anxiety and online video games

phil1967 · ‎12-02-2017

I was wondering how many people here play online video games ?

I pay an online game called world of warcraft and find it a nice escape from reality which inturn takes my mind away from my problems long enough for my anxiety to calm down .

I shall however say that this is not a total escape from reality that I immerse myself into to replace my real life,but just a momentary release of my worries .

this I find is also a great way for me to socialise as I have a bad social anxiety problem but without having to put a face to a name I find it a lot easier .

a lot of people say that this isn't a good thing to do but if it helps in any way I cant see it being bad ,this has helped me for many many years and I have even found that it has made going out after I have payed for a while so much easier .

but be warned that it can become very addictive and you must and I cant stress this more ,limit your time you spend online in such a game ,be aware of the time and set limits for yourself ,don't make it a priority and most of al have fun .

it might sound a little silly I know but the positive effects that having fun has on your body and its chemistry make huge changes to some one that suffers anxiety and depression .

remember its the little steps we take or find that contribute to our recovery ,some things are not for every 1 but that's why we are a different

Quiettall · ‎12-02-2017

Hi Phil

I dont play that game but I do play Candy Crush and I also log into Lumosity, which is a series of challenging mind and brain testing tasks. I find these two are great escapes when I am either under pressure and need a break from thinking, or good time wasters when you are sitting back relaxing or waiting for airplane, bus or whatever. I think these sort of games are ok if done like anything else, in moderation.

However, unfortunately, there are those who go overboard with their use and become "addicted" and confuse the game with reality.

phil1967 · ‎12-02-2017

yes quiettall the addiction part can be all so real unfortunately that's why I stress so much to not let it take over your life ,I use it more as a reward ,if I get all the things I need done first then I will play ,but if I didn't then I don't .

because this is a multi player online game it has a huge social aspect aswell and for some 1 suffering with a social phobia just talking can help ,just immersing yourself in conversation for some 1 that has a social problem makes a big difference ,weather you find it here or on a game the positive effects are real and helpful

phil1967 · ‎12-02-2017

I would also like to point out to any 1 that says they are to old for video games that I just turned 50 this month and enjoy it ,so give it a go ,it wont hurt you to try ,if you find it not for you then no harm done ,its that easy 🙂

Quiettall · ‎12-02-2017

Sounds like you have a good handle on it. I used to play a sort of online scrabble some years ago, and chat to the contestants I was playing against, particularly when I found they were from overseas. I found it really interesting conversing with them and learning all sorts of odd things. It also got my mind of things I was struggling with at the time, or helped me put them into perspective.

Slaugh · ‎19-02-2017

Hi phil,

Yes I play online games for the same reason's, but even in the online games my social anxiety is still there. Easier to communicate but still hard. I am playing a game called 'Elite Dangerous'. It is a space simulator with a 1:1 scale of the milky way. This game I find is a humbling experience and gives me a sense of scale about myself my problems, but it also helps because I am an ameture astronomer so it is a feild I put a lot of my leisure time into. I also comment on reddit for similar reasons. Rarely use facebook or anyother social media that requires you to show people who you are.

However my issues seemed to be surrounded by the social concept of employment. Even the sheer thought of working for/with anybody is completely debilitating even if it is family. I've been told my whole working life that my work ethic is terrible which only perpetuates the issue not make me suddenly jump up and put on a good attitude.

I bring this up as many online games seem to require hours and hours of mindless grinding much like working yet I do not get judged on my approach to completing my tasks or quests, nor is their any anxiety about loosing said progress. So I can empathise with you greatly. Nice to know others do this too.

Barnzey87 · ‎19-02-2017

I've wondered how much my anxiety relates to my gaming as that's all I've known all my life. I know in the past i got extremely frustrated playing ranked games with randoms, as their is a lot of stupid people out there. But i like to think I've grown up in a sense and moved past that and just play for fun.

I also do board gaming which is extremely hard for me atm as while i love playing them, starting them up can be hard. I usually have to teach the game and im always anxious if people will enjoy it or not.

phil1967 · ‎20-02-2017

hey guys and ty for your reply's I find playing world of Warcraft relaxing as its an open world game ,I used to do the same as you barnzey87 and get frustrated doing ranked arenas and always pushing at end game content but I found a whole different side to the game I also like .

as an open world game there is so much you can do that is enjoyable in its own way without the pressure that arenas and end game content can bring .

I like fishing and discovering things and collecting items ,working on gold farming and achievements ect.

I use the game as a temporary escape from the normal day to day and release my mind and give me some time to calm down from what the day has brought me .

slaugh your problem I feel is you are a gamer first and foremost so for you this isn't the release that I get from it,

I use gaming as a reward for doing the things I have to first and if I didn't complete the things I had put out in front of me for the day then I don't get on the game thus giving me extra incentive and that extra push to go beyond my comfort zone sometimes ,if you like your game then use its power to empower you to push yourself .

work for you will take on a new meaning given time ,not only does it give you money to enjoy things you don't normally have or get it will also lead you to a position of power 1 day when you have mastered your trade and then you will find that work has a whole new meaning ,being in a position of power and being in charge makes you a different person and unlocks something inside you and you will look forward to going to work, so you need to push yourself a bit ,go outside your comfort zone ,nothing is free or easy if your not prepared to work at it ,no one said life was easy and that's cause its not but doing nothing changes nothing and if your not prepared to take the steps to change it then it wont ,but it will get better with every step you take

blondguy · ‎21-02-2017

Hi Phil

Paul here. What an inspirational post and good on you for creating it!

I am 57 and have been a strong supporter of video games for ages. Whether online or offline there are so many benefits by having a go at gaming. I get it that online is more engaging, no worries there.

I think the games can 'empty' our minds and provide us with the distraction we need to avoid 'overthinking' our own health issues/problems

There is nothing silly about what you have said at all. Even (in limited periods) with children computer gaming can enhance reflexes and stimulate thought processes.

By choice I havent enabled the NBN here as I have 4G/month data and unlimited calls per month on a Sony Xperia Z5. I use the cellphone as a WiFi to do my volunteer work here on Beyond Blue ($65-00 a month) I have platinum foxtel at $85-00 a month so getting the NBN enabled isnt a good idea for me right now.

It might not mean a great deal but when playing a game the urge to have a cigarette disappears.

This is a great thread Phil....I really hope you can stick around

my best

Paul

Alznth · ‎24-02-2017

Self confessed lady gamer here! Which in itself causes its own set of anxiety - it's difficult to let anything of my profile signify 'girl' otherwise I get hounded a lot and...that takes the fun out of it for me. 😕

What I find interesting about my anxiety and gaming is for lots of open world, exploration games (Skyrim for example), the long list of side quests becomes...overwhelming. And sometimes I find my anxiety increases at the mere thought of needing to complete so much. But I'm a completionist! It's helped in a way that I think to myself 'If I can get the short quests done quickly then the list won't look so big and overwhelming' and I can adapt that to real life.

BUT ANYWAY - I fully support gaming. It's gotten me through a lot of awful times where I've been too anxiety ridden to do anything else.