Does gaming make you depressed?

I very often feel guilty and depressed when playing games. The reason is because I then think I'm wasting my time and could be doing more important things with it... It's funny though, I never feel/think this way when I watch TV the entire day for example.

Anyone else with the same problem?

That is so sad...I am the opposite, I can play games all day and not feel guilty, but if I watch TV I do. I think it is because playing games makes me feel like I am doing something, since I am actively participating.

At first I thought you meant in terms of story, to which I was going to tell you how sad I was that adult Link had to go back to child Link in Ocarina of Time (but I was a ten year old girl back then, so the angst was unbearable, haha).

Hmmm....the cognitive dissonance is mindboggling, to say the least.

I very often feel guilty and depressed when playing games. The reason is because I then think I'm wasting my time and could be doing more important things with it... It's funny though, I never feel/think this way when I watch TV the entire day for example.

Anyone else with the same problem?

temega

I only feel like that when I play MMORPGs.

Well if you think you could get something else accomplished than gaming, then do it. I know sometimes I feel like I'm shunning my outside social life, but sometimes it really is ok to just vege out and play games. Some people enjoy it like others do reading a book, playing sports, playing chess, painting, etc.

To each their own.

But if you're getting depressed, it's probably not just gaming, but it's your life is in a rut.

One more thing, as a previous MMORPG junky, I lost a lot of touch with reality. My day would consist of literally coming home, sitting on Everquest or Final Fantasy for 8 hours after work/school then bed then rinse and repeat. My friends went off and did stuff, while I'd sit on my ass complaining about the server not being up. It's unfortunate that all I thought about was leveling, or getting epic gear, or what not.

That also made me depressed, I felt just like you said, was wasting my time, but I couldn't stop playing. One day though I just straight up quit cold turkey because I had to though.

But ultimately games should bring you happiness and entertainment, otherwise you're wasting your time and money, and that's not what it's all about.

I very often feel guilty and depressed when playing games. The reason is because I then think I'm wasting my time and could be doing more important things with it... It's funny though, I never feel/think this way when I watch TV the entire day for example.

Anyone else with the same problem?

temega

Well if you think you could get something else accomplished than gaming, then do it. I know sometimes I feel like I'm shunning my outside social life, but sometimes it really is ok to just vege out and play games. Some people enjoy it like others do reading a book, playing sports, playing chess, painting, etc.

To each their own.

But if you're getting depressed, it's probably not just gaming, but it's your life is in a rut.

One more thing, as a previous MMORPG junky, I lost a lot of touch with reality. My day would consist of literally coming home, sitting on Everquest or Final Fantasy for 8 hours after work/school then bed then rinse and repeat. My friends went off and did stuff, while I'd sit on my ass complaining about the server not being up. It's unfortunate that all I thought about was leveling, or getting epic gear, or what not.

That also made me depressed, I felt just like you said, was wasting my time, but I couldn't stop playing. One day though I just straight up quit cold turkey because I had to though.

But ultimately games should bring you happiness and entertainment, otherwise you're wasting your time and money, and that's not what it's all about.

SemiMaster

I had a time when i was really addicted to MapleStory, only think I could think about was leveling and gear indeed.

I guess you need balance in life as you said. To much is never good...

[QUOTE="temega"]

I very often feel guilty and depressed when playing games. The reason is because I then think I'm wasting my time and could be doing more important things with it... It's funny though, I never feel/think this way when I watch TV the entire day for example.

Anyone else with the same problem?

Mike1978Smith

I only feel like that when I play MMORPGs.

Why you think that is? Other people are saying only when they play single player games coz they feel so alone then :)

I feel guilty not playin them dude. I say oh my i forgot to play R&C UYA will Ratchet Die because of my forgotness.naju890_963

You're a lucky guy

[QUOTE="naju890_963"]I feel guilty not playin them dude. I say oh my i forgot to play R&C UYA will Ratchet Die because of my forgotness.temega

You're a lucky guy

[QUOTE="Mike1978Smith"][QUOTE="temega"]

I very often feel guilty and depressed when playing games. The reason is because I then think I'm wasting my time and could be doing more important things with it... It's funny though, I never feel/think this way when I watch TV the entire day for example.

Anyone else with the same problem?

temega

I only feel like that when I play MMORPGs.

Why you think that is? Other people are saying only when they play single player games coz they feel so alone then :)

I know, but MMOs don't have an end to them, they simply go one and on forever until you finally burn out from playing them or the servers get shut down.

I'm not saying I don't like MMOs. In fact, I have been playing MMOs since '97 (UO was the best until they ruined it) and I enjoy them quite a bit. I just feel MMOs are the biggest time wasters of the gaming industry, because they all encourage you to play as much as you feasibly can.

It's like: "I could spend 40 hours per week playing WoW or or I could spend that time beating a different game each week." Some times I consider how many games I have missed out on simply because I was too engrossed in an MMORPG at the time that I wonder if the MMO genre is hurting the game industry as a whole.

It never makes me feel depressed. Sure, I could be doing something more beneficial to myself or to the human race but, why think about that anymore while playing games than I do when I am reading, at school, watching TV, being on these forums, or doing anything else.

Do what you need to get done then play games to unwind, thats what I have to do and I can't say I feel bad about gaming, everything is more enjoyable when you know you shouldn't be doing something more important instead ;). Its the same with everything in life though, all good in moderation (which can be difficult :?).

I can't say gaming depresses me though, I finished Portal for the first time last night and it had me in stitches :D (I wish I had played it before now but I cba to install steam :().

As a whole no, but some game genres have done. I've played some of the more scary atmospheric (sp?) games, where you are all alone, got really into them, but then when I turn them off, I am still left with that feeling.

when i play video games i feel happy but when i watch t.v i feel depressed and bored and feel like running away from the t.v lol anyone have a case of that i mean i would rather play my old gameboy colour than watch t.v!!!!!!

Everything in moderation is fine...

I used be gaming straight after work 5:30pm -> 2am every weekday and most of the day during the weekends. Problem was, I was also living with my girlfriend at the time... I got very depressed as I honestly felt addicted to gaming!

Now, I'll be lucky if I get 5 hrs a week gaming time in, and I'm very happy.

*edit*
Oh, and when stepping away from an FPS you used to kick ass in, then coming back and realising you're a noob again, that's kinda depressing! :(

My being soul-crushingly single depresses me. :cry:

Playing games makes me happy! :)