Gaming for me started as a kid, playing board games with my family. It was how we bonded and spent time together, and grew into a passion of mine as I got older.
But video gaming was very distant and not something I spent my time doing until I was in college and started actively watching video game YouTubers and Twitch streams. From then gaming turned into stress relief, anxiety management, and after I got concussions, a source of mental recovery through strategy games like XCOM 2 and Armello.
Gaming overall is still a bonding activity, but it has become very personal for me as I’ve gotten older as a way to cope with life’s stressors. For those that don’t game, it may seem like a trivial waste of time, but for me, it’s a little escape as well as a way to take care of myself mentally.
I want to share my love and enjoyment of gaming because it has helped me so much in ways I don’t think people recognize. Everyone wants to point out the negative sides of gaming, but never give a thought that maybe it has helped some people.
-Michelle
United States