Study: Video games not linked to depression (but excess TV is)

by Dustin Burg { Feb 12th 2009 at 8:55AM }

A new study, published by the American Medical Association, has taken a look at the causes of depression among adolescents. Contrary to some previous research (which targeted online games), video games were found to have no depressing effects, whereas watching too much television was said to cause a serious case of the blues.

The research took a look at 4,142 adolescents who, at the beginning of the study, showed no signs of depression. After seven years, 7% of the participants were diagnosed with depression, but it was concluded that there was no association of depression with exposure to video games. In comparison, 17% of those who watched an excessive amount of TV (nine or more hours a day) showed depressive symptoms, as did 6% of those who watched three hours or less.

Can anyone really be all that depressed after conquering Albion, winning the Flower Cup, or building a colorful world for Sackboy? Compared to watching hours of the Lifetime channel (or playing their games), games are a regular barrel of laughs.

[Via Videogamesblogger]

Tags: depression, television, tv, video-games

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Temidien @ Feb 12th 2009 9:01AM

I miss Zoloft....

lochack @ Feb 12th 2009 9:08AM

i take my zoloft and play LBP everyday.

Lord Negatron @ Feb 12th 2009 9:08AM

Unprofessional opinion

I feel there is too much interaction while gaming for someone to be depressed at that time. Concentrating at the task at hand temporarily removes the gamer out of that depressive state.

Now constantly getting your ass handed to you in competitive online matches is another story.

Enemy U.A.V. is online!
Enemy chopper is inbound!
We are bout to lose the fight!

*cries/ pulls hair "WAAT THE FACK"!

Jack of No Trades 85 @ Feb 12th 2009 9:11AM

I can understand that. I do get depressed while watching tv. Too much violence makes you feel like there is no good in the world and too many pretty faces make it hard to accept yourself.

Noshino @ Feb 12th 2009 9:19AM

Well, did they use Battletoads?

DarrenHollywood @ Feb 12th 2009 9:49AM

If you don't get 3 hearts I will be depressed.

butaneko @ Feb 12th 2009 11:10AM

Here we go with the Battletoads bashing! It was fun in it's day.

raindogtoo23 @ Feb 12th 2009 9:20AM

I was pretty depressed after playing No More Heroes but that was just because I wasted money on a crappy game.

baby sea tuna @ Feb 12th 2009 10:14AM

I was depressed when I took my copy to gamestop after buying it for $50, owning it a week, and having them offer me $20 for it.

TORpeedo @ Feb 12th 2009 9:22AM

Imagine the people who took part in the study... 7 years of watching TV 9 hours or more per day?!!

Anyone would be depressed!

ThornedVenom (of the Fidlious Clan of Wong) @ Feb 12th 2009 9:23AM

Some TV shows and movies are depressing, but I'm not sure if I can recall a successful depressing videogame. Some say that the medium lacks emotional conveyability but I dunno what to think.

Haggard @ Feb 12th 2009 12:58PM

Max Payne?

It's depressing in a good way.

Mr Khan @ Feb 12th 2009 9:25AM

simple difference between a passive and an active medium, i think. Even if you set the slow-paced Fire Emblem against the high-octane action of 24, you're still doing more, physically and mentally, in the former than the latter

Shela Monster @ Feb 12th 2009 9:27AM

There is no time to be depressed when you're too busy being pissed...
/slow match making
/lag
/getting pwnd
/game freezes

Really, there is not enough free time to be sad when you are finding things to throw...

The Dark Wayne @ Feb 12th 2009 9:31AM

well maybe I should stop playing games while I watch TV

AkaMagi @ Feb 12th 2009 9:33AM

WORK leads to depression.

Most people would be a lot happier in life if they didn't have to work, didn't have work related stress, didn't have stress from bosses, coworkers, or customers, didn't have to drive in rush hour traffic, and didn't have to eat little cheap assed lunches in less than an hour, including driving time to get the food.

So work makes you depressed. If you want to be happier, quit your job.

Dirty @ Feb 12th 2009 9:40AM

Because nothing makes people more happy than being homeless and in debt.

Be happy you have a job still A-hole.

Strategy_Panda (Pot & Spoon 4 Life) @ Feb 12th 2009 10:57AM

work itself doesn't make you depressed. Its actualls been proven to be a self esteem booster, as it gives people a feeling of accomplishment and pride.

However, working at a specific place, with specific people or within a specific profession might make you depressed.

Side note: sounds like you need to get a new job

AkaMagi @ Feb 12th 2009 11:17AM

@ Strategy.

No, what I need is to win the lottery. I can find plenty of ways to feel productive and a sense of accomplishment that don't require punching a timeclock or answering to someone else.

