Games are Depressing...or are they?

NatewlieRead the post above Tirith's.Oh and mds, you aren't depressed because you play games. A lot of cases of depression are a imbalance in the brain. My husband was diagnosed with depression when he was 14, he's had it all his life. The only thing he had to turn to when he was young was Super Mario Bros 3.It's just games are alluring to depressed people.When I'm sad the last thing I want to do is go outside and dance, I want to be isolated.

Your post does make sence, however, my mind is VERY messed up.I do need to get it checked-otherwise I'm just an emotional train wreck who think's his depressed.I am a game addict (Fact)-and in some cases to those who become relient on games-they can develop syptoms.Remember-when doing soemthing your good at-you produce endorphin.And if you keep doing it all the time CONSTANTLY you would want to be happier...thus, game addicts become relienet on beating the latest games.If you seperate them from games they get sad/depressed-agressive...
Seen those stories about kids going nuts because they were seperated from games?
Sure-they had problems to begin with-but how many of those kids DID have depresive syptoms actually confirmed?I suppose in my case-born into a world with nothing but doubt-maybe I'm not depressed-but you would never catch me without seeing me infront of screen OTHER than tv for 7 hours a day...Not work-not TV (I hate australian tv :( ) just games or being online.As for your husband, I do feel sorry for him, as for your sadness, same again.But just from experience from me, friends, family, and other forums that focus of this aspect....There are more than just one level of depresion-mine borders to little to moderate-I worked with someone who was constantly abused, they worked fine and dandy and was always ahppy-but from what they told me-they were just faking it so work in fast food-now she's on her way to becoming a graveyard manager (12am-7am) so you need to be strong...I'm not officially diagnosed-but from what MANY people have said-I show signs of trama of some sort-depression or not-games haven't helped much.Especially when your a social outcast who prefers to isolate himself when everything is going wrong instead of seeking help.HOWEVER-That is just my view-other's have thier owns views on the situtation, some are diagnosed-some are not-all I can say is I'm not a happy person and since the age of 7 I've been nothing but a straight up gamer.

LD64Games are not depressing. It is other factors that makes a person depressed.

(ignores fact that user is banned)They are not immedietly depressive-but if it's all you take an interest in-cut off from friends (I can say more stories but I see no point giving more examples) and just can't have fun in other areas-they start playing-find ways to enjoy games...and then...they become ethiuer obsessed or move into other avalible areas.Other factors can determin what a person is-trama-born with it-having little faith in one's natural abilities, etc...We are all different-if I was giving a cricket bat at 7 yrs instead of an NES with 22 games prehaps I might not have been here.Opinions aside-you can get depressed-or addicted at least-to video games.Now I just read an article about how people who run constantly can become addicted to that-and even have withdrawl syptoms if they stop.If I find it I may post here.

Replying to #21

Wait, so if you're an emotional trainwreck who thinks he's depressed, is it not plausible that you're just imagining being messed up in the head as well and are actually perfectly normal except for a tendency to project mental issues onto yourself, possibly as a cry for attention?Just saying, dude. Just saying.

Replying to #22

I was about to mention that in my first post actually.Subconsiously I know it's annoying-but in reality I can't help but make attention.I yell at people randomly just to get noticed despite the fact I'm normally quiet and prefer to do things alone.I believe your correct in your assumption-but I still need to get this checked out-because I've been like this for...(counts fingers)Since 7-maybe I just felt ignored despite the fact I was a spoilt brat who's trying to do things for himself...I think I better shut up before I get knocked out :/

I don't care what you're like, and I don't care about those little issues you have with your parents. You know, the thing that you just can't stop doing?They cry themselves to sleep at night thinking you could have turned out so much better.

Replying to #24

My parent's have had enough-technically I should have moved out ages ago.Ok-enough about me (yeah even I'm sick of it-and no I don't cry and nethier does anyone else-we just yell and scream until we get our way)...Some people are already depressed-some make themselves depressed and use games to escape from what ever is painful to them, other's are just mental.What ever I am doesn't matter-though I am glad I'm not like some of the WoW players I met...now those poor souls REALLY need help-it's when making clans to be better rather than to make friends is when it becomes obseive-and as I few I spoke to-depressive...This particular ex-player was exactly what most parent's fear of today's kids-he isolated himself just to become better in a game-before he started he was fine as he said-it was when the fun stopped and it became a compitition of who's the best-wether or not you were a real team or not.

The day games stop being fun is the day I die inside, personally. I've got creative and technical outlets but my love of games is eternal~

DatabankGaming is a good thing if used correctly

GO AWAY ALREADY.

Replying to #27

*re-directs at rickyDatabank does have a good point-like drinking-do it responsibly.It may be already too late-but hay I can still enjoy it-if my social life had suffered.

