PLAY GAMES FOR ANXIETY?

Full discloser: I am a gamer. I have been since I got an Atari in 1983 I haven’t looked back since. The growth in gaming, for me is staggering. “Back in the day” gaming wasn’t mainstream at all. IPhone didn’t exist, only a few people had computers in their house. Internet? It wasn’t accessible to civilians at that point. Now? Gaming is a multibillion dollar industry. People who dismiss it and the people who enjoy the hobby are really in the dark ages. Its here and its part of our global culture now. I game with people all over the world, Germany, Japan, New Zealand you name it.

Now for those of us with anxiety, some games can induce increased anxiety. Not everyone is equipped to deal with the realities of gaming. There are trolls, there are competitive people, and some games are not simple. Remember that “gaming” doesn’t just mean online games AKA what you see in twitch clips. It can mean chess, poker etc.

I found a pretty interesting article here

From the article: “During quarantine, we have to not only keep ourselves sharp mentally and physically, but also find healthy ways to interpret the world we’re facing. Playing games helps people break away from their work while still engaging in social activities with others. Games also help people experience escapism. Whether it’s a video game, board game or puzzle, we can take a break from the world and focus on the task in front of us. Playing games provide a unique personal experience and mental break.”

Escapism is a wonderful concept and for me it’s been effective for years. I play a game called “Lord of the Rings online” I have been playing it for a decade. It’s a blast. Now for me, I am a Tolkien fan as you can see from this post I refer to him a lot. I log in assume the role of a character and become someone else for an hour.

Is it healthy? I don’t know, I do know that for me it breaks the real world cycle. I am in a fantasy setting, I know it’s all made up that the impossible is possible. I also know the real world isn’t present, I can shut it off if only for little while. Maybe video games aren’t your thing, that’s cool. Perhaps you are of a certain age like me where you remember your parents having a card night

It’s the same concept really. The article is pretty well written and in the end I think the solution for anxiety is multi-pronged. Maybe gaming is one of the tools you can use to ease your personal anxiety? I know it works for me.

Interested in more posts about anxiety relief? Check one out here.