Games and mental health

I OFTEN have people in my office who claim that they do not have the motivation to the “drastic efforts” it takes to better their mental health. This has resulted in me making numerous efforts to show that it is not always drastic measures that need to be taken; that we can do little things every day that help us to have better mental health and overall quality of life.

A few days ago, I was having a tough day and I went to see some friends who were playing monopoly. They invited me to join in which I reluctantly agreed as it’s not a favourite of mine. Within 15 minutes of playing the game, I began to feel better and had forgotten about my previous stressors; playing a game that I didn’t even particularly like!
This got me thinking about another simple thing that we can do as a preventative and treatment measure for stress and mental illness- play games!

I know some people think that time can be better spent but many games are unconsciously educational and actually teach invaluable lessons.
My research shows that there have been actual scientific studies done which show the numerous benefits of simply playing a game- both alone or socially. They have been done on both electronic phone/video as well as board games. Basically, they can work as a healthy distraction of the stresses of life that no one is immune to.

The obvious first benefit is the social interaction that is required in most games. Remember that isolation fuels mental health issues. It can not only strengthen our current relationships but help to build new ones. It can increase our support system and allows us to better our social and communication skills.

The benefits of gaming for, both young and the elderly have been proven to be numerous, in a variety of areas. Apparently, playing games stimulates our brains which allow for improvements in cognitive function. These include an increase in concentration, attention and memory. Different games can also build imagination and creativity as they force us to create virtual realities.

I think even more importantly, many games teach us things that we need to practice or know in every -day life. They teach us logic, waiting, turn taking and flexibility. They aid in our ability to problem solve, learn management skills and strategic planning. It helps us to cooperate with others and learn to work in a team environment. We can see that just thinking about the rules of certain games such as monopoly, chess or dominoes.

Other games can teach us world knowledge and culture, history, science, maths and geography. They teach us how to handle conflict, the development of new skills, ambition and even what we may want to do with our lives. For example, I have friends that decided they wanted to be bankers and real estate agents by simply playing monopoly.
Many others teach us values and ethics than luck can change in an instant but to never give up.

Learning all of the above at a young age, especially the emotional experiences of winning or losing can strengthen us which builds our level of resilience and persistence as well as our overall self-confidence and self-esteem. It also helps our compassion and empathy to develop as we all know the moment when we feel sorry for our friends that are losing badly at the game.

Physically, games have been shown to lower stress and high blood pressure while relaxing our muscles and encouraging healthy blood flow to the brain. They also typically make us laugh which increases positive endorphins that promote happiness and positivity.

Furthermore, some studies show that playing games not only alleviate symptoms of mental illness but can actually prevent and treat some such as mild anxiety, depression and Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Others show that it is healthy for the elderly to play often as it can prevent cognitive decline which means it lowers the possibility of developing mental health problems such as dementia or Alzheimer’s. It has even shown improvements in those with physical disabilities as most games can help with dexterity and coordination. Basically, games keep our bodies and minds active and healthy.

I know that most people believe that constantly playing is not a good idea and I totally agree with you! However, studies have shown that frequent break time and play actually increase productivity and efficiency in the long run. I know, some of you may still not be convinced so maybe do a few things – schedule specific play times every day or every other day, choose games that you know can provide all the benefits listed above and give the game your undivided attention for the time being- especially when playing with loved ones.

A little reminder that play is not just for kids. George Bernard Shaw said, “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”
Thank you for reading and please send in any topics to caitlinvieira@gmail.com. Also please remember when you can come see me.

Georgetown Public Hospital, Psychiatric Department:
Monday- Friday – 08:00hrs-12:00hrs

Suicide Prevention Helpline Numbers – 223-0001, 223-0009, 623-4444 or 600-7896

Say Yes to Life and No to Drugs! Always!

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