10 Surprising Ways Video Games Are Actually Good For You

5. Reduce Pain

The pharmaceutical companies may blow a fuse when they hear this one, but psychologists at the American Pain Society's annual meeting reported that chronically ill patients who immerse themselves in the virtual reality of video games report reduced levels of anxiety and pain. The 2010 study found that burn victims rate their pain from 30 to 50 percent lower while immersed in a virtual reality and patients undergoing serious treatment like chemotherapy were less stressed and scared while playing video games.The scientific reasoning behind this is that playing video games keeps the brain busy, distracting the other senses so there is less focus on the pain. Endorphins are also released by gaming, enhancing this effect further by making players happier and even reducing their discomfort. Next time someone tells you that playing too many video games will hurt your eyes, simply memorize this study and repeat it back to them verbatim, stunning them into silence with your impressive knowledge of contemporary psychology. Just remember to pause the game first or the death of your avatar will bring you a whole new world of pain.