Over the years, studios and creators have released games like Depression Quest, Sea of Solitude, Elude, and Actual Sunlight that were designed to help players deal with or understand mental health issues.
Video producer Mohammed (full name withheld upon request) grew up in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia playing video games like Crash Bandicoot, Spider-Man, and Prince of Persia. When he enrolled in an engineering college in India, he was affected by its intensely competitive atmosphere and soon stopped playing because he was too used to hearing that he was “bad”. “But I kept fighting even a year after I stopped playing,” says Mohammed, via email. “Some of my peers introduced me to intoxicants and I started taking them to deal with stress, that was naive of me.”
Around this time, he was also diagnosed with depression. “My family has a history of depression and anxiety,” explains the 27-year-old. He went to therapy until the end of college in 2017 and helped him deal with his mental health issues. “But in 2019, my addiction and depression got worse. I quit smoking in 2020 but had severe withdrawal symptoms that affected my mental health. My trading company also closed during the Covid-19 pandemic.”
But during lockdown, he rediscovered his love of gaming, and he saved it. “I played games that were more story-focused like Journey and The Last of Us Part II, which helped me process things better. My friends and I also got together very often and played multiplayer games like Call of Duty. This developed both my social skills and a healthy competitive spirit.”
Mohammed moved to Dubai last year and is in a much better place now. He has a few theories about how the games helped him better manage his mental health; for example, he talks about how the photography in the game helped him improve his own skills and that those creative activities kept him busy. “I also realized that when faced with a challenge in a video game, we are inclined to tackle it instead of being held back by fear of failure. I still suffer from a lack of confidence due to depression, but I also started adopting the same mindset in real life, and my life has improved significantly.” Games like The Last of Us Part II also helped him develop more empathy in real life and better deal with problems in his personal relationships.
A few days later, we spoke to a Dubai-based Indian architect who goes by the pseudonym James Mason online. “I had a pretty tough time in my teens due to family issues, insecurities and heartbreak,” the 24-year-old says, via Reddit chat. “I was definitely not in a good place mentally.” He is going through another bad breakup right now, but this time his severe angst is compounded by the pressure of work and the stress of applying to colleges to further his education. “I’ve been thinking about seeking professional help, but the cost is the only reason I haven’t done it yet,” she says.
Once again, the games helped. “Cooperative games like Call of Duty, where I need to communicate with friends, have helped me deal with anxiety. I know this may sound counterintuitive, but sometimes I play games like Elden Ring, which are difficult and challenging, but also immersive – they help me deal with stress. And lastly, I also play slow-paced games like Minecraft – I can turn my mind off and explore or be creative.”
Young gamers like Mohammed and James who are struggling with mental health issues have sought solace in gaming and their stories stand in stark contrast to popular perceptions of gaming, which were once largely negative in nature. With new research studies changing its notorious reputation a bit, therapists have started to explore and discover the benefits of games and how they can even be therapeutic for some.
For example, in July, the media reported on a new study by a team at the Oxford Internet Institute, where they surveyed almost 40,000 gamers and, according to the Oxford University website, found no causal link. Between gaming and poor mental health. — whatever kind of game is being played.”
The university’s website quoted Professor Andrew K. Przybylski, a senior researcher at OII, as saying: “We found that it really doesn’t matter how much players played.” [in terms of their sense of well-being]. It wasn’t the quantity of games, but the quality that counted… if they felt they had to play, they felt worse. If they played because they loved it, then the data did not suggest it affected their mental health. He seemed to give them a strong positive feeling,” adding that while the study is exciting, “there is still a lot of work to do.”
Use of video games in therapy
Over the years, game studios and creators have released video games like Depression Quest, Sea of Solitude, Elude, and Actual Sunlight, which were specifically designed to help gamers deal with or better understand mental health issues like depression and anxiety through their unique stories. Other video games can help, too: A 2021 article in Wired details how therapists have started using online games as part of their overall treatment plans, especially with their younger patients. It also cites several studies, including a 2017 study that appeared in Prevention Science that, the article says, “found MindLight to be as effective as a cognitive behavioral therapy program in reducing children’s anxiety,” and a 2018 study titled zombies vs. Anxiety: An Increasing Prescribed Video Game Play Compared With Medication Study to Reduce Anxiety Symptoms, Concluding “Clinicians should consider these low-cost, non-stigmatizing CVGs (occasional video games) as a feasible intervention for patients who don’t want to take additional medications. .
