Gaming and Mental Health
Explore the benefits of gaming, what to watch out for and how to set boundaries.
Self-Care While Gaming
- Socializing
- Taking breaks
- Considered scheduled breaks with time-limited boundaries, such as utilizing the Pomodoro Technique
Mental Health Benefits to Gaming
- Building community
- Emotional regulation
- Stress management tool
Self Awareness During Gaming
- Preoccupation with gaming
- Withdrawal symptoms when gaming is taken away or not possible (sadness, anxiety, irratibility)
- Tolerance, the need to spend more time gaming to satisfy the urge
- Inability to reduce playing, unsuccessful attempts to quit gaming
- Giving up other activities, loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities due to gaming
- Continuing to game despite problems
- Deceiving family members or others about the amount of time spent on gaming
- The use of gaming to relieve negative moods, such as guilt or hopelessness
- Risk, having jeopardized or lost a job or relationship due to gaming
Boundary Setting with Gaming
- Time limits
- Spending limits
- Ensuring gaming is not getting in the way of work, school, family or other obligations