Here’s an interesting tidbit you might want to keep in mind the next time your parents or girlfriend gives you grief about playing video games. A new study finds that playing video games can be helpful with treating depression.
“Video games are more often regarded as causes of mental illness than as cures, but in a new study, a specially designed fantasy game helped teens conquer depression just as well as — if not better than — usual counseling.
Depression can be devastating among youths, yet fewer than 1 in 5 depressed teens are treated, in part because they are reluctant to seek a therapist’s help. So researchers in New Zealand created the SPARX videogame as a way to deliver cognitive behavioral therapy, packaged in a fun and appealing way. The acronym stands for “smart, positive, active, realistic and x-factor thoughts,” strategies designed to fight depression.”
This is great news for teens, but it’s also great ammunition for die-hard gamers. Now, it won’t help you justify playing games online for 18 hours per day. Don’t get greedy, and if you do that you won’t have a girlfriend anyways. But if you enjoy a healthy dose of video games, or you like to search around to see sites that have the best online casino games, or you just love fantasy football, this new study can help you deal with all those people who love to criticize your game obsession. It’s healthy!
Also, for parents, you should read about this study to help you craft a responsible approach towards your kids and games. If done in moderation, gaming can be the best option sometimes, assuming of course you also get them outside to run around a bit!
