{"id":44773,"date":"2016-07-11T20:58:02","date_gmt":"2016-07-12T01:58:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/horizonsmagazine.com\/blog\/?p=44773"},"modified":"2016-07-11T20:58:02","modified_gmt":"2016-07-12T01:58:02","slug":"computer-games-can-motivate-and-boost-your-mood","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/horizonsmagazine.com\/blog\/computer-games-can-motivate-and-boost-your-mood\/","title":{"rendered":"Computer games can motivate and boost your mood"},"content":{"rendered":"

I can no longer knock computer games as idle and unproductive. Studying the limbic system (our emotional brain,) I now know why people play computer games. Playing the game stimulates dopamine production. You get points by activating the “seek and find” mechanism and your dopamine surges each time you get the points. That’s what happens when Benny the Cat hunts as well, that’s what happens when we strive to meet quotas (or nail new chicks). <\/em>
\n\"meet-your-happy-chemicals-dopamine-serotonin-endorphin-oxytocin-2-638\"<\/a>That happens with our FitBits and To Do Lists, too.<\/em> We set a goal of steps then keep checking to see how close we are to it. That little delighted Ummph<\/em> we feel is as a result of our dopamine surging.<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED:\u00a0 Meet Your Happy Brain Chemicals by Loretta Breuning, Ph.D.<\/a>
\nRELATED:\u00a0 Rewiring the emotional brain<\/a><\/span>
\nRELATED: \u00a0The Zen of Farmville on Facebook?
\n<\/a>RELATED: \u00a0Letting kids entertain themselves with video games hinders their ability to learn and express emotion<\/a><\/p>\n

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