As the world works to manage a global mental health crisis caused by an even bigger pandemic, many people are looking for ways to improve their mental wellness. For some people, living their best life means a combination of therapy and something they enjoy. Whether that hobby is gaming or camping, therapists are now encouraging people to take time out for hobbies and activities that make them happy. For a few ways playing video games or engaging in other favourite, pastimes can benefit your mental health and be a great subsidy to mental health treatment, read on.
Benefits of Gaming in Mental Health Treatment
Focusing on Mental Wellness
No two people, mental illnesses, behavioural challenges, relationships, or family dynamics are exactly the same. For this reason, therapists who work in the top mental health retreats in the world say that therapy should never be one size fits all. While attending a luxury therapeutic retreat where you can work with a top treatment team to become the best version of you could be an excellent way to improve your state of mind, combining that plan with hobbies can help, too.
If you’re like many people and struggling with your mental health as a result of the global pandemic, the truth is that you’re likely feeling lonely, isolated, and maybe even grieving. The best thing you can do is reach out to an experienced therapist to talk about your feelings. As a gamer, it’s important to be transparent about your gaming hobby. You might be surprised what your therapist recommends that you do.
Making the Most of Hobbies
While gamers sometimes get a bad reputation for becoming hyperfocused on their hobby, the truth is that all people do best in mental health treatment if they have things in their lives that help them feel calm and give them a sense of enjoyment. For this reason, any experienced therapist will likely encourage gaming and be more than willing to listen to your excitement about the next competitive gaming session when your gaming sessions are done within reason.
Maybe you’ve been feeling down but have been excited for the first time in weeks after reading about the best mouse for gaming through a review on Hotspawn. You likely already know that Hotspawn combines news, in-depth analysis, and how-to guides into one place to help you learn everything you need to know about esports. You might not know that solution-focused, client-driven therapists can take your love for gaming and write it into a personalized treatment plan with narrative therapy.
What might therapy be like if your therapist compared your life circumstances to a video game? How much easier could therapy be if your homework assignments were attached to creating the ideal Sims family? In short, mental wellness treatments and gaming can easily be woven together with the help of the right therapist.
Staying Connected
If you’ve been accused of using gaming as a tool meant for avoiding difficulty facing reality, the right therapist might actually be able to help you reframe that as gaming is a positive tool for connection. This is because, while non-gamers may not understand your excitement for a low price on a good gaming mouse, a therapist will pick up on the fact that gaming is giving you a sense of community and use it in video game therapy.
Even if you think you have a problem with gaming too much, the peace of mind you will feel when talking about it with a therapist could be worth making that first appointment. At the end of the day, between the connection you can find with people who share similarities in interests to the adrenaline rush you might get from playing with competitive gamers, it’s no wonder many therapists are encouraging gamers to spend free time playing the games they love.
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