Video games can be more beneficial then you think. Often times people that play video games are called lazy or nerds. Sure, they don't take physical effort (USUALLY), and they don't take much thinking most of the time. But did you know that many people find social interaction through video games? Also, video games are excellent for relieving stress. Finally, there is a source of education in many video games. Education is almost always beneficial to anyone. I am going to go a little more in depth about each one and why is is seen as a positive thing.

There are many people throughout the world that have problems with social interaction. Whether it be a mental disorder or something else, there are some people that are not given many opportunities to interact with others. Playing a sport is not for everyone, going out to the club is not for everyone, and joining a social circle/club is not always intriguing either. Introverts often times find the most social activity online, in the video game world. Multiplayer video games give a great source of social interaction. It could be talking, working together on a level, or even just laughing with others that can give a person self-confidence and a social life.

One of the best ways to relieve stress is through video games. Taking out held in aggression on video games is a safer alternative to what someone could do in real life. A 2010 study at Texas A&M conducted by Associate Professor Dr. Christopher J. Ferguson showed that both men and women who play violent video games long-term seem to be able to adopt mental skills to handle stress, become less depressed and get less hostile during stressful tasks. In fact, Ferguson suggested that violent video games could potentially be used as a form of therapy to help people find a way to “work through their frustrations” in real life. As you can see, it can be very healthy and beneficial to play video games.

There a variety of educational references in video games that can make them good for you. Games like The Sims (for its social simulation) or the Civilization series (for its historical and strategy elements) are two good examples of video games that can be educational. There are a variety of other history based video games out there that allows players to learn real life facts.

As you can see, video games are more beneficial than the average person thinks. They bring people together with a common social environment, they relieve stress, and they also serve as an educational source.