How Video Games Is Helping Me Heal From Trauma

An Affordable Form Of Therapy

(Photo by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash)

Hey, my peeps, and may the algorithm bring this piece to you.

Today, we’re getting into my most personal post to date.

Trauma is something we are all no strangers to and can happen at any time and any age and will stay with you for the rest of your life for the better or worse.

As an adult and now a mother who has seen firsthand in my personal life the effects of not dealing with or at least learning how to cope with trauma, I’ve made it my mission to break these generational curses.

Funnily enough, one of the most accessible forms was right at my fingertips: Video games.

I’ve touched on games fitting your life and personality in my The Guide to Finding the Video Game for You post. However, I want to take that concept a bit further.

Without airing out my dirty laundry, I have been through a lot throughout my life, and those wounds have sadly still followed me into adulthood. And while I am a decently well-adjusted adult and an involved mom, I have triggers and vices due to this.

I went to therapy thanks to insurance when I was a teenager, but as an adult, it’s a bit tricky; not all therapists accept my insurance, and of course, you can pay, but it can be pretty expensive.

This led me to the concept, “Play how you feel”.

Allow me to elaborate: If I’m angry, I’ll play Scott Pilgrim; if I’m overwhelmed, I’ll play Powerwash Simulator; if I feel like I’m losing control of things around me, I’ll play Disney Dreamlight Valley, and so on.

It sounds simple enough, almost comically so, but I can’t tell you how much this minor adjustment has helped change my entire life.

Of course, this adjustment can’t replace therapy entirely, especially if you’re dealing with any medically diagnosed conditions, and sometimes I forget to practice what I preach; however, I can say this method has prevented and diffused a lot of arguments, helped me learn to cope with problems in my everyday life, and above all taught me how to be okay with myself.

I hope you guys try this method for yourself.

If you’re a gaming beginner, check out How to Navigate the Modern-day Console Market.

Thank you so much for the read; support me ;). And as always, I’ll catch you guys in the next one👋.