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Gaming can officially improve mental health: 5 essential relaxing titles to play

bbc.co.uk

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Re: Gaming can officially improve mental health: 5 essential relaxing titles to play

#5

Post by MatekCopatek »

bpodgursky wrote: post #2

I don't think the question is whether games _can_ improve mental health, but whether the opportunity cost is activities that are dramatically better to this end (ie, exercise, going outside, or socializing).

Getting an IV is a dramatically more effective way of hydration than drinking a glass of orange juice. Yet life isn't an RPG where you minmax and pick the task that increases your stat the most.

Re: Gaming can officially improve mental health: 5 essential relaxing titles to play

#8

Post by epicureanideal »

MatekCopatek wrote: post #5
bpodgursky wrote: post #2

I don't think the question is whether games _can_ improve mental health, but whether the opportunity cost is activities that are dramatically better to this end (ie, exercise, going outside, or socializing).

Getting an IV is a dramatically more effective way of hydration than drinking a glass of orange juice. Yet life isn't an RPG where you minmax and pick the task that increases your stat the most.

> Yet life isn't an RPG where you minmax and pick the task that increases your stat the most.

Actually, that's basically how I try to organize my life...

Re: Gaming can officially improve mental health: 5 essential relaxing titles to play

#9

Post by Darmody »

armchairhacker wrote: post #3

I wish, but when my mental health is bad (I'm feeling down) every game I try is boring and feels like work. When my mental health is good I can enjoy more productive stuff so I do that instead.

I think there's a big difference between improving your mental health and curing it.

Games, like sports, can help you a lot, but they alone won't simply make you happy/non-depressed.

I could use a food analogy. Kale can improve your health, but if you're sick it won't cure you, it'll just have a positive impact in your overall health.

I'd like also to add Minecraft to that list. The ability to get in and just start building your world as you imagine them can be very relaxing.

Games with small communities are pretty cool as well. Once you're in, there's that belonging feeling that you don't usually get on popular games. Small games communities exist because the people there really love the game and their attitude to any newcomer is warm and friendly. Unreal World is a roguelike that comes to my mind writing this.

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