It is basic human nature that we tend to get addicted to what we really like or at times, admire. Individuals might catch a fancy for a variety of things or activities in life and give in to their senses that derive pleasure out of those entities. At other times, some people of principles are so much in favour of their ethics that they religiously follow them- to the extent of getting obsessed with them. So, we have disciplinarians who are crazy about their strict and punctual lifestyle. The legendary writer and journalist Khushwant Singh was a bit too particular about his routine and timings. Even a delay of a few minutes was enough to make him exasperated. He was nicknamed ‘Kaalehshah’ by his wife, which in his native language means ‘one who is always in a hurry’ for his obsessive punctuality. Personnel of the armed forces are obsessed with their militarian way of life. We come across commonplaces who are fitness freaks while some others are a bit too fastidious about cleanliness.

Contemporary Obsessions

In the contemporary era, denizens are getting addicted to many things; some quite desirable such as health consciousness, some not so desirable like social media and yet others simply destructive such as drugs. There is a plethora of instances where wise and fortunate personalities make it big by dint of their obsession for something. However, at the same time, cases are galore where people ruin their lives due to their cravings.

Games – Blessings in Disguise

Games and sports should preferably be an essential part of our lives, for they offer hordes of advantages. Outdoor games are wonderful activities that aid in the holistic development of players. Watching sports is an amazing stress buster and at times, unique unifier too. Nobody can deny that nothing unites Indians better than cricket frenzy. Indoor and video/online games not only entertain us but also augment our mental faculties and make us sharper. For instance, there is the modern version of our customary card game of skills by the name of Rummy Online. It is relished by people of all ages with great zeal and is a fantastic brain booster.

Can People get Obsessed with Games and Sports?

Well, the answer is yes, of course! And why? Because they are inordinately passionate about them. Nonetheless, there could be other reasons too. Flying Sikh Milkha Singh discovered his talent as an athlete when he was serving in the Indian Army. Kindled by a burning desire to don the nation’s blazer and bring laurels for his motherland, he worked on his skills like a mad man to register his name in the history of games.

We have umpteen names in the world of games who became distinguished celebrities, thanks to their passion for games. This is the brighter side of the coin. The flip side of this coin has people who have a penchant for playing or watching games; but are not able to reach anywhere near the pinnacle of success; and those who actually ruin their lives in the process.

Unhealthy Obsession

There must be a plenty of people around us who always go for ‘first day first show’ of every movie that is released. Likewise, there are sports fans who are literally insane about watching their favourite sportspersons play live in front of their eyes and they go any extent to satisfy this infatuation of theirs, even if it means incurring debt in the process of travelling and purchasing tickets. Even if someone watches tournaments and matches on TV or smart gadgets at home, but shun all their health, relationships, studies and work-related responsibilities for this, it is not advisable.

Consequences

Then there are others who cannot keep themselves off their favourite video/online games. These gamers too tend to give up on everything else and start living in a virtual world of tech-smart gaming. They might become slaves of gaming and suffer from many a ramification. These side-effects of gaming addiction include social, emotional, mental and health issues. For instance, becoming aggressive and violent, lack of empathy, becoming unsociable, loss of touch with the real world and inability to deal with real life challenges, falling prey to cybercrime, ruining of eyesight, postural, neck and back problems, seizures, anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia etc. They might also become indifferent to their academics and job liabilities. This might inevitably lead to chaos in their lives, as well as those of their near and dear ones.

To Conclude

Despite being the most intelligent of all the living beings, sometimes human beings surrender to their longings. At times, this can yield great results- when this obsession is combined with wisdom. However, in most other cases, it can prove to be deleterious and have several repercussions on the life of the obsessed. Before competing with other real or virtual beings, we need to compete with, win over and rein in our pernicious desires, so that we always emerge victorious- be it a game or our life!