Logged In Video Games & Mental Illness

Logged In: Video Games & Mental Illness Video games have become a large part of society today. While once considered a past-time for nerds, in recent years they have become mainstream, incorporating popular culture, movies, tv shows and sports in a way that appeals to the masses. From computers to consoles to games and apps on phones and tablets, video games are now seen as a widely accepted way for people to relax, unwind and pass the time.

Many people who struggle with mental illness have come to fully embrace the world of video games. Though gaming is seen as an acceptable past-time for others, unfortunately the stigma surrounding mental illness makes people assume that anyone struggling with a diagnosis such as depression is just being lazy when they play video games. The fact that someone is able to play, or even excel, at a game is seen as some sort of undeniable proof that a person is just “faking” or “exaggerating” their illness and that they would be fully capable of working and functioning to their full potential if they just “applied themselves”.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Playing video games as a tool for coping does not make a person lazy. Excelling at a game does not automatically mean a person would be able to excel at all other aspects of their lives equally. Playing a game does not negate or minimize a diagnosis. Gaming, however, can make some of the symptoms of mental illness more bearable and can be a healthy addition to our lives. Video games can be very beneficial to someone struggling with mental illness.

The focus needed to complete tasks in games can provide a much-needed distraction from aggressively looping negative thoughts. The repetition of many games can be soothing, helping to lower and lessen anxiety. When the world feels completely overwhelming and unbearable, video games can give a temporary escape so that someone on the verge of a meltdown or anxiety attack can catch their breath. Though many are quick to counter with the fact that both meditation and exercise can do the same thing, they often don’t understand how the mentally ill mind works.

I personally have taken classes for meditation, yoga and tai chi. While they are beneficial in their own way during times when I am already relatively calm, none have managed to silence the inner turmoil when my brain is already caught in the throes of an anxiety attack. While focused breathing might calm me long enough to stave off the panic attack for the moment, I often need to find some seemingly mindless task to distract my mind until the dust fully settles. When my mind is in an over-active loop, I usually need some type of busy work to pull my attention away before I can even begin to consider calming techniques.

Video games provide those menial tasks to help distract my brain long enough to re-center myself. Though exercise might be seen as a healthier alternative, as well, most do not consider the fact that, for many struggling with mental illness, it is hard some days to even pull ourselves out of bed.

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