Dr. Shyam Bhat, Nirvikalpa Physician and Psychiatrist: Bangalore Mind-Body Center treats patients from all over the world, including the Middle East. He recommends games like Sparx as part of the overall treatment plan for some of his teen and younger patients.
“In one study, Sparx was found to be equivalent to cognitive therapy for the treatment of mild depression and anxiety in adolescents. And these games are already available for free online,” she says. “Such games can teach cognitive and behavioral skills, which are useful for the prevention and treatment of milder forms of anxiety and depression.”
Dr. K Arun Kumar, a specialist psychiatrist at Aster Clinic Jubilee Medical Complex, says that video games as a treatment aid came into the spotlight only in recent years, especially during the pandemic. “Kids could engage more with video games, rather than attend long counseling sessions,” he says.
He explains that the games help mainly through ‘increased adherence to the treatment plan’ and that it helps them feel accomplished, builds emotional resilience by helping them better accept failure and motivates them to keep trying, teaches strategic planning and improves online communications. with other players, while he points out that most of the research on the subject is still ongoing. “The research was done primarily on specific video games that were designed as a treatment plan, like CBT or physical activity,” he adds.
Safe online spaces for gamers
Emarati Ahmed* (name changed to protect identity) aged 15, based in Dubai, was once pushed downstairs at school by bullies. The reason? Her laptop ‘outdated’ her. She didn’t confide in her parents about this or anything else, not even the fact that she might be suffering from depression and social anxiety. “My dad will just tell me that he is a man,” she says. “He’s pretty strict and he wrecked my first PC (personal computer) because I got bad grades.”
The only person he spoke to about the bullying incident was a gamer friend who lives in the Netherlands. “He taught me how to upgrade my old Asus G75VW. I swapped out the hard drive for a new one and got an external GPU mount and was finally able to play games on it.” Ahmed, who spends an average of nine hours a day gaming, has 198 online gaming friends whom he describes as “close”. “I met them through games like Call of Duty and Counter-Strike and gaming communities on Discord and Reddit. I feel safer with them than with my ‘offline’ friends.”
Such camaraderie is not unusual among players. There are groups like Gamers of Compassion and D2 Sanctuary on platforms like Reddit and Discord (the latter is banned in the United Arab Emirates) that provide a safe space for gamers struggling with mental illness. “The most common thing that people deal with in the group is anxiety, followed by depression. We also have a few people with autism that I know of. But that’s just what I know: Most of the people who join the group say nothing and just stay and read,” says Blake, the US-based founder of Gamers of Compassion.
Dr. Kumar explains that young gamers find solace in the anonymity of the Internet, where they feel heard. “However,” he continues, “there are chances of being misled as these forums simply share personal experiences. It could be like a blind man leading a blind man, and precious time will be lost before seeking professional help.”
pros cons
While discussing the topic, therapists also strike a warning tone, noting that the therapeutic use of video games has its limitations.
“Technology, including games, while useful, will not be able to replicate certain essential elements of therapy, such as a therapist’s empathic presence, real-time communication, and sensitive responses to developing clients’ emotions as who share their thoughts and feelings. says Dr Bhat.
Dr. Kumar adds that mental health issues should be treated under the guidance of experts and with the involvement of parents. “Video games can only be complementary and may not be the only line of management,” he says. “All casual games may not be therapeutic. It can help as a distraction strategy but can actually backfire as the individual continues to avoid real stress instead of dealing with it. It leads to poor coping skills and could worsen depression and anxiety. In addition, these games provide instant gratification in a short period of time due to the increase in dopamine, and uncontrolled use can lead to other problems such as addiction, attention and memory problems, poor social skills, sleep and appetite disorders.
Blake of Gamers of Compassion also believes that gaming is not a substitute for therapy. “However, I think they are a way for people to escape the struggles they face and find community and friendship, and that’s not a bad thing when you’re constantly reminded of what you’re going through.”
How much is too much?
The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes ‘gaming disorder’ as a mental health condition. But what differentiates a fan from a game addict? Here are some signs to watch out for:
• The inability to control games, such as not being able to stop
• Prioritize games over other interests and activities
• Continue gambling despite negative consequences, such as losing your job
• Withdrawal symptoms when you can’t play video games, such as irritability or anxiety
• Tolerance with time: need to play more or more powerful games
