LYNX LIFE LIBRARY

Being a lifelong gamer has certainly caused me to analyze this nostalgic, yet relevant passion of mine. It has become a second-nature part of my identity that fluctuates like most hobbies, but it contains a truly unique feature that I did not recognize until moving into the counseling profession. My roots, like most gamers, stem from childhood memories of connecting with friends and enjoying the newest cutting-edge games, that not only pushed the envelope of technology, but also creativity. However, I have found that gaming persisted just beyond the obvious social connection. During some of the most difficult times of my life, gaming was there to provide an outlet for creative expression, challenge, and perspective, that had not been apparent to me yet. It piqued my curiosity to investigate this further, with the newly acquired lens of professional counseling.

Reframing Gaming

Although I can speak about the praises of gaming anecdotally, I am aware of the somewhat negative stigma that gaming has garnered throughout my life. Specifically, in the late 2000s, there were countless news stories that theorized a connection between gaming and anti-social habits, such as violence and aggression. A recent article by the American Psychological Association (2020) shares "there is insufficient scientific evidence to support a causal link between violent video games and violent behavior," which refutes the narrative many news outlets have claimed prior. Gaming has also been slated as a driver of isolation and loneliness, which has also been disputed by evidence. A large systematic review found no consistent evidence that gaming increases loneliness—in fact, some studies showed the opposite (Luo et al., 2022). I can see how one might assume that these anti-social habits might stem from a gaming hobby, based on a surface level look, but like many other topics, it takes a nuanced look to get a deeper understanding. As mentioned prior, gaming has the potential for many benefits, some of which might not be understood widely.

Hidden Benefits of Gaming

Like other hobbies and passions, gaming can generate a wide variety of positive elements to someone's life. Through similar mechanisms to other hobbies, gaming's benefits can be categorized into various areas:

• Emotional Regulation: Studies through the National Institute of Health show how playing video games can reduce stress and improve mood by 1) acting as a structured escape from overwhelming thoughts, 2) buffer rumination, and 3) regain a sense of control during stressful periods. Specifically for college students, gaming after rigorous study has been shown to be effective for decompressing. When managed and balanced, gaming can be a helpful space for people to go in difficult times, and channel difficult feelings through creativity, challenges, etc.
• Cognitive and Psychological Growth: Both traditional and challenging games can tap into our natural human drive towards improvement, competition, and mastery. Studies have shown how gamers can consistently outperform non-gamer in various cognitive tasks like attention, memory, mental flexibility, planning, visuospatial processing, and other areas (Martinez et al., 2023). Additionally, a more hidden benefit is how games can contribute towards a growth mindset, as well as confidence. In more challenging games, failure is expected and often inevitable, but they also encourage creativity, consistency, and prowess, which can build confidence and the notion of slow and steady growth.
• Social Connection and Belonging: Additional studies from the National Institutes of Health demonstrate how gaming can increase feelings of belonging and social connection. The video games industry has long been a part of society, but not until the last 20-30 years has it become "acceptable" to be a gamer, or integrative to society. This notion only drove gamers together, increasing connectedness and opportunities to bond over shared media. Specifically, in online games, essential skills such as teamwork and communication can be fostered and built upon. Lastly, with the increased prevalence of social anxiety, gaming acts as a comfortable medium for individuals to build relationships and confidence, without the added pressure.
• Creativity, Identity, and Expression: Similar to how an artist can channel the self into their medium of choice, gaming can act as a medium to channel personal expression, identity, and creative interpretation. Many games, specifically Role-Playing Games (RPGs), allow for immense creative expression, such as detailed character creators, branching storylines, moral "good vs evil" choices, and fantasy-like roles and tropes. Gaming is a uniquely private and personal medium that can provide safe experimentation with identity, especially during emerging adulthood, using in-game mechanics and creativity.

Healthy vs. Unhealthy Gaming

Similar to other hobbies and lifestyles, gaming certainly can become a space for maladaptive behaviors and habits. Especially amongst younger audiences, the "dopamine hit" that video games cause can generate some concern around addictiveness. The research shows that these benefits are most prevalent amongst individuals with moderate levels of play, whereas excessive gaming can lead to issues such as sleep disruption, and avoidance of real-world issues. To access the hidden benefits, gaming needs to be balanced by an overall healthy lifestyle and treated with intentionality. Like we encourage in the counseling space, it is important to ask oneself how gaming is helping, and what role it serves. Mindfulness and gaming can go hand in hand, and checking-in with how effective the hobby is at creating joy and reducing stress is important to hit that sweet spot. I personally have gone through phases of questioning whether it was effective for me, and analyzing my own patterns related to gaming have been a major help to keep it balanced. Video games can create such a beautiful world of storytelling and innovation, and I have personally found that treating them with intentionality and respect has heightened my experience. Like an unread book or a blank canvas, a new video game is an opportunity to be immersed and deeply moved. This, I believe, moves the needle into the realm of healthy vs unhealthy use of this medium, and the research echoes this notion.

There is so much to still be explored within this topic, and what exists at the crossroads of mental wellness and gaming. What has been shown though is that there is a strong precedent set for the positives that gaming can provide. With healthy intention and open-mindedness, playing video games can create unique opportunities for growth. Regardless of whether you consider yourself a gamer or not, this topic lends itself to the power of expression and creativity. It is never too late to pick up a new hobby, so if you decide to grab a controller, you might find you're not just playing a game—you're building skills, connection, and maybe even paving a new way towards mental wellness.

References:

American Psychological Association. (2020, March 3). APA reaffirms position on violent video games and violent behavior [Press release]. hhttps://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2020/03/violent-video-games-behavior

Martinez L, Gimenes M, Lambert E. (2023). Video games and board games: Effects of playing practice on cognition. PLoS ONE 18(3): e0283654. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0283654