games (and I’m guilty of this, too), then you may have a bit of a problem. So put the controller down and switch to water for a while. And again, maybe letting yourself crash and sleep would be a good thing at this point.

4. You bear a striking resemblance to Dracula. If your skin is pale, your eyes are red, and you’re fairly gaunt, I would say it’s time to stop playing the games so much. Turn on the lights (even though it may hurt a little at first), go out into the sun (an amazing concept!) and spend some quality time away from that cave you call a room. Remember, having color to your skin is good. And although you really wanted to beat that one last dungeon, it’ll still be waiting for you later. So spend time away from the game.

5. You notice that your cell phone never rings anymore and your only friends are your guildmates. Video games, although great for promoting a social life (play Rock Band drunk with a bunch of your friends and you’ll see what I mean), can also consume a lot of time. And if you notice that you’re not spending as much time with friends as you used to, again, put down the controller. I know video games are fun, but they shouldn’t be a substitute for real life connections.

So there you have it. And, on a more serious note, if video games are affecting your social life or your grades, give it a break. We all love to play, but your education and your friends are important, too. Trust me. The video games will always be there, waiting to be played, but how many chances do you get to live your life?