How Video Games Can Help (Not Hurt) Mental Health
Newsy
Video games and mental health have a rough history, but experts and creators are exploring how games can help people deal with mental health issues.
Mental health has become an often-underlooked casualty of these turbulent times.
Reports of anxiety and depression among U.S. adults have spiked nearly threefold since the coronavirus pandemic lockdowns began, and amid the chaos, more and more people have been playing video games while cooped up indoors — the industry's estimated to have brought in revenue of almost $180 billion over 2020, making it gaming's biggest year ever.
But games aren't just idle amusements. Many players find that their sense of control and freedom — even in the darkest days of the pandemic — make video games a helpful tool in keeping up their mental health.
