Video Gaming: Not Always Isolating
Gaming has always been a big part of my life. Since I was a kid I've been playing games with others whether it was 1-1 or in a big group on individual devices. I would play with my uncle on his SNES and my mom and I would play Pokemon Red&Blue and various Zelda games together on our Game Boys. My sister I introduced to the N64 and the PS1. Video games have always been a way for me to connect with kids on the playground and, with the advent of the Internet, people across the world. Through Kingdom Hearts I bonded with the girl who became the love of my life who I married and now we anxiously await the release of the last game together. There was a period of time after I moved away from home that myself, my mother, and my grandmother, all played Runescape together until my grandmother's health declined.
I hear many counselors talk about how video games are isolating and discourage interaction. How they encourage depression by keeping people locked up in a little corner by themselves while the world plays on without them. For some people, this may be true. But it not's true for all of us.
My family, for all their rights, was psychologically abusive. There were days that without video games to disappear in, I wouldn't have been able to escape the screaming, the self-hatred, the bullying. I have been through rough years of therapy and medication to find the right fixes to repair the damage they did to me from a young age.
Modern gaming actually emphasizes togetherness in gaming. Nintendo thrives off bringing players and families together. Steam allows players and friends to connect and share achievements with friends and family who play the same titles.
This hobby is one I struggle with in my depression because it keeps me from gaming, not because it isolates me away from the world.
I can't be the only one out there helped by video games with their mental illness! Share your stories!
Hi :)
I play games all the time! I think it really helps a lot. You can make friends with other people so much easier and interact with people very easily. I play multiplayer games because I love the interaction and I like to be able to talk to people while I am gaming. It's really good to meet new people like this.
some people would say that it's distracting but they don't really have an idea about what it is like. They do t need to get away from everything and they don't see how much it helps. It is so good to unwind and relax playing games that you enjoy, it is in my opinion a great way to relieve stress and get rid if worry for a bit and just relax and enjoy yourself.
Thanks for this post!! @astutescorpius
I def agree, gaming does seem to get people to connect and achieve in goals together, an interest that brings people closer and it's not all about being behind screens but there are also events that engage in interaction.
And in a way, we all strive to belong somewhere, to be ourselves and be part of something :)
@newbiebunny
During one of my brief stints on Runescape I was actually part of a guild that organized group activities and had a group of people that did mentoring of new players and the like. We'd organize big groups and go level skills or help in quests and stuff, it was a great community!
I have a hard time being around groups of people without a buffer. At work, it's the counter and a genial smile. Before I had my daughter, the buffer was drugs and alcohol. Forced to examine alternatives (obviously self medicating and parenting don't mix, and my social anxiety has escalated to a paralyzing level) I discovered Twitch and started watching and streaming video games. Finally I discovered a buffer that does not harm me--social gaming.
I 100% agree with this post, and I am so thankful that you shared it!
I love gaming, and in a way it can be a huge stress reliever, so even if it I am gaming alone, I don't see it as a negative thing.
But I also agree that gaming is often about togetherness. My husband and I play games together for goodness sakes! It's a great bonding time for us even if we are going against each other.
Can video games become negative? Yeah probably. But a lot of healthy coping skills can become unhealthy. Anything can really. But all in all, I completely agree and I don't think that video games create isolation
See for me, video games have had neither effect on me... I can't really connect with anyone that's not mean... And... the people I know either are never on when I'm allowed to be... or... they all switch systems and stuff... and I don't have money to do the same... I can't connect to most other gamers too, because of my mom... I'm not allowed to experience what others are allowed to on the premise that I "should have grown up amish" or something like that... My mom hates my gaming habits... she thinks that i'm hiding from life... even though.... games are really the only way i can actually live....
I don't know what to do... it's hypocritical too, that my mom says that... because she herself plays games... I just don't know what to do...
i think video games are a very good hobby to be social,I would add a sport or something else to you would like,its much better then just standing around drinking and doing drugs mmy sisters younger then me and she social talking to people on games I figures she alot safer then if she was hanging out with people partying.i am trying to get her to play tennis to though so she can get exercize.they defenitley keep people out of trouble,if I kept hanging out with my friends from high school I probaly would have gotten addicted to hard drugs by nw like some of my really social friends did.There more social then most hobbies,i remeber hanging out with my friends playing halo 2 all the time.i just wish people didn,t look down on you for palying them.i don,t feel like im getting to old for them at 25 my dad loves wow and hes almost 50 my aunts father,I guess my great uncle is pushing 70 owns a mansion is a university professor,works negoating union deals and he talks about madden call of duty and assassins creed you would never guess he was obessed with video games,he had a terminator arcade game in his basment when I use to go over there,thats just badass.
i stopped playing games for almost two years completley and it didn,t improve my life at all.
I really love that there's people in the world that really see gaming for its genuine benefits rather than the horror stories. I mean, where else, can you get together with a bunch of strangers and set about saving the world together? :) We can complete quests and co-ordinate clever strategies together and the feeling you get from such interaction and co-operation is as strong, if not stronger than the social interactions real life offers you. It's just a place where all that goes out of the window and even the most shy, insecure people around can feel connected with the world (albeit a virtual one) and feel completely safe. In most cases games just provide satisfaction where the real world fails to, one of which being a platform for human bonding where we can all 'really' be who we want to be with total acceptance and understanding. Because it's just a game so, who really cares? :)
I've met lots of new people from gaming and I find it very relaxing :)
One of my best friends is very physically isolated, but he plays games online, like World of Warcraft and Dungeons & Dragons, with other people. It really helps him!
Myself, I like to play The Sims. I've played it since the first one, when I was a kid, and now I'm TS4! I connect with others on modthesims.com about playing the game, like making up special challenges and talking about new expansions and such. The Sims even gives me social connection when I have my sims socialize with each other and have parties. It definitely helps me a LOT.
