More than ever, gaming is part of our life context, especially for youth – though you may be surprised to learn that the average gamer is 34 years old and has children. It is a powerful media capable of telling intricate, artistic, interactive stories; a compelling venue for connection and relationship building; an industry worth hundreds of billions of dollars; and a fact of life that for most of us is rarely more than a few feet away in the form of a mobile phone.
Media attention tends to focus on assumed negative effects of gaming (e.g. addiction, violent behaviour). But too often this veers into fearful overgeneralization. Scapegoating “big bad tech” for the latest societal issues of concern turns out to be common, but rarely stands the test of time. The technical term for this is Moral Panic: “a widespread feeling of fear, often irrational, that something evil threatens the values, interests, or well-being of a community or society” (Wikipedia). Dr. Rachel Kowert, Psych., author of The Video Game Debate, claims Moral Panic deflects resources away from the actual underlying causes of social problems. So, we end up blaming video games for things like violent behaviour when better explanations exist – they are just more complicated.
To be clear, problematic gaming does exist – it just represents a fraction of gaming behaviour, (somewhere between 6-11%). Here’s what to look for in terms of problematic gaming, according to the World Health Organization:
- Loss of control over gaming (gaming take precedence over other activities despite clearly negative consequences)
- Significantly impaired functioning (e.g. school, work, relationships)
- A duration of at least a year
If that sounds like someone you know, then it is probably time for them to cut down, and they may need help doing so. Helping them find a therapist who is comfortable talking about healthy and unhealthy gaming habits could make a difference!
That said, most gaming behaviour is non-problematic. It is much more likely that a person’s gaming habits fall within a healthy range, and some may even be using gaming as a way to maintain or improve their mental health!
What about mental health benefits of gaming? Many studies have shown powerful mental health benefits from gaming, ranging from improved mood to higher GPAs. Healthy gaming can benefit emotional and intellectual development, creativity and curiosity, reading and abstract thinking, pain management, self -esteem, and social functioning – especially for neurodivergent players like those with ADHD or Autism.
Research on the positive effects of gaming is growing every year. Indeed, many games are now developed specifically with powerful mental health themes either embedded into their story or mechanics.
If you (or your kids) want to get the most mental health impact from gaming possible, I have a few suggestions as a starting point. But because this is such a diverse, exciting, and developing area, the ways video games can positively impact mental health will go far beyond this list. Some therapists are even using gaming in various ways in their work with their clients!
Connection. More than ever before, gaming can be a valuable source of connection, support, and positive relationships with other people. Many games incorporate cooperative elements, and include built-in matchmaking systems to make finding other players as easy as the click of a button. If you have fears about “toxic” gaming communities, know that this is usually limited to certain kinds of competitive games, which are getting better all the time at setting up and enforcing good codes of conduct.
In addition to connecting with other players, many single player games that have an emphasis on role playing or narrative elements provide rich opportunities for interacting with interesting and evocative protagonists and “non-player characters” (NPCs). Like well-written characters in other media, these provide engaging opportunities for empathy, perspective taking, moral decision making, and modeling of many different varieties. The difference with games is that a player can interact with these characters, trying out different choices over time and seeing the impact of their actions play out.
Skill-building. Play is an exercise in skill-building by its very nature. Games are no exception, and provide an opportunity to build and practice some very important ones. Distress tolerance is an important skill that many games encourage through the inclusion of learning curves, challenges, and unpredictable outcomes. Every time a player fails at a game’s task, they experience some level of frustration or distress that they must work through in order to progress in their desired direction. Repeated experiences teach a player that frustration, distress, and even anxiety are a normal, healthy, and surmountable part of growth. The independent game Celeste is a wonderful example of this.
Other skills games are great at cultivating include emotional intelligence (Life is Strange, Persona 5), creativity (Minecraft), organization, executive functioning, time/resource management (Stardew Valley), and problem solving.
Stress relief. According to Dr. Stuart Brown, author of the book “Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul,” play must appear to be purposeless, all-consuming, and fun. Play is not about productivity, but because it is such a great stress reliever, it makes us more productive overall. Thanks to the playful nature, video games can be a safe space for anything from cathartic stress relief (venting frustration in a healthy way) to a legitimate relaxation and mindfulness practice.
So, next time you or someone you care about fires up their console or PC for a gaming session, consider ways you may be able to bring these benefits more intentionally into their play. If you’re a gamer, consider the ways gaming adds value to your life in the form of connection, skill-building, and stress relief – and lean into this! If you’re a parent, show interest and ask your kids about the games they are playing, and what they get out of their gaming time. Better yet, play with them! You just might find yourself enjoying a new hobby.
David offers counselling service to youth (13+) and adults facing a wide range of issues. David has specific expertise in the areas of suicide and suicide prevention, career counselling, and issues facing post-secondary students and recent graduates, and often sees clients facing depression, anxiety, overwhelming stress, life transitions, and many other difficulties. David's approach integrate emotion-focused, narrative, and cognitive-behavioural therapy, and he offers a grounded and caring atmosphere where clients feel understood and empathized with. He is certified to administer and interpret career counselling assessments including the Myer-Briggs Type Indicator and the Strong Interest Inventory. David has a MA in Counselling Psychology from Adler University in Vancouver BC, and is registered with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors. In addition to his private counselling practice, David works as a clinical counsellor at a large local university. His other experience includes teaching as a sessional instructor, working as a youth suicide prevention therapist, a post secondary career counsellor, a mental health worker in community homes for people with serious mental illnesses, and as a tutor in an alternative youth education program.
