Below is an interesting talk on online games and their contribution to positive mental health. It is delivered by Jane McGonigal, a gamer and game developer. She was inspired to research this area due to her own experience following a brain injury when she became depressed and suicidal. One in three people who suffer a traumatic brain injury, also experience suicidal ideation and it happened to her. Although this may seem counter-intuitive, she shares research from East Carolina University that showed that online games can outperform pharmaceuticals for treating clinical anxiety and depression. Additionally, research at Stanford University has been documenting how playing a game with an idealized avatar changes how we think and act in real life, making us more courageous, more ambitious, and more committed to our goals.
She shares something from scientific literature that I have not come across; namely post-traumatic growth following a traumatic event. Ironically, a traumatic event can unlock our ability to lead a life with fewer regrets. She developed a game called "Super Better" with four quests intended to boost four areas of resilience; physical, mental, and emotional, and social resilience.
1. Physical Resilience: To facilitate this you literally do not sit still. Stand up, take three steps, make a fist in the air, and move them over your head. The point is to move frequently.
2. Mental Resilience: Snap your fingers and count backwards from 50. Or alternatively, count backwards from 100 going down by 3 each time.
3. Emotional Resilience: Find a window and look out of it. Or if you are indoors or cannot access a window, pick your favourite animal and google baby (animal 0f your choice). Also try to experience three positive emotions for every negative one.
4. Social Resilience: Text or e-mail someone with a quick thanks or shake hands with someone for six seconds.
She shares something from scientific literature that I have not come across; namely post-traumatic growth following a traumatic event. Ironically, a traumatic event can unlock our ability to lead a life with fewer regrets. She developed a game called "Super Better" with four quests intended to boost four areas of resilience; physical, mental, and emotional, and social resilience.
1. Physical Resilience: To facilitate this you literally do not sit still. Stand up, take three steps, make a fist in the air, and move them over your head. The point is to move frequently.
2. Mental Resilience: Snap your fingers and count backwards from 50. Or alternatively, count backwards from 100 going down by 3 each time.
3. Emotional Resilience: Find a window and look out of it. Or if you are indoors or cannot access a window, pick your favourite animal and google baby (animal 0f your choice). Also try to experience three positive emotions for every negative one.
4. Social Resilience: Text or e-mail someone with a quick thanks or shake hands with someone for six seconds.
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