The Viable Good in Gaming
Introduction
My relationship with video games has been rocky these past few years. Although I would not describe myself as someone who hates them and never plays, I don't love them either. Despite their negative reputation, after doing much personal research and even learning about these topics in school, I believe my mind might've been changed regarding the nature of video games (as long as they are used reasonably, of course)! As mental health issues increased globally as a result of the pandemic, so too did the usage of games, something that I have noted within the recent habits of my friends and even myself.
Positivity in Playing
To begin, it has been proven that these digital games aid the population with general mental stimulation, feelings of accomplishment and satisfaction, mental health recovery, socialization, and emotional resilience. Surprisingly, these games are not new, nor are they hard to come by. To specify, game developers like Thatgamecompany are famous for creating relaxing, dopamine-releasing virtual experiences. These easing effects are created through the use of things like calming video and audio design as well as through the pure mechanics of the game, like the difficulty. In order to avoid this frustration, open-world games are often made to create a balanced environment for the player with a concentration on one's flow state instead of outside negative stimuli, relaxing people of all kinds in the face of everyday stress.
Virtual Treatment
First and foremost, I learned about the University of Central Florida's virtual reality (VR) treatment program through my AP Psychology class, where my teacher, Mrs. Sierra, had much pride in showing her students this local school. I was especially delighted to see a group in our community aid mental health disorders, especially Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), through such advanced technology. Specifically, their clinic in Orlando has been using a grant from the U.S. Department of Defense to give patients, usually veterans and emergency service workers, access to exposure therapy without putting them in harm's way. For example, they would undergo VR, and group therapy that allows them to be exposed to the many sensations felt at the trauma site, thus decreasing the stress related to intrusive memories. This program has been such a success that it continues to receive grants and funds for an increasingly large application that will soon serve more than just militant patients.
DeepWell's Analysis
DeepWell: A startup company made up of game developers and medical industry veterans whose goal is to discover the correct "formula" to aiding mental health through gaming. Creators Mike Wilson and Ryan Douglas believe that games not only offer a distraction from a gloomy reality but can also give health professionals insight into complicated human behavior, as it would be practiced in a safe and easily accessible manner. Next, the two found that numerous types of games can be therapeutic and that many of its principles can actually be found in many popular applications today! For example, they describe roleplay in games as very similar to cognitive-behavioral therapy (a type of therapy used to change one's opinions on the self and the world around them) since you receive personal feedback and recognition that helps all become self-actualized. In the end, their goal is to create fun and accessible videogames to produce as many therapeutic benefits as possible.
Conclusion
All in all, I am very excited to see developers such as DeepWell and Thatgamecompany change the population's opinions on gaming by changing games themselves. I know many who view gameplay as positive through using games like Animal Crossing and the Pokemon series as a source of comfort. Then, as previously mentioned, if virtual reality can become more accessible, it could also aid the general population's mental health in everyday life. So, in the end, I hope that through some of the points I have made, others will gain a new approach to gaming and instead see the numerous opportunities we have to make it more beneficial. With this being said, I am not entirely convinced that video games are only positive, but I do so wish that one day our technology will make such games as spoken of in my article pleasant to the health of all!
Source
“The Rise of Stress-Free Video Games”
“Are There Mental Health Benefits of Video Games”
“Orlando Clinic Develops Virtual Reality to Treat PTSD in Veterans”
“Police Departments Throughout the Country are Implementing VR Training Technologies”
“DeepWell Wants to Make Gaming a Bigger Part of Mental Health Treatment and Self-Care”