We all know how important it is to have good mental health, it is fundamental to learn how to cope with the emotions that we deal with in our day-to-day routine. It deserves all our attention and it is often ignored by the general population.
With the pandemic and the constant lockdowns, psychological illnesses are getting more common and more aggressive, due to, staying at home with a mind full of thought and fears has been made diseases such as depression, anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), social anxiety disorder (SAD), among others, increase at a frightening level.
Although it seems difficult, we should try to practice new (or old) hobbies, and one of the most famous and efficient strategies to combat this problem is video games. So if you want to understand a little more about how video games have been helping during these difficult times, just read the article below.
The Importance of Video Games
Despite being heavily judged about the content they bring, video games are proving to be extremely important in combating mental illness, especially now in the strange times that we are living in. Some researchers have even done experiments to prove that video games can be considered as clinically effective as drugs.
Being a serious matter, the topic related to mental illnesses is not always approached most correctly and should be normalized when considering the proper functioning of any part of our body. As the world of video games is also considered taboo for many parts of the world it’s easy to understand that video games can bring leisure and fun, and they are considered essential for the maintenance of our mental health by many specialists.
Interaction games are considered the most popular, such as role-playing-game (RPG), and going from board to digital. Nowadays, any video game is considered important in people’s lives, no matter how old they are. However, this does not mean that you should also spend your day tied to the computer because video games alone cannot cure any illness, they are just a means to help someone, a great way to get entertained, but it cannot be the center of someone’s life.
Today there are even video games that, in addition to helping deal with psychological problems, they can manage to approach the subject more lightly, so that everyone can understand. For example, we can use the example of games like “Celeste”, “Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice”, among others, that found a way to discuss issues such as depression, sexuality, and even psychosis in a prejudice-free and more open way.
Some Games Can Be the Beginning of the Healing
As in RPG the players take on roles of characters and create stories collaboratively, as they end up helping in diseases like depression, ADHD, and even overcoming a few diseases like anxiety and SAD, as the RPG stimulates the integration between the players. Not to mention how a character is created in a playful context and it can help in improving self-esteem, overcoming shyness, and managing to express his personality traits.
Board games like checkers and chess are already considered old allies when it comes to promoting mental health, because it helps to stimulate your mind, to practice logical reasoning, and chess is considered being a great ally in ADHD.
Online games are the RPGs of today. In most of these games, you can meet people from all over the world, and that can bring motivation, interaction, and knowing how to deal with frustrations. Games like League Of Legends (LOL), Counter-Strike (CC), Fortnite, Grand Theft Auto (GTA), Call Of Duty (COD), among others, show socialization and cooperation, in addition to bringing up highly famous and high-level competitions all over the world.
Other consoles such as Xbox (Microsoft), Playstation (Sony), and Wii or Switch (Nintendo) that have motion sensors are being used a lot in the recovery of patients, and also in the awareness that everything requires effort, helping in vicious diseases like drugs and alcohol.
Have Fun Always, But With Moderation
It is important to remember that games are an alternative to help some diseases, but they are not the cure to it. Overuse can lead to addictions, as well as going from something beneficial to something harmful. And like any other type of treatment, it is recommended that there is a monitoring of qualified professionals so that the treatment becomes successful.
Schedule a game routine and have good habits, such as avoid playing at night, can produce very good results in this type of “therapy”. Find out how to use them in the most beneficial way possible, excluding taboos about this style of cure. Good game, and have fun!
