Why Gaming is Good

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Power of One
Sabian HartGaming Sabian.adj


I was always a weird child. I’m still a weird adult. It’s fine now, but when I was younger and in school being weird made me an easy target for bullying. I imagine that me being weird was mostly because of a lack of attention I got at home. I grew up with a single mom who often struggled. Eventually those struggles got out of hand and led to foster care.

 Unfortunately, something that is directly tied with being in foster care is trauma. Most, if not all, youth who have entered foster care have experienced some type of trauma in their lives. However, we each deal with our trauma in different ways. For example, I know another Mockingbird advocate who is an aspiring tattoo artist that sometimes draws when they get upset. For me, playing video games has provided a crucial emotional outlet for dealing with my trauma.

When I played games online, it didn't matter what my physical environment was like or how awkward I was at school. While I was in the game, people didn't judge me because I was that weird kid who talked too much or because my clothing constantly smelled like cigarettes from my mom. The only thing that mattered was if I was good or not, and boy was I good! For the first time in my life people were asking me to be around and wanted my help with things. For the first time I felt needed and valuable, which is something I wasn’t able to say up until that point. Playing video games has helped and continues to help with my mental health through hard times. Gaming is a healthy outlet, and when I am upset, it provides a sense of accomplishment.

Read more about games in Louie's

blog, about creating a

board game that recreates the

foster care experience

There are a bunch of different ways for people to cope with the past and current trauma in their lives. I know that some would argue that video games are a less healthy option, and to that I say nay! In Shakespeare’s day, when theatre was first developing, many people argued that it was a waste of time and a foolish activity. Theatre today is an amazing form of art and expression. I would argue the same thing for video games. Gaming provides a wide diversity of options for interaction, like: character creation, multiple endings, choosing factions, single player or multiplayer, and world design.

Regardless the type of game you play, there is something out there for you, and it might help you as much as it helped me. So, to those who are already avid gamers, I salute you, and to the strict parents or the skeptics, I encourage you to try it out or play some games with your kiddos. You just might find a new way to bond, or an effective way to get out some stress after a long day at work.

 

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