How Video Games Can Help With Anxiety and Depression

Video games get a bad rap. We’re told staring at screens for too long can ruin our sleep, hurt our eyesight, and stunt our social lives. Not to mention, violence in action-oriented video games—like Call of Duty or War of Warcraft—can make people more likely to have aggressive outbursts IRL.¹

Even with these potential downfalls, gaming is increasingly used as a therapy for people struggling with mental health problems, like anxiety and depression. Here’s what we know thanks to preliminary studies:

• Games don’t have to be complex to help. You don’t need an immersive, role-playing game to escape, zone out, and feel less anxious. Simplistic games, like Angry Birds, can help boost your mood and make you feel more relaxed.²
• Playing games motivates us. And that’s very important when we’re depressed. “Gaming is the neurological opposite of depression,” says author and well-known gamer Jane McGonigal in an interview with The Long and Short.
• Developers have already designed games to treat mental health problems. Sparx, for example, is a role-playing game that helps promote positive affirmations through the interactions players have within the game. In a small study, all gamers saw a drop in negative thoughts after playing it.³

(h/t The Long and Short)

Works Cited

1. Violent video game effects on aggression, empathy, and prosocial behavior in eastern and western countries: a meta-analytic review. Anderson CA, Shibuya A, Ihori N. Psychological bulletin, 2010, Jun.;136(2):1939-1455.
2. The benefits of playing video games. Granic I, Lobel A, Engels RC. The American psychologist, 2013, Dec.;69(1):1935-990X.
3. The effectiveness of SPARX, a computerised self help intervention for adolescents seeking help for depression: randomised controlled non-inferiority trial. Merry SN, Stasiak K, Shepherd M. BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 2012, Apr.;344():1756-1833.

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