Sports and Video Games becoming a Problem in Relationships

By Alicia Ygarza –

“Here honey, I brought you chips and dip,” says a loving wife to her husband and his friends.

“Aw thanks sweety, but could you move over a little, you’re blocking the game,” replies the husband.

Sports are becoming an addiction that are gaining more importance than relationships for some people.

In a letter on peele.net, a woman complains about her husband watching sports on TV too much, and admits she’s fed up with it.

Her letter is written to a man named Stanton who gives her advice on how to cure her husband’s addiction.

The woman quoted,”Sports is affecting our relationship. He doesn’t just play with our 2 1/2 year old son. He has one eye and ear glued to the game on TV. When we finally get out of the house on the weekends, he rushes us to get home before the start of a game. No more hiking. No more walks on the beach which is only three blocks from our house! No more exercising together. He even bought a second TV so that he wouldn’t feel too guilty, since our son and I could sit in another room watching a different show…”

According to USA Today in their article, Are sports obsessions damaging your relationships?

Psychologist, Josh Klapow said, “It’s not how much time you spend watching football that matters, it’s whether or not that is causing negative behaviors in your life. Whether it’s 10 hours per week or 40, the issue is its effect on your real-life obligations.”

According to Bodog Beat, the most watched sport is the NFL, with the Super Bowl being the most watched event each year. Then the NBA with MLB Baseball following.

Every Sunday, boys with their gang of friends will cozy down in a recliner at a friends house, and watch the nightly football games.

A video game is a different type of game that is effecting relationships.

Kayleena Hess, a student at Penn Manor, said on occasions her boyfriend would rather play video games than hangout with her.

When Hess was asked how much time her boyfriend spends playing video games, she replied, “All the time! From the time he gets home, until he goes to bed. He’ll play it until 3 a.m. if it’s a new game.”

A video game is like food to many, they can’t live without it.

So how does Hess feel about this addiction?

“It upsets me when he doesn’t respond to me. He picks games over me too often.”

The makers of video games most likely don’t mean for them to cause damage to relationships.

“There are other things he could be doing instead of playing games for that amount of time,” said Hess.

But when her boyfriend found out she said that, he responded, “Like what?”