Incoming challenger: Video games as coping

I have been a huge fan of video games for a really long time, I can say that I started with computer games when I was a child, yes they had computers in the 90’s. I remember that my dad gave us a computer and that he installed this DOS game that letters were attacking the city. Any who that was back in 1997. Then the handhelds come around and the world for me changed when I got my Gameboy. (Side note: does anyone remember pog’s?) 

When I had that, Pokémon was my game I played that game for hours and I even went through the cave in the game in the dark because, I was 10 and didn’t understand that I needed the HM Flash (if you don’t get this reference, you might be to young). When the gameboy color came out my dad got it for me as a Christmas present but he had to take my other one away from me. The thing is he didn’t tell me he was giving me the newer one. So he took my old one away, the black and white one and said that it was for him, since he was being deployed… I cried, a lot. He said he was going to give it back a whole 6 months later but that didn’t matter to me in my 10 year old mind. It was my escape and it was the way I was able to find accomplishments, and not have to be outside all the time. Back then it was common for kids to be outside on bikes and roller-blades, but I was picked on and bullied by the other boys, so this was my world ending. As I think back, yeah the reaction was normal for that age but, it makes me realize that it was something that video games let me do, and that was to take care of myself (I think lol). Not going to say that those 6 months were terrible, just was really mad that I didn’t have my gameboy, I forgot at one point that it was gone. Then Christmas arrived he wasn’t in the states but his gift was; it was a huge rectangular box (not the size of a gameboy I thought). I opened the gift and to my surprise, it was a gameboy color with Pokémon yellow and a guide! (that is why the box was bigger). I was over the moon as a kid, I am pretty sure I cried and my mom laughed, and I played all night. 

 I would say that at one point this coping mechanism wasn’t the best. I was really reliant on spacing out and not dealing with some things in my teen years, so too much of anything is bad thing. If anything is taken from this, its to know that video games as a coping skill is okay, in moderation. It got me through some rough times,  being bullied again in high school, my parental units fighting, helped me not mingle at awkward family parties (and I am multiethnic so some ti@s/tit@s are real inquisitive during the holidays. If you know, you know). My siblings and I bonded over video games, and I made friends that share the same interest. As an adult, I still look to video games to cope at times. And as I look around I think many adults regardless of gender look to video games as a way to pass time, spend time with their friends, and/or with their families. I still tend to use it to zone out for a little and relax, but also let me feel a little bit of frustration release.  

Now I use computer games and other video games for the same reason to escape and to help me feel angry in a controlled and healthy way. It’s still a coping mechanism but I do it more in moderation; more mindful now. I play to relax and not think except for what is at hand or at play (pun intended lol); I have to be present for the game in some aspect, and not let my thoughts/anxiety/nervousness win for an hour or two. And it’s okay to indulge in a game here or there because #selfcare. At times people are taught to bottle up anger and frustrations, however if done appropriately video games can be an outlet. And I am not talking about those people that yell terrible things in the mic (or in all-chat) of their online games by flaming, and BM’ing (some video game lingo for you). That is probably where I would say this coping mechanism is not healthy anymore. (Why you mad, is just game…. But also really, why are you really mad). If that is the case, therapy is just the place to talk about it! (Check this blog out on alternate view to therapy and this one for some reasons to go back). — gg.