Gaming for therapy and cognitive development?! It turns out there is a myriad of benefits gained from hobby! Feel the zen!
In this video I talk in response to an article by Geek and Sundry which looks at using Dungeons and Dragons as a therapeutic intervention for children with learning difficulties and expand that to discuss how it can be applied to all us us.
This includes the social aspect of meeting people, the behavioral activation properties of having things to look forward to as well as having achievements such as painting some of your led pile or winning a big game. Not only that but also the mindfulness involved as we paint.
For all the hobbyists who have ever suffered from mental health issues such as depression or anxiety or those that want to keep their mental well being in check, stick with it! In my real life job, I am a psychologist and I thoroughly believe that gaming is good for our mental health. Therapy does not necessarily mean going to see a psychologist to be analyzed and given drugs, etc..
It can simply be doing those activities that foster social skills such as teamwork, self esteem, and assertiveness. Guess what? All that can be found through playing!
Role playing makes it easy to assume a new role and gain perspective, exposing us to certain scenarios that are less threatening than real life. Gaming/Painting are achievements that we literally bring to the table and share with our friends. This gives us a sense of our community, and these relationships are a key aspect to our healing.
About the Author: Greg Warwick
