Playing Violent Online Games Relaxes You. Really?

Recently I came across a study in which the psychologists of Middlesex University established that playing violent video games online can make you feel more relaxed and comparatively less angry. Just imagine this study was presented at the British Psychological Society’s Annual Conference in Dublin. As matter of fact, they came to this conclusion by studying 292 male and female online gamers who regularly played the popular World of Warcraft. It’s pretty bizarre that the players experienced enhanced level of relaxation. I mean even I have dabbled a lot in the territory of online gaming but honestly speaking I never felt relaxed or anything near that.

I believe that indulgence in such games only leads to a heightened aggression level. Even I have sensed the same especially while playing competitive multiplayer games. Just look at the chat rooms of such games and you will see people abusing and threatening each other. Foul language is the part of regular trade. People have a common tendency to bully their online rivals for that extra power rush. But repeated exchange of such verbatim on the web portals can easily sneak into one’s daily habit. I have sensed it on my own. The excess level of online aggression became a part and parcel of my daily life. I started to feel a bit irritable, rude and at times upset, especially after a gaming defeat. It can get very difficult to detach yourself from addictive games. Question remains inspite of the revelations of the "case study", do virtual violent games actually relax you or in reality lead you into violent territory?