Can Gaming Aid in Addiction Treatment?

 

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At the*gameHERs, it’s no news to us that gaming has many benefits when it comes to mental health. In this piece, a gameHER explores the ways in which gaming can help those struggling with addiction. Please note that the writer is not a doctor and this piece should not be considered medical advice. If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, please consult a medical professional. The author provides a list of resources at the end of the piece.

By Heidi Bitsoli

It’s no secret among gameHers that the hobby is often used as a coping skill to deal with mental health struggles. Gaming lets us wind down and forget about the stresses of the day after a hard day at work or school. Those who are going through treatment for addiction know the importance of finding positive coping strategies and enjoyable activities to stave off urges and increase a sense of well-being. 

As research shows, poor mental health can lead to issues with addiction. When dealing with addiction, we need all the positive coping skills and fun, sober outlets we can get. Gaming can be one of those.

While gaming is not a substitute for legitimate mental health or substance use treatment, regular gaming has benefits such as reducing stress levels and increasing self-esteem. These benefits can directly help those dealing with substance use recovery. 

During the pandemic especially, gaming increased in popularity. Some folks even included therapeutic professionals in their lives in the gaming process, as an article on weforum.com discusses. While it might seem unusual at first glance, gaming for therapy is a helpful combination for some who use gaming as an outlet and a distraction from painful feelings. 

We know that video gaming can reduce stress and anxiety – after all, many gamers choose to spend hours gaming after stressful days at work or school for this reason. Research backs up the idea that gaming can lower cortisol levels. This is important information because elevated cortisol levels are one of the greatest known contributors to feelings of high stress. Women especially are vulnerable to illness when we have high cortisol levels, so it’s important for us to keep them in check.

Social games in particular can reduce negative feelings surrounding social anxiety. For those struggling with addiction, a major trigger for using it can be anxiety in social situations. That’s why social games, in particular, can not only help relieve stress in the short term, but also potentially help users cope with social anxiety. This would allow those dealing with addiction to curb the urge to use substances in social situations in the long term when combined with other coping methods.

Creative games such as Minecraft and Roblox can improve mental health in several different ways. Firstly, these games involve building a unique creation, which can give users a sense of self-esteem and accomplishment as they work on the game. Feeling a sense of accomplishment and achievement in the gaming world can translate to the rest of a gamer’s life. After all, if we are competent enough to create things in a game, we could create something meaningful in the “real world,” too. 

Secondly, these games often have a social or collaborative component. We know that socializing and maintaining healthy relationships is often a key step in establishing a successful long-term recovery from addiction. Many of those struggling with addiction have turned from substances in social settings and have left behind friends who are actively addicted as they pursue sobriety and chase recovery. 

As they say in substance use treatment, we need to leave behind people, places, and things that infringe on our sobriety. Video games with a social aspect can help fill the hole that these people, places, and things we left behind created.

Finally, these games allow for creative expression similar to any other kind of art. Although creativity in gaming takes place in the digital world, it is just as effective as something like painting or drawing for creative expression. For many gameHers, gaming is an escape from boring everyday life and a chance to explore ourselves. 

As some gamers who spoke with Vice shared, gaming is more than a fun activity – it’s also a chance to practice social interaction from the safety of our own homes. Many of those struggling with substance use turn to drugs and alcohol to cope with social anxiety. RPGs and multiplayer interactive games let us test the social waters in a comfortable environment. As we focus on collaborating with other players to complete tasks, we can shed our self-consciousness.

Another type of game that is useful as a hobby and coping strategy for female gamers recovering from addiction is casual games. Tetris, Candy Crush, Mahjong, and similar games fall into this category. These games may vary in specific graphics and objectives, but they are usually mindless games with rewards for accomplishing small, simple tasks such as matching items or fitting shapes into other shapes.

As research on the subject shows, casual games not only reduce stress but also have similar benefits to relaxation methods such as guided meditation. The reason for this benefit is simple: Casual games lull users into the flow state, which is a state of mind where external stimuli tune out and the gamer focuses on the tasks at hand in the game.

Because of their rewards, casual games can also increase a positive mood if you start gaming while in a positive mood. This is good news for those who are recovering from addiction and having a good day – it keeps the positive vibes coming.

For some gameHers, gaming might be a trigger to pick up the bottle or the pills. For a lot of folks struggling with substance use, using drugs or drinking and gaming became intertwined as a ritual. This is why having friends who support our recovery and a treatment team can be important to maintain sobriety. 

Gaming is a great outlet for women struggling with mental health, addiction, or even just regular life stressors. At the same time, gaming can become an addiction if we find ourselves neglecting our responsibilities to game. Playing all kinds of video games can be a great coping skill for distracting us from urges to use substances and expand our social network. 

Gaming is a fun outlet, so if it helps with sobriety, that’s just one of many perks.

Resources:

About the author:

Heidi Bitsoli has been a content writer with Sunshine Behavioral Health since 2019, where she researches and writes articles, guides, and blog posts on mental health and addiction. Prior to that, she wrote extensively on health, medicine, business, and human interest topics for a variety of clients. Her writings have appeared in numerous university publications, magazines, newspapers, and websites. She has a degree in English from Lake Superior State University in northern Michigan. A lifelong lover of learning, she enjoys researching and writing about the complexities of mental health.

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