Playstation Thumb Though this ailment is often called "Playstation Thumb," the condition can affect anyone who uses a game with a d-pad controller. Symptoms of “PlayStation Thumb” include numbness and tingling in the thumb and large, open blisters caused by repetitive motion that require weeks to heal. Another term for this condition is "Palmar hidradenitis," a skin disorder induced by console gaming. Painful lesions on the palms and fingers are the main features. Nintendinitis, Wiiitis, and X-boxitis "Nintendonitis" has been used to describe tendon injuries (tendinosis) of the hands and wrists. Users have reported stress injuries from playing games such as Wii Sports for too long. Serious injuries caused by playing in tight spaces can also occur. The Wii balance board causes a lot of injuries by itself, including knee and hip problems and fractures resulting from a fall, dubbed "Wii fractures" by health care providers Seizures Playing video games can, in rare cases, trigger seizures, but there is no scientific evidence that video games can cause traditionally-classified epilepsy. Photosensitive epilepsy (PSE), however, is a common form of epilepsy in which seizures are triggered by visual stimuli that form patterns in time or space, such as flashing lights, bold, regular patterns, or regular moving patterns. Addiction Yes, you can get addicted to playing video games. Video game addiction is an impulse control disorder, similar to compulsive gambling. Symptons include weight loss or gain, lack of personal hygiene, lowered social interaction and a disrupted sleep pattern. Aggressive Behavior and Mental Problems Studies show that “pathological,” or obsessive, video gamers are more depressed and anxious over time than non-gamers. Children are at risk of becoming more impulsive, socially awkward, and more likely to become addicted to gaming over time. Some warning signs include trouble concentrating, disrupted sleep patterns, increased anxiety, increased irrational anger, and social phobias. Kids who play violent games also tend to have more aggressive fantasies and engage in more aggressive behaviors. They are more likely to be victims of aggression, as well. (Source 1 | Source 2 | Photo) The Tetris Effect/Game Transfer Phenomena This phenomenon can occur after playing any game for a long time, but Tetris is the most common culprit. Users say that after playing the game for many hours, they unintentionally transfer elements of the game content, or the interface, into their everyday lives. For instance, users may start to see falling blocks everywhere, or may start to fantasize about which Tetris blocks would fit into a city skyline. Sometimes the images take over sufferer's thought processes, mental imagery, and dreams. In extreme cases, people have reported having car accidents because they were busy focusing on falling blocks that were not really there. Vision Problems Video games can cause vision problems. Extensive viewing of any screen causes eye strain, and prolonged computer use could also be linked to glaucoma, especially among users who are near-sighted. Staring at a bright screen is very harmful to the physical components of the eye, especially because during computing sessions we tend to stop blinking and start staring, which makes our eyes strain and dry out. A common vision problem among gamers is known as "Guitar Hero/Rock Band Eyes." This is similar to the Tetris Effect because it involves seeing the graphic interface burned into your retinas long after you've stopped playing. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is caused when the main nerve between the forearm and hand is repeatedly squeezed or pressed. This pressure occurs when the carpal tunnel, the area of the wrist that houses the main nerve and tendons, becomes irritated or swollen. Computer use has long been linked to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, so it's no surprise that it's a physical symptom of gaming addiction. Overuse of a computer mouse can cause such irritation and swelling, as can excessive use of a video game controller. Migraines A migraine headache can cause intense throbbing or pulsing in one area of the head and is commonly accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound. Migraine attacks can cause severe pain for hours to days. While there are countless triggers for migraines, people who play video games for extended periods of time are more prone to these headaches because of the intense concentration required while gaming, as well as the strain put on the eyes by staring at a bright screen. Death Players can easily get immersed and feel compelled to play for hours at a stretch. Case in point, a 28-year-old man collapsed after playing the game "Starcraft" at an internet cafe in the city of Taegu, South Korea in 2007. According to authorities, the man had not slept, had eaten very little, and had taken hardly any bathroom breaks during his 72 hour marathon gaming session. "We presume the cause of death was heart failure stemming from exhaustion," a Taegu provincial police official told the Reuters news agency. Aside from health problems that can lead to death, many gamers have also died as a result of suicide and game-related murders. Source