DatabankI will never forget that PM that you sent me
and unless you want me to report you for it,
then I would suggest you leave me alone.

I would have just pm'd back and then sent that off to the mod's or the admins if it's THAT bad.Avoid hi-jacking threads-that's a lesson I learnt the hard way :(

DatabankI will never forget that PM that you sent me
and unless you want me to report you for it,
then I would suggest you leave me alone.

that's not right, if you want to report him do it but do not threaten him with that pm!

Replying to #29

What I meant was show it to them-if it's that bad they'll take action-like showing an officer the remains of a break in.But don't say "I'm gonna report you" just do it!If the mods see no harm then just ignore it...if not-stick to spam...it's hard being around certain boards at times :(Back to subject-games good in small-well monitored does-not in excess...say like 9 hours straight and losing 6 hours sleep because of it.That's me in a nut shell.

DatabankIt was quite awful

then you should have reported it in the first place in stead of saving it to "blackmail" ricky

Replying to #31

He won't care anyway-he helped kill a troll on irc...

DatabankI feel like I am derailing yet another topic.
Anyway, who thinks games are depressing.

Well I tried to tell you...Games themselves are depressing-it's those who played far too long and NEED it to get on by.Like me-even sitting infront of a pc soothes me-it's an addiction in my case.Unless there is a message in the game that grips you-but not many like that in games...

DatabankYay!
I successfully managed to re-rail a topic.

and derailing it again...

mds64: What's so depressing about games? There have been at least a few studies that confirm common sense: exposing people to the stimuli found in most of today's games (which are action-oriented) increases their heart rate, adrenaline, and eye-movement. If anything, it's stimulating and (if you play the right games) improves hand-eye coordination, concentration, reflexes, and keeps seratonin levels up.The only thing remotely depressing about gaming is what people let happen to them as a result of gaming too much. If people become overtaken by a game and don't want to do anything else with their life, can you really blame the game? Is it's alcohol's fault that people use it and some let it ruin their lives? Of course not! I'm tired of people wanting to blame the state of their life on games. Personal responsibility comes first, even with gaming.Let's not be like the media (or Jack Thompson, good riddance) and blame society's problems on games. It's much more complex than that.

Replying to #34

I am an excessive gamer-because of my farther's cheap way of getting me entertained at a young age (NES with 22 games for $20-and he used to play it with me every day I played) I have killed my own social life...But that's my fault for not doing something about it.SOME games may have a sad message in them...like in movies or books. that is what I meant in last post...since when does playing god of war make you depresssed-I FEEL ALIVE!It's only depressing that the fact on a friday night and all thru my spare time I just play-not that I care anymore.I do now find it sad when I see other's such as my younger brother doing it...shouldn't have got him into smash brother's at 5yrs.

Perhaps joining a club sharing similar interests can get you out of a rut. I mean, talking to friends about video games will eventually digress to something else and it'll turn into some sort of hang out. Like asking a co-worker or friend to hang out every once in a while.Doing social activities and feeling more confident about one self is usually the thing people go for and it invites people to come to them as a friend (and who knows, more than one).It's a lot harder to do than it sounds, I know that from personal experience. But at least trying to do something is better than nothing at all.Maybe even a therapist to talk to will alleviate problems. It never worked for me but it'll probably work for someone else.This has nothing to do with the topic at hand but it's more geared towards mds.

Replying to #36

I was once part of a gaming clan-while I'm still an official member I since am mostly inactive with them.I tried to quit games but...I developed withdrawal syptoms (thought it was depression at first).I have a mate (the last co-worker from last job who actually wants to hang out with me) an he get's me into things I never would have done otherwise.Not going drinking with him-I get hooked too easily on anything new and tasty.My current co-workers I treat as that-just people I work with-a word here and there but nothing more-most are far older than me anyway.As for therpyist-I seen one-but just before I got my new job I expected a call, they stopped...Shows what happens when you reply on a free therpist-but as he last advice-get a new job-stick to it-and it'll help relieved stress until you can move out and try new things.While my new job is just as bad (I work on my own-not in team like last-and unlike last I have no rank so I can't change things and make it easier on myself) it beats issues with co workers...And my pay cannot afford a proper one-and since I'm trying to save up and get out of this mad house and now board is being asked (despite low pay than fast food...) it makes it hard....just for everyone else-ignore this-please keep this thread on track-while my issues do partly stem from being an excessive gamer I think it's best we continue debating about the subject at hand.I have nothing guniene to add here-sorry :(

I'd say what you added is pretty genuine if that's what your life is really like. I hope everything works out for you.Concerning game content; yeah, some games have