Gaming can be a fantastic way to relax, relieve stress, or even forget about your problems for a while. However, it’s important to acknowledge that gaming isn’t for everyone—especially if you struggle with depression. As with any hobby or pastime, there are pros and cons to playing games when you have depression. If you’re ready to take the plunge and start gaming again but are unsure how to do so safely, keep reading for some helpful gaming tips for dealing with depression.
Play Games that Help You De-Stress
One of the best things you can do while gaming while you have depression is to find games that help you relax and destress. This can be as simple as picking up a card game with your friends or family or turning to an online puzzle game that helps you unwind and de-stress. Some of the best games to use for this purpose include puzzle games, card games, and board games. Another way to destress while gaming is to try to look for games that have a setting that is useful for you. For example, if you struggle with anxiety and tend to get overwhelmed when you have a lot going on around you, try to find games where the setting is almost completely grey and quiet.
Keep Track of Your Progress
Gamers are often guilty of spending too much time on their gaming and not enough time on maintaining their actual gaming skill. Unfortunately, this can lead to gamers developing bad habits that can negatively affect their gaming. One of the first things you should do while gaming while you have depression is to keep track of your progress. Put together a journal or a checklist in a notebook that lists out the things that you’re doing while playing your video game. E.g. What achievements are you trying to earn? How much money are you earning? How many quests are you doing? What areas are you exploring? What skills are you trying to build? This can help you to see just how much you’re actually getting out of your gaming sessions. It can also help you to understand exactly how you can improve your gaming sessions if you feel like you’re not getting as much out of your gaming experience as you would like.
Play Games with Friends
One of the best things you can do while gaming while you have depression is to find games that help you to socialize and build friendships such as playing Bandar Casino. While many video games can be enjoyed on their own, most games are designed to be enjoyed with friends. This can be a great way to socialize and build friendships while having fun.
Set Goals for Your Gaming Sessions
Most video games have a set of achievements that you can earn while playing them. These achievements are usually rewards for doing certain things while playing the game. For example, in many games you can earn achievements for achieving certain scores, finishing quests, making certain discoveries, and so on. While these achievements can be a great way to show off to your friends and others what you’ve accomplished while gaming, they can also be a great way to set goals for your gaming sessions.
Don’t Be Afraid to Stop and Take Breaks
If you find yourself struggling to stay engaged or feeling overwhelmed by your gaming, don’t be afraid to take a break. Some games are much better for being played in spurts, while others are better suited to being played in sessions that are more spaced out. There is no right or wrong way to play video games, and you can play the way that works best for you. However if, while gaming, you find that you’re struggling, don’t be afraid to stop and take a break. This is especially important if you’re gaming while you have depression. There is no shame in taking breaks while you’re gaming if you need to, and in fact it’s a great way to show that you care about you.
Conclusion
Gamers are often encouraged to “quit when they’re ahead”, but that’s not always the case for people who struggle with depression. There are many challenges that come with battling depression, and gaming is certainly one of them. However, there are strategies that you can employ to make gaming safer and more enjoyable. These tips will help you to safely enjoy games once again, no matter what kind of mood you’re in. From setting realistic gaming goals to keeping track of your progress, these tips will help you to enjoy gaming again.
