The positive impact of gaming on mental health
Dr. Jane Thomason, a renowned expert in health and blockchain technology, delivered a captivating keynote speech at the AIBC conference in Manila, shedding light on the often overlooked positive impact of gaming on mental health. Thomason navigated through the complexities of gaming culture, addressing misconceptions and exploring the potential of gamification in promoting mental wellness.
Thomason started things off by sharing personal anecdotes that fueled her passion for exploring the intersection of gaming and mental health. From her background as a health professional and parent to her journey into the realm of Blockchain Web 3 Metaverse, Thomason’s unique perspective provided a compelling backdrop for the discussion ahead.
The keynote delved into the stereotype of gamers as isolated and mentally distressed individuals. Thomason emphasized that gaming can serve as a vibrant social platform that fosters connection, creativity, and cognitive development.
With nearly half of the world’s gamers residing in Asia, the significance of gaming as a cultural phenomenon and entertainment medium cannot be overstated, with the region playing a sizable role in shaping the future of this sector.
Thomason debunked common myths surrounding gaming, showcasing its many benefits for mental health. Contrary to popular belief, gaming serves as a potent stress reliever, aids in combating social isolation, and enhances cognitive abilities such as problem-solving and creativity.
Moreover, Thomason highlighted the therapeutic potential of gaming in addressing mental health challenges. Citing research findings, she highlighted how certain games, such as Candy Crush and Angry Birds, have been instrumental in alleviating anxiety and improving mood regulation among players.
Collaborative gaming emerged as a key theme in Thomason’s discourse, with emphasis on its positive impact on pro-social behaviours and community engagement. She underscored the importance of fostering inclusive and supportive gaming environments, where players can forge meaningful connections and develop essential social skills.
“What the research is showing is that game context, as in collaborative gameplay for example, is more important than game content.”
Despite acknowledging the existence of adverse effects associated with excessive gaming, Thomason emphasized that these issues primarily affect a minority of individuals. She cited the classification of Internet Gaming Disorder by the World Health Organization as a step towards recognizing and addressing problematic gaming behaviours.
Ethical considerations surrounding gaming, including avatar rights, data privacy, and child protection, were also explored. Thomason urged stakeholders to prioritize transparency and accountability in game development, ensuring that gaming experiences uphold ethical standards and safeguard user well-being.
“Should game avatars have human rights? If your avatar in a game has attacked or sexually assaulted, is there any right of recourse? What about data security, privacy and rights? So how do we take this incredible ecosystem that we have that three billion people are entertained with and maximize the benefit and minimize the harms?” she asks.
One of the things that we’re going to need, she continues, ‘is some transparency in the game mechanics, because one of the game mechanics is this thing that makes people addicted, the addictiveness of the game mechanics.’
In conclusion, Thomason echoed the World Health Organization’s endorsement of gaming as a tool for promoting mental health and wellness. She envisioned a future where gamified interventions and innovative technologies converge to empower individuals in overcoming mental health challenges and enhancing overall well-being.
“Gamification is going to be tremendously important for a lot of things that we do, including mental health, but also in education and in a whole lot of other things. gamified interventions can improve mental health over time. We’ve seen longer positive effects for interventions for promoting mental wellness through gamification.”
As Thomason’s keynote came to an end, attendees were left with a newfound appreciation for the transformative potential of gaming in shaping mental health outcomes. Her impassioned plea for collaboration and ethical responsibility resonated with the audience, igniting a collective commitment to harnessing the power of gaming for positive social impact.
gamified interventions can improve mental health over time. We’ve seen longer positive effects for interventions for promoting mental wellness through gamification. Larger effects on reducing anxiety symptoms for males. All males in the room, remember that. And larger effects on reducing depressive symptoms in non clinical samples.
So actually gaming and mental health is something that has A lot of interest and attention from the healthcare community now. And indeed, I’m going to leave you with this thought. The World Health Organization has actually recognized it and said, How can gaming enhance mental health, equip healthcare professionals with innovative tools, and assist in individuals overcoming physical challenges?
“We have a series of platforms that connect 3 billion people who play games. How can we actually impact on these people to target a healthy billion people by 2023? This is the new frontier for health promotion.”
