There are various ways to help improve and maintain mental health.

other pleasures can help us deal with some tough times that life throws at us. 

Part of the reason we play games is the joy they bring, offering escapism, emotional connection or just bright and colourful fun.

The sort of title we turn to when we need a boost through tough times.

I have a tendency to hyperfocus on games when I'm going through a rough period of mental health.

Seeking comfort in the familiar
Our imaginations are the perfect place to seek refuge from our mental health triggers.

Minecraft sessions were frequent and long.

I go back to frequently to self-soothe.

It was really nice to forget the troubles of the real world by delving into the virtual world of Minecraft

It's quite easy to while away several hours without even realising it

I would struggle to talk to people and lock myself away.

Makna Forest and Eryth Sea ate up my worries, and I felt weightless for just a few hours

I felt weightless for just a few hours.

It helped me get through some sleepless anxiety-filled nights.

Running around and blasting the heads off the infected Ganados was cathartic for me.

Resident Evil 4 was my escape, my comfort blanket. 

I'm perhaps over-tired or glum about something or other.

A go-to over the last couple of years has been Sayonara.

You can play through levels non-stop.

sit in my favourite chair and just immerse myself in a playthrough.
However, one must be careful, and not get overly immersed.

sit in my favourite chair and just immerse myself in a playthrough.

People consciously pick up fiction when too overwhelmed to face problems.

Even Sigmund Freud believed that the desire to escape is an ingrained human condition. 

They are the escape route.

Through fiction, players often live vicariously through the characters.

Healthy escapism is simply a form of distraction to give us the headspace to get through a difficult phase or moment.

Whenever a personal or work-related problem stresses me out.

Often fiction offers that gateway to another world that’s different to yours.

Sometimes we need that fantasy and escapism as a way to take a break from the painful moments of reality.

Sometimes it is simply that space to have some time to take a break from overthinking.

Our imaginations are the perfect place to seek refuge from our mental health triggers.

It’s not bad as long as one puts a limit to it and draws a line so that it doesn’t turn into an addiction.

Every person has different coping mechanisms.

Real life work feels mundane, uninspiring, or just too plain difficult to face

Slipping into a virtual world can do wonders.

With extensively detailed simulators mirroring the reality of driving buses

The immersion and intimacy of Papers, Please makes it all the more compelling.

This game enabled players to fulfill their wildest desires.

The game was well-received for its satisfying, casual gameplay and relaxing aesthetic. 

What better way to de-stress after work than by playing

Guerrilla have enabled this game to still hold up today as a perfect, exciting, and practical simulator for winding down.

Now is the perfect occasion to give yourself a chance to kick back, relax, and find some solace.

Praised the depth of the game's open-world design which made gamers feel like their exploration was endless.

You can take as much time as you need as you travel through this expansive world. 

Combined with the game's detailed social simulations, beautiful open-world renderings of Tokyo.

Have the potential to ease and quell those feelings in a productive way.

The life story they want to live out.

He is still grieving his mother's death.

Some like to lose themselves in a good book.

As a highly immersive and interactive experience.

Meaning that the multi-player aspect of online gaming has allowed people to stay connected

Stress, loneliness, anxiety and loss can all play havoc with our mental health.

providing a break from trouble such as personal problems, financial stress or bereavement.

The escape allows for processing without having to face the problem head-on.

There is a viable escape at anyone’s fingertips.

the healing that comes with thought-provoking content is unique

The pandemic did alter lives for the worst.