Honestly, nothing sounds better than coming home from a hard day at school and plopping down in front of the television. To get lost in the world of video games or to watch your favourite show or movie has the potential to erase any stress from the mountain of homework staring you in the face. But, among all those bright lights and cartoon anvils, you may not be aware of the damage you’re doing to yourself.

First, let’s start with the fun stuff. Video games and television aren’t all bad. They have lots of positive effects on those who engage such as “the opportunity to practice problem solving and logic skills. They increase fine motor and coordination skills and foster an interest in information technology,” according to developmental psychologist Douglas Gentile. However, before you rub it in your parents’ face that video games are actually good for you, you need to know the cons as well.

Video games and television has the potential to, among other things, take time away from playing and engaging with friends, allow children to become accustomed to the violent plots involved in some games, and cause children to perform poorer in school. In fact, according to raisesmartkid.com, “a study by Argosy University’s Minnesota School on Professional Psychology found that video game addicts argue a lot with their teachers, fight a lot with their friends, and score lower grades than others who play video games less often. Other studies show that many game players routinely skip their homework to play games, and many students admitted that their video game habits are often responsible for poor school grades.”

According to the same site, video games have also been linked to some pretty nasty and quite frightening side effects such as “obesity, video-induced seizures, and postural, muscular and skeletal disorders, such as tendonitis, nerve compression, and carpal tunnel syndrome.” Keep in mind that these may be the most extreme cases of video game and television exposure, but these are still very real problems that need to be dealt with. There’s a reason so many video games come with warnings for flashing lights and imagery.

Now, I know that these studies make it sound like television and video games are evil, but they’re not. The important thing to remember is that you need to make time for other things. You can’t sit down in front of the television when you come home and zonk out for hours at a time. There is just as much to be gained from hanging out with friends as there is from an episode of your favourite TV show; everything in moderation.