In today’s digital age, video games are considered a source of entertainment, and time passes. Their captivating graphics, compelling storylines, and interactive narratives not only shape modern amusement but also have a positive effect on the mental health of the people. At present, due to research in health sciences, people are becoming aware of the significance of mental health.
It has been a matter of debate on how excessive gaming can have adverse effects on children’s brain development, but the question here is, can it also provide support for people suffering from mental health in profound ways?
Many games are now designed to promote mental relaxation, improve cognition, and help players develop coping skills for anxiety. This article discusses how video games can positively impact mental health and offer any sort of therapeutic support.
Insights from the Power of Play Report
The “Power of Play” report was released on Mental Health Day, which is celebrated on the 10th of October each year. It was created by a group of video game organizations from different countries. The report shows how playing video games can have a positive impact on people. The people who took part in this report agreed to the point that having fun is the main reason behind playing games, and playing video games also decreases anxiety and stress.
This report was concluded by surveying around 13,000 players. These players lived in 12 different countries. Let’s have a look at the report in terms of numbers.
- 71% of video game players are of the view that playing video games is a stress reliever.
- 55% believe that it helps in fighting loneliness.
- 64% are of the view that it helps a person to handle daily life challenges.
In this report, the countries that are surveyed are France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland, and the UK. This report further elaborates that playing video games boosts creativity by 73%. Problem-solving skills by 66% and enhances cognitive functions by 68%. This report supports mental health globally and reveals that video games can be a key contributor to mental well-being.
Video Games – a Tool for Therapy and Digital Connections
Do you know that some trained clinicians also use video games in therapy? Let’s have a look at how video games can be useful in clinical therapies and allow people to build valuable connections online.
Facilitating Conversation
The therapists use games like Uno and Checkers to develop rapport. Many people find it easy to reply to the answer while playing because they don’t have to put strain on their brains. Candyland, Othello, and Sorry are some of the favorite games that are used in this regard.
It is observed that students who are watching video games are more likely to answer frankly than students who are sitting idle at the therapist’s office. Not all the games have the same effect, as playing Scrabble stifles too much thinking. But some games work well, like Call of Duty, Mario Kart, Bros., Super Smash Bros., and Minecraft. After a few weeks, when the ice is broken and rapport is built, people start enjoying traditional therapy without the assistance of video games.
Minecraft as a Therapy Tool
For instance, WellPower’s child therapy team used the Minecraft game to connect with the people in spaces. The program helps children and families by letting them play a game together. Special doctors called clinicians watch them play and talk to them about what is happening in their lives. The game lets them share their feelings in a fun way. Even how they build things in the game can tell the doctors about things they should talk about in therapy.
Video Game Therapy in a Digital World
The pandemic has taught us how connecting digitally is beneficial. Connecting digitally via video games can remove many emotional and psychological barriers and give people space to voice their concerns and express themselves more genuinely. Do you know that people who experience mental health find it hard to tell about what is going on in their lives?
Video games take a person to an imaginary world where a person has no pressure to speak honestly. It may sound like a way to escape realities, but it is a way to cope with life for patients with clinical depression or suffering from schizophrenia.
Building Community Through Gaming
For people who are combating mental or physical health, video games can give them a way out to make new friends and become community members. It can be beneficial if they are isolated because of illness for a long time.
Gaming can also help in improving cognitive skills. There are many games that can help people learn to play instruments, cook, wash, and do many other tasks. Additionally, games can be accessible at any moment by disabled people. This means that people get to enjoy interaction with communities.
Considering how emotionally people can connect with a game, gaming companies are focusing on creating immersive experiences through translated games. For this purpose, they invest in game translation services and culture consultations.
Access to Games that Support Mental Health Worldwide
Playing video games is a good way to unwind after a stressful day. You can play a game designed to help with anxiety through calming visuals and interactive storytelling. Without accurate translation, players who don’t speak the original language might miss out on those benefits.
For this purpose, they can get assistance from a professional translation company that can help them localize games for local cultures and languages.
Balancing Gaming for Mental Health
Access to everything is bad. If a person keeps on playing video games and is not doing proper exercise and taking sleep, instead of healing mental health, it can have adverse effects. To improve mental health, one should keep himself or herself busy.
Understanding both the benefits and potential drawbacks, individuals can use video games as part of a holistic strategy for mental health and tap into their therapeutic possibilities while maintaining healthy habits.