"I've been playing video games for a long time, I picked up my first gaming controller when i was 5, and I've seen both sides of this argument. Obsession and aggressive behavior are serious, real problems that can be caused by excessive gaming. But 'Excessive' is one of the key words there, because the vast majority of people who play games don't end up in those situations of obsession and violence. You only really hear about the bad cases because those are the ones that get media attention, they're more interesting than the stories about a quadriplegic finding joy in life again from being able to play games with a modified controller. Yes, there are downsides to video games, but there are also tons of positives that often get ignored by the media. I play a lot of multiplayer games, and the online communities for these games are amazing, I've met some of my best friends through them, and the social support provided by fellow gamers has helped me through a lot of rough patches in my life. I've always been beset by arguments from my parents and other older people about how games are anti-social or can stunt your social growth, but I have to disagree. When i play games like World of Warcraft I'm interacting with thousands of other people and forming legitimate bonds with some of them. I can look back on my life and see that games have had a serious impact on it, and while the negative effects of games certainly need to be addressed, the positive effects cannot be ignored."
- Johnny Gamer
Suburban Susan Replies: "You're totally right, I honestly got so caught up with all the violence I've heard about that I hadn't considered some of the more positive effects that gaming could have. My 8 year old is really shy, and I think maybe some exposure to these online games might help him break out of his shell a little bit and develop his social skills further. I also hadn't thought about the threat of obsession and ADHD, most of the media I've seen on the subject only addresses the issue of violence, so I'll have to consider these as well and keep an eye on how these games are affecting my children. Maybe I'll keep that xbox after all."
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