More common than you think

Videogames are, have and will be part of our lives in some aspect or another. We remember with fondness the times we spent with our friends playing a particular match of CS:GO, COD or even just building a city in Minecraft. All this is good, though there comes a point where It becomes dangerous, where It reaches the status of addiction. More than ever we find ourselves with less time to spend in meaningful activities, instead playing videogames to fill that space. Like It was in the case of social media, all this has to do with the way game devs design their titles, tickling that part of our brain that only craves for instant rewards and the dopamine It releases in our brain. That's why in this article I'll explain the causes of why Videogames can be so addictive. Let's begin with the first cause:

A Drug by Design

Like any media company, the main goal of many videogame companies (At least online game companies) is to hook you up to their game, using all the strategies and scientifically proven facts to get your attention with something that's really fun in the moment, overstimulating you and providing you with a fake sense of progress. By having you play more time, It will make It much more probable for you to consume any paid feature that the game provides (Like skins or legendary Items).

Instant Gratification

Building up in the previous point, the sense of constant gratification that videogames provide you play a great part in the amount of dopamine (What makes you feel good when you actually do something) you get from them, making you feel like you're progressing or achieving significant things and making the addiction worse. There's a big problem with this: As you perform more activities that provide instant gratification, It will make It much more harder for you to do things that bring you delayed gratification (Which is usually much better for you), always tempting you with a much more entertaining alternative.

With these and many other causes, the modern industry of videogames has gained prominence and users in all the world, making them spend an unhealthy amount of hours in their games, bombarding them with constant stimuli that makes them feel good. However, there's a downside to this: Along with the fact that it will be much more harder to do things which delay the rewards, It will make all the other things you do less pleasurable, as you will want to play those games all day. Many things you might have enjoyed in the past will be just swept under the rug while you go and join another match.

With the information presented I hope that I could have given you some information about Videogame addiction, a topic very present nowadays, which is not too different from social media addiction and that If not given the proper attention can ruin many peoples lives in the long run. Thank you for your support and good luck!