Motion Sickness with Gaming - Anxiety and Depre...

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Motion Sickness with Gaming

Jefner profile image
12 Replies

59 now and a few months ago I decided to start gaming in the hope it would help with my anxiety and depression but I was stumped, after playing Call of Duty for a while, why I couldn't walk in a straight line properly and my anxiety seemed to worsen. I read up and apparently it's quite common to get motion sickness with gaming. I now play in small slots but still seem to get it.

Can anyone relate please?

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Jefner profile image
Jefner
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12 Replies
Fearoffear profile image
Fearoffear

I can't play new games at all!! Last thing I played was crash bandicoot on PS2 and when I got a PS3 and it was 3D I couldn't control where I wanted him to go because it wasn't just back and forth it was indepth. On my PS3 I played guitar hero but I had to play with the controller because the guitar was too big for my small hands. I can't even watch my son play his games because the 3D messes with my head. I totally get you and I'm 47, so it's not that we're old it's how we see it that it's distorted to our minds. Like I say we had pong and arcade games, pixelated looking Mario and Luigi now it's all on steroids in my mind!!😂😂😂🥴

mrmonk profile image
mrmonk

I don't play a lot of first-person shooters, but I can't say I've really had that problem with the ones I have played, though I often get queasy if I watch a video of someone else playing a game.

Jefner profile image
Jefner in reply to mrmonk

yah i kinda get that too

I've been there too. I understand it had something to do with "flicker rate" as I've heard it referred to. Something about the strobe effect of the game and it's interaction with the game consoles...ah technology. Gotta lover it.

Lizziedee profile image
Lizziedee

Hi Jefner, I’m the very same!! My favourite games are Resident evil,assassins creed,days gone. I recently downloaded the new resident evil demo and after 5/10 minutes I began to feel really sick and off balance. I tried Call of Duty a long time ago but because of the camera angle it also made me sick & dizzy. I can’t play games like that now where the camera angle is like that. Although it’s one of my favourite hobbies I stick to similar games just with fixed camera angle. X

alfreddy7 profile image
alfreddy7

I play nothing but call of duty and other shooters. I’m 32 and I only get that motion sickness when Im not well rested or didn’t get good sleep.

It can also be that the games nowadays are so realistic. If that makes any sense. I know I wouldn’t get motion sickness if I were to play Super Mario Bros lol on Super Nintendo

Other than that. Gaming does keep my mind occupied and helps my anxiety. I also get to chat with some friend while playing online.

Maybe you can give it a few more times but only maybe about 30 minute or less a day? Start slowly?

Two possible causes....neck tension will interfere with the nerves as well as muscles that feed part of the relationship between eyes and ears.Even looking at a screen for too long can effect these muscles and cause imbalance issues.Neck stretches (youtube tutorials ) will help.

The other possible if you as using a gaming chair is the crystals in your ear balancing canals (there are 6 canals) can shift out of the resevoir and stay in part of the canal....this will confuse the brains messages from the eyes...hence the conflict when moving from long stationary periods to normal activity....often you will feel there is something wrong with balance along with dizziness that disappears as soon as you stop moving...The condition is known ad BPPV and can be pinpointed using the eply manoverve excercise.This identifys which ear ...which canal...and how to get the crystals back...again youtube tutorials will help....i fixed mine with slow somersaults on the lawn!...it happens as we get older!

Lastly you may have an middle ear infection which ihas flared up over using headphones.

I found playing challenging games increased my anxiety ...too much adrenalin...and cortisol ...does not ..a happy mix make.

Saki-Amamiya profile image
Saki-Amamiya

It could just be the fact that you aren't used to first-person games. They really have come a long way in recent years and can be scarily realistic now.Try some smaller indie games. These are often cheap and are available to download on most consoles. If you tell me what you're playing on, I could give some recommendations :)

Jefner profile image
Jefner in reply to Saki-Amamiya

indie games? what are they? I am playing on my computer via my xbox

Saki-Amamiya profile image
Saki-Amamiya in reply to Jefner

Indie is just short for independent, smaller games made by smaller companies, yet they’ve often got big ideas. A lot of them are story-driven, often emotional experiences which try to do something a bit different with the medium of gaming. usgamer.net/best-games/?pla... See if any of these catch your eye and read a bit more about some of them :)

I’m 39 and I grew up with games and I can’t even watch my kids play fortnite they move too fast for my brain to process. I play rocket league with my boys and I have to keep the game on a certain camera setting because the super fast motions of the other setting make me cringe.

Hope that helps any?!

I have severe vertigo and absolutely CAN NOT play some games. There ARE, however, ways to play (non-first person participation, for one) or certain games which are not at all triggering. The key is finding the right one(s)... Borrow from friends, checkout from the library, or rent them or something as you are trying to figure it out, and then buy whichever ones speak to you/resonate with you. It can be a great distraction/outlet!

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