Pokémon Go's Mental Health Benefits Are Real

The gains of moving around go beyond the mental health. It helps people lose some weight and live a healthy life. Though not everyone acknowledges this idea, exercise has multiple effects, both on mental and physical fitness.
This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. If you need to flag this entry as abusive, send us an email.

There is nothing as strong as an idea which has conceived and indeed, the big idea in town that is creating the buzz is the Pokémon Go. It is big because it has come at the right time; a time when the world is fighting to save its people from mental disorders, depression, and anxiety.

if you've been wondering why Pokémon Go is trending in almost all social media platforms, keep reading!

What is Pokémon Go?

Pokémon Go is a free location mobile based game that was developed by Niantic for Android devices. It was first released to the world in July 2016. Utilizing GPS and camera, this game allows users to capture, fight, plus train virtual creatures by the name Pokémon. The game is usually free-to-play and has significant health benefits.

2016-07-26-1469566785-3614129-pokemongo1517819.jpg

What users are saying

People have been talking on twitter about how Pokémon Go has been able to help them deal with anxiety, depression, and mental illness. In fact; thousands of users are giving this amazing game the credit it deserves. They are all agreeing that this game has been able to boost the way they interact with each other, how it boosts relationships with both friends and strangers, and how it's able to get them out of their homes. And mental experts are also supporting this game. They feel that it is the ideal solution to those people who are suffering from mental health related problems.

Overcoming mental challenges

This game provides an ideal platform where users can overcome their mental challenges. When someone gets depressed, he/she is de-motivated and therefore cannot perform a task productively. With this game, users are offered a chance to get out of their houses plus taking a bath.

Some people have raised eyebrows on the reasoning behind it, but experts believe that credit should be given to the exercise. From research, it has been established that excises have a direct effect on moods.

According to research, the more you exercise, the lesser the possibility of getting depressed. In fact, mental experts believe that, just like an anti-depressant, exercise can achieve amazing health benefits. It is one of the most effective ways you can use to overcome depression for those who are not for subscriptions into modalities of treatments such as pharmacological intervention and psychotherapy.

The gains of moving around go beyond the mental health. It helps people lose some weight and live a healthy life. Though not everyone acknowledges this idea, exercise has multiple effects, both on mental and physical fitness.

The statistics on mental disorders

Every year, more than 40 million people in the United States are diagnosed with mental disorders, according to the National Alliance. This implies that 1 in every 5 adults suffers from mental related sicknesses. Mental support organizations claim that video games strongly attract those individuals experiencing mental problems like anxiety and depression. Even though the implicit world seems to be quite unpredictable, it still features hordes of educated and creative people. It then provides a reliable platform to help individuals suffering from mental disorders.

Research indicates that mental illness awareness is now trending. Those having mental problems are less likely to seek assistance concerning their condition when they are educated and well-informed about technology. Although Pokémon Go isn't marketed as a helpful tool in treating depression and anxiety, it has multiple effects on those experiencing the disorder. This game encourages people to take good care of their healthy behavior.

The game doesn't explicitly improve people's moods. Neither does it treat mental illness. Treating mental-related conditions is not the main target of this game. The solutions lie in how the game was developed. Its dynamics naturally forces users to get out of their houses and becomes active in the process.

Pokémon Go is not a substitute for mental treatment

It is important to note that this game is not a substitute for professional mental treatments. Pokémon Go achieves great results, but just like other techniques, it has limits. Yes, it can force you to get out of your house, engage in some exercises, interact with friends and strangers, but it shouldn't substitute treatment.

Therefore, let nobody fool you that Pokémon Go and other video games can effectively treat mental illness plus other mood related disorders. Never look into video games as the primary treatment for conditions like chronic depression. It can only help improve the condition.

Though Pokémon Go motivates people to be careful with their health in a subtle manner, it's not meant to heal. Being a video game, Pokémon Go has its own limitations. Since the game came into existence, there have been tremendous downfalls in many servers. The game cannot be played in certain places due to slow internet speeds. It can really be detrimental to a player if he/she needs to play the game and suddenly it isn't available due to technical disruptions. It would also trigger a bad feeling of isolation if they don't find a Pokémon trainer in the neighborhood, or even a dependable Pokémon to catch.

A good beginning to health behavior

Even though Pokémon Go isn't the perfect cure for depression or anxiety, it is certainly a good beginning towards a healthy behavior. The game doesn't offer an ultimate solution. But then, no definite solution to mental illness is available yet. People who play this game could greatly boost the optimistic effects of their medical treatment. Playing Pokemon Go while taking medical treatments can really be helpful. The recovery process will be much quicker and effective.

The bottom line

Pokémon Go is just a video game. It is not a substitute for professional treatment anxiety and depression. You're advised to seek professional medication from a doctor and not take video games as the only treatment. However, you can play the game to improve your mood and alleviate anxiety and depression. It is a new idea and it's working. People who have used it can confirm its benefits. Try it today and see the result by yourself!

Popular in the Community

Close

HuffPost Shopping’s Best Finds

MORE IN LIFE