The Power of Play: Why Game Nights Are Good for Your Mind.

We all love to play games with those we care about, and playing games can be a great way to maintain positive mental health. Not only is playing games with friends and loved ones a good way to socialize and release that ever-precious dopamine we all love, it can also be a great way to escape from your own head for a short time. Playing games should not be used as a substitute for professional help or medication by any means but it can be used as a coping method.

During an eight-week study it was found that playing tabletop games such as Dungeons and Dragons just one hour per week had significant impact on participants’ mental health. Those that participated in at least one hour per week experienced significantly reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety. Those same individuals also had an increase in their self-esteem. Another study also had similar results.

 Playing games with our friends also helps maintain our social networks. Not the online ones, our physical social networks. Having a strong network of friends and family that you can talk to and spend time with is vital to maintaining positive mental health. Just having someone you can talk to when you feel down or having someone that regularly checks in on you can make a world of difference. According to multiple studies having strong friend groups can protect against mental health issues.

In no circumstance should a tabletop gaming group be used as a replacement but having a solid tabletop group can be a good foundation for having good overall mental health. It prevents you from becoming socially isolated. It has been found that social isolation can increase your risk for both physical and mental health issues by %25.

Pick up some dice, get together with your friends, and have some fun. Make sure that if you need help you seek it out from trained professionals. Your friends can’t replace treatment, but they can help you deal with whatever you’re dealing with. You are never alone.