How video games have helped us with our mental health
With Victoria, Bertie and Johnny Chiodini.
Today is World Mental Health Day. This annual event is all about raising mental health awareness, with the aim to drive positive change for everyone's mental wellbeing. And, not that there ever needs to be an excuse to talk about mental health at any time of the year, but it is also a good opportunity for us to do just that - talk about mental health.
I have lived with mental illnesses for a long time. Many years ago, I was diagnosed with both Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I take a variety of regular medications to help with this, and, combined with cognitive behavioural therapy, these have worked well for me and my ongoing recovery. I am pleased to say that I am in a much better place today than I was a few years ago.
Raising awareness about the topic of mental health in general is something I am deeply passionate about, and I have been a mental health advocate for about seven years now. This has included starting up a wellness group for parents in the village where I live, speaking on the radio about what the government can do to help those living with mental illnesses, taking part in charity panels and a smattering of fundraising efforts that have seen me swim with sharks, go to the gym dressed as a tiger and complete a half marathon in the Scottish Highlands in the dark. Most recently, I recorded a special Eurogamer podcast all about mental health and video games.
So please, join me as I sit down with our own Bertie Purchese and Eurogamer alum Johnny Chiodini. In this episode, we swap stories about our own mental health journeys, the role video games can play in helping us understand mental health, and the games that soothe our souls on those days that can be harder than others. I hope you enjoy it.
If you need someone to talk to, the Samaritans are there to help. They can be called, for free, on 116 123 in the UK and Ireland, or emailed on jo@samaritans.org / jo@samaritans.ie. Lines are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international suicide helplines can be found at Befrienders Worldwide. You can also find more details on the Mental Health Foundation here. For Europe, more information on various helplines can be found via Mental Health Europe.