Teenagers are using games like Dungeons & Dragons to combat their mental health issues. Mental health in youth is something that was overlooked for a long time. It was not something that was taken seriously, with many elders thinking that youth had very little “real problems” to deal with. However, as time has gone on, the world has become more aware and accepting of the fact that youth can live with mental health problems, and this means that work needs to be done to see how they can be supported.

According to Medical Xpress and Particle, teenagers are using games like Dungeons & Dragons to help them with their mental health, and it may not be “conventional” but they are reporting that it works. Michael Keady is a youth mental health counselor and he uses games like this as part of his group therapy.

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Games like D&D are called Tabletop Role-Playing Games (TTRPG) and they are interactive. The best part may be that it is a therapy that doesn’t feel like therapy. Michael states that these games are fun ways to work with mental health and it allows them to work without it being uncomfortable or confronting, things that can hold teens back from accessing support for their mental health.

He started using these games when he realized that this is what was getting the teens to open up more in their sessions. He recognized that not all teenagers, or children, are ready to sit down with someone and talk about all of their feelings and worries. It can be overwhelming for them, and that can make any therapy session useless. By using these games, it gets them to open up and talk because the environment does not seem so intimidating. This may be a great idea for a weekly game night for the whole family.

These types of games are also designed to help teach social skills, problem-solving and it helps to enhance their creativity. These are all skills that can help a person navigate their mental health. Michael stated that these types of games really get teens thinking outside of the box, and different ways of traveling through the game. When this is done in a group setting, it can go a long way to showing children how to work with others. In the meantime, they are opening up and talking about things that are bothering them.

Sources: Medical Xpress, Particle