@ Dirty

Congratulations on displaying an inability to recognize sarcasm that rivals your average 3 year old child. You must be very proud.

(FYI, that last comment was sarcasm again, since you apparently need help recognizing it)

Strategy_Panda (Pot & Spoon 4 Life) @ Feb 12th 2009 11:28AM

I think you don't know how to use sarcasm

Anam @ Feb 12th 2009 9:39AM

EverQuest depressed me.

"Why do I have to have broken wasp spines to make my armor? Can't I just use this pristine one I found? I'll even break it if you want! Just let me make the goddamn armor!"

Dirty @ Feb 12th 2009 9:41AM

Now your depressing me.

Lord Negatron @ Feb 12th 2009 12:07PM

ROFLMAO!

If you ever came across a lonely wood elf who, stayed atop the tree city crying to himself while fletching 1000's of bows/arrows in a corner. That was me! You are not alone.

*Jumps*

Rambeaux @ Feb 12th 2009 9:53AM

The findings of this study make me sad...

butaneko @ Feb 12th 2009 9:55AM

It seems pretty clear that if you are depressed and don't feel like doing anything you are probably going to just veg out in front of the TV. Saying that TV causes depression is like saying that staying inside and sleeping a lot causes depression.

Chris @ Feb 12th 2009 10:01AM

It's simple. People play games because it is fun. The minute you stop having fun, you put down the game, because it won't keep providing entertainment unless you are invested in the activity.

TV can be an "I'm bored" thing to do. It requires almost no input from the user, and it can be a person's last resort to try and fill their time with something.

Again, we venture through a study that proves the obvious.

Reader @ Feb 12th 2009 10:07AM

"The minute you stop having fun, you put down the game, because it won't keep providing entertainment unless you are invested in the activity."

Eh, as an avid MMOer (or at least past MMOer, less so now), I have to disagree with this to a certain extent. There have been plenty of times I have been grinding and not really having fun. Or in FPSs when I become extremely frustrated (though I'm pretty likely to turn it off at this point).

baby sea tuna @ Feb 12th 2009 10:22AM

I've got to disagree too. I put around 60 hours into Too Human (the last 15 of which were strictly to get some shitty 5-10pt achievement) and I HATED that game. I only kept playing it to justify the fact that I blew $60 on it.

Chris @ Feb 12th 2009 10:35AM

Why grind or force yourself to have an achievement? I look at the people with 50k gamerscore and wonder how much time they spend playing games they dislike. It's not a competition, it's supposed to be fun!

baby sea tuna @ Feb 12th 2009 10:56AM

Uh, OCD?

Deck @ Feb 12th 2009 11:32AM

"It's not a competition, it's supposed to be fun!" Supposed to be, yes. The issue here though is that people take it as a competitive. Its probably in their nature. No, not all of them but a lot do. Therefore its just the way things are.

Reader @ Feb 12th 2009 10:05AM

Who the hell can watch TV for nine fucking hours? Goddamn.

baby sea tuna @ Feb 12th 2009 10:19AM

I know, I was just saying something similar the other day. My friend went out to the bar for his birthday and was there for like 10 hours. I like a lot of things, but I don't even want to do the best of them for 10 hours straight.

(although, I think there was one week where I played Fallout 3 like it was my fucking job.)

kip @ Feb 12th 2009 2:00PM

Seriously, anyone who can spend an average of 9 hours a day watching TV must have LITERALLY NOTHING ELSE TO DO. No wonder they are depressed.

Batzarro @ Feb 12th 2009 10:09AM

Watching too much TV is depressing because eventually you end up in MTV, and see what society will de-evolve into: fierce competitions for mating rights wich a washed up, chancro-ridden alpha male or female. Humanity...goobbye! Goodbyyyyyye...

Vidikron @ Feb 12th 2009 10:36AM

But does watching excessive amount of TV really increase the chances of becoming depressed or did depression lead these people to just sit around and watch more TV?

michas_pi @ Feb 12th 2009 10:47AM

Watching television shows about video games make me depressed.

Markusdragon @ Feb 12th 2009 10:50AM

As a clinically depressed individual, I have to say that I generally use video games as a stimulant to keep me OUT of depression. It occupies my brain and keeps me happy a lot more efficiently than my Prozac does.

OptimusDiabetus @ Feb 12th 2009 11:14AM

I can understand these results. What with the economy in the crapper and the word 'terrorism' being tossed about ever-so-freely, why wouldn't these people become depressed. Just turn on your local TV station's newscast and watch a half-hour. It's all about crime, murder, and more people losing their jobs. That's my two cents, thank you for your time. Now, onto more GOW 2...