Is gaming bad?

Gaming isn’t inherently bad, but excessive play can contribute to addictive patterns and undermine well-being.

• Excessive gaming and dopamine: Repeatedly pursuing highly rewarding activities can lead to a drop in dopamine baseline after the rewarding peak. Huberman uses video games as an example of how continued play can be part of this pattern. 1
• A narrower range of pleasure: In addiction, pleasure can become increasingly tied to the activity, while interest in school, relationships, fitness, and well-being declines. 2
• Severe outcomes: Huberman describes that this pattern can progress to serious depression and, in severe cases, suicide. 3
• Balance and watch for overindulgence: Gaming is not a problem for everyone, but it can become addictive; excessive time and obsession are concerns, so keeping play balanced and limited is a sensible precaution. 4 5

The concern is less gaming itself than a pattern of overuse that crowds out other parts of life.