Discover How Video Games Are Transforming Mental Health Treatment
Explore groundbreaking research revealing the therapeutic benefits of video games in managing mental health symptoms, offering new hope beyond traditional therapy.
Struggling to visit a therapist? Try playing Rayman Legends.
A recent insightful study published in JMIR Serious Games by researchers from the University of Limerick, Ireland, highlights the surprising benefits of video games in alleviating symptoms of various mental health disorders—even without conventional therapy.
The research analyzed multiple existing studies and found that regular gameplay can significantly reduce symptoms associated with depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, cancer recovery, and rehabilitation in older adults. Depression and anxiety were the most frequently addressed conditions. Remarkably, the study focused on widely available commercial games, including action titles like Team Fortress 2 and Portal 2, role-playing games, casual hits such as Candy Crush, Angry Birds, Plants vs. Zombies, and even horror games like Slenderman.
Previous research has already shown that video games enhance attention, cognitive flexibility, and information processing speed. This new study expands on that by demonstrating that game-based therapy can serve as a valuable supplement—or even an alternative—when traditional therapeutic options are inaccessible, particularly in managing anxiety and depression symptoms.
This finding is especially relevant during global challenges like the pandemic, where increasing numbers of people face heightened stress, anxiety, and depression but may lack access to mental health professionals.
Discover the latest news and current events in Healthy Lifestyle & Wellness as of 05-02-2022. The article titled " Discover How Video Games Are Transforming Mental Health Treatment " provides you with the most relevant and reliable information in the Healthy Lifestyle & Wellness field. Each news piece is thoroughly analyzed to deliver valuable insights to our readers.
The information in " Discover How Video Games Are Transforming Mental Health Treatment " helps you make better-informed decisions within the Healthy Lifestyle & Wellness category. Our news articles are continuously updated and adhere to journalistic standards.