I am an avid gamer. Been one since I got my first video game console (Atari 2600). I find it to be a good way to focus the mind and allow yourself to make progress on a task.
One of the biggest challenges I have is completing a task or project, usually due to my anxiety being triggered by a stressful event or the worry that there are a million of other tasks to accomplish. This is especially true while at work. It has been my experience that if I have a game, such as an RPG or a Simulator, it helps to train my mind to focus on a specific task and to also feel joy in seeing progress towards completing a task.
I know video games get a bad reputation as being an avoidance or escapist tool as a means to avoid being productive but I feel if gaming is scheduled and does not conflict with accomplishing work/personal goals, it is an ideal method in calming an uneasy mind.
What does everyone else think? What games do you play to focus or go to your "Zen" place?
I am currently playing Animal Crossing, Snowrunner, and Forge of Empires.
Written by
Essedarius
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
39 Replies
•
Hi. How much time would one spend a day for games do you think is reasonable wo affecting personal life/work?
I believe one would have to take into account the type of work they perform, personality, and how they interact with intimate relationships. I am grateful for finally having a loving relationship with another person who is also a gamer. I think a lot of people overlook how social gaming can be. In the old days, it was very much a solitary experience unless you had friends over to play. Now, there are huge communities created within gaming universes that promote healthy interactions with other people who share common interests and goals. I do believe gaming can become an addiction so a person must find balance. Being an introvert, social anxiety is a big part of my life. Sometimes I use gaming as a means to find solace and solitude in a virtual world. I know I can't stay there but being immersed in a world for few hours a day helps me to center and feel a little more control over the events in my day.
Congrat on having a love relationship with your partner of same interest. I am considering an average person with an 8 hrs of work a day, 2 hrs into commute n lunch/break. 1 hr to fix their meals, 1 hr for exercise, 8 hr sleep so that would be 20 hrs non negotiable time devoting to oneself. Would that be difficult to manage with partner who has different interests or family affairs?
It would be and has been on occasion for me. That is were the difficulty presents itself. How much time can you schedule to devote to personal wellness and still remain productive? Unfortunately, time management adds to the cycle of anxiety on a daily basis. As I see scheduling gaming time to be just as important as scheduling appointments with my therapist, those in my life must be understanding of the benefit and not see it as a waste of time or nonsense.
1 hr yoga and 30 mins for meditation is my personal wellness and i find getting that done contributes to my productivity. I work 10 hrs a day in my profession so all my day is utilized. I do see your point everyone’s wellness is different so I think it would be reasonable to play an hour or two a day for a partner with different interest. Thank you for your input.
I have never playing games on computers etc. I am more interested in various real time hobbies. I also like to research History Geography and Travel although getting older makes me slower and my memory is shot
We all have our own interest and like coming on these sites and You Tube sites related to my interests. I like being productive and we have our own Orchard that is driving me mad because of the cold weather.
Hobbies and Diversions are a personal thing that everybody enjoys doing, we are all different. I look at computers/ Laptops as just a means to an end as many people would look at many od my interests
Though I'm not what anyone could describe as an avid gamer, I do enjoy video games as a hobby. I have been playing them in one form or another since I was a kid; my first introduction to gaming consoles was a Telstar.
I made a similar post to yours in this forum a couple of years back that addresses what I enjoy about games and some of the games I play (downthread in the comments, I list some other games that I'm still playing two years later):
I like to play both. I am also a fan of 7Days to Die! I like open world games such as Snowrunner, Stranded Deep, and even American Truck Simulator. I just purchased a Steering Wheel and it has magically transformed the driving experience.
Yeah I agree about scheduling time for gaming and sticking to it. And also being part of a gaming community is great. I like back I. The old days playing on the N64 and having friends over for multiplayer. But since then, I’ve always been played video games by myself. I love Kingdom Hearts and SSX Tricky
Have you noticed less anxiety at work after a weekend of kicking butt in RPG?
If not, then I'd say no correlation or application carried over.
If you are able to prioritize tasks and meet goals at work, then perhaps.
I don't play, so I cannot speak to the skills needed inside the game. Maybe make a journal about some of the skills you used and make a column for how it would be applied at work.
That sounds great. I look forward to seeing the results.
There’s a whole thing about “games for good” where people are using games to improve mental health.
I found out about a company called BfB Labs in the UK because they were on the news a while back after they built some kind of game to help children manage their anxiety. From what I saw it looked a bit like a Zelda style RPG with exposure therapy woven into the narrative. It looked super cool!
I still love playing classic games like Tekken myself.
I also use it for calming down and as a reward for completing the things I was procrastinating on. I do need to get better at hyper focusing and playing for way too long though. Whenever I feel the need for the satisfaction of completing tasks I usually play a farming simulator like harvest moon/story of seasons, I've been obsessed with Graveyard Keeper lately, though that's not really about having a farm. If I just want to chill out then it's Breath of the Wild for sure. I could climb mountains and jump off them for eternity. And if I want something epic to pump me up I have to fight dragons in Skyrim or Dragon Age: Inquisition.
Played back in the day; Spectrum, Amiga, Sega etc. Then it was certainly communal as my friends were into it too. Now my son plays ps4. I find once chores are done & kids asleep. Some gaming time for me helps me unwind. My overthinking, anxiety and depression are almost sedated giving me enough relaxation to get to sleep easier. It's not for everyone and needs to be managed well. However it helps me more than many things do. Take care & stay safe.
I've long thought that there a great many games that you would enjoy, given your love of science fiction. If you are interested, I would be happy to help.
Holy s--- you don't miss anything! Like some multi-tentacled ET running a computer command station! How the heck did you know I responded to the gaming thread???
Any hew... I would be thrilled to accept your help!
You are the gaming God. How do I proceed.
But - Danger Will Robinson!!! I know but nothing. I mean nothing.
By the way, I do not enjoy competition. Pathetic childhood issues concerning world-class checker pro father teaching me (pre-kindergarten) and not allowing me too win. Boo-hoo.
How are you mrmonk? I haven't seen you about in so long. I've been worried about how down you've been.
Gaming God? Oh no, I'm not even Bubo the Owl! 🦉 (Sorry for the silly Clash of the Titans reference, but thought you might appreciate the nod to Harryhausen).
And I also don't enjoy competition either, so don't worry about that at all.
Yes! Love Harryhausen! Peacock carries The Ray Bradbury Theater, and Season 2, episode 10 "Tyrannosaurus Rex" is Bradbury's tribute to his friend Harryhausen. (I highly recommend it.) I love The Ray Bradbury Theater, but I don't think it was ever popular except with his readers. Non-readers (um-hmm) may find it harder to suspend disbelief.
Mission control: All is okey-dokey here.
I wasn't going to pester you, but since you're here... Is it a normal side effect of the Ensure that uh "passes" (so to speak), the frequent trips to the bathroom? Seems to defeat the purpose. (De feet go over de fence before de tail.) I think I've "eliminated" all other culprits. Any suggestions?
I have 4 games I regularly play on my PC: Guild Wars 2 (GW2), Sims 4, Stardew Valley (farming sim) and Flight Rising (pet sim) . Aside from those I sometimes return to Elder Scrolls (Skyrim), MYST:URU Online Again (MOULA), and I'm always looking for new games. I use them for escape as well as some socialization (GW2 is an MMORPG). All of them engage my mind and some are more Zen than others. If I'm feeling deeply anxious I usually go to Stardew Valley because the music is relaxing to me and the gameplay requires some thinking but not a lot. If I am feeling angry I will go play GW2 for the combat. Sims 4 allows me to design a home, create a family and improve their lives over the course of the game, which I find gratifying. I always end up with the largest house lot in all of the maps lol. I generally don't play until the evening and weekends, and both my spouse and son play the same or other games. We're a gaming family.
I also use gaming as a sort of therapy session. I deal with a lot of pain, fatigue and other symptoms. This allows me to focus on other things besides my symptoms. One thing I deal with is brain fog, and games helps with that. I prefer the RPG approach because it gives me task to complete and I feel accomplished after. I have a need to feel that way because I can't preform many task in real life due to disablity, I don't get to leave my house much, or even bed. I like an easier approach, like BOTW or minecraft. If I need to blow off some steam, I play D3 and attack stuff. Lol 😆
I wish I had a distraction from constant pain and lost ability to perform tasks and get about. I don't know anything about gaming, wrong generation. How would I get started, do you know? Thanks.
I enjoy World of Warcraft (never would have thought I'd be into it). A couple teachers I work with (one in her 40s and one in her 60s got me into it. I can go days without playing but if I have a free day I need to get my cleaning done before I start because I could easily play the day away! I too am an introvert and find it's a nice way to escape from worries. In the evenings my husband watches hunting shows and I sit at my computer.
I’ve been playing video games since the Game Boy Color was out. It wasn’t until 2017-ish that I started noticing how much they helped me out of an anxiety attack and/or distracted me enough so that for an hour or two I wasn’t worrying about something else.
I try to get in an hour each day. Maybe more. Maybe less. Depends.
While I play a vast array of titles, I’ve consistently played Overwatch since it’s release in 2016. The fast paced multiplayer really helps me focus on that and I don’t have time to think about anything else.
Unfortunately, once I stop playing a lot of what was on my mind comes back. Maybe not as bad but it still does a number on me.
So I see this from all sides. However I’d say that video games are more helpful than not.
Oh, yes, gaming is more than just therapy for me. This is my outlet, this is a part of my soul, this is a part of my life. And cool skins on dmarket.com/csgo-skins/prod... this is the best thing that has happened to me. In short, I'm happy to be a gamer, this is the best thing that could happen to me
There is at least one study (which makes it not the end all) that tested how much gaming is good for your memory. Been a few years since i learned about it but I believe they found that if you play a game for 15 minutes or so it will help relax and focus. If you are playing for hours you are also soaking in all that blue light and energy. That can over stimulate your brain and cause you not to focus. I love certain kinds of strategy games but I get too sucked in. I play more casual games now.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Triggered by therapy 
Finally starting therapy?
My TMS Therapy update
The worst therapy session ever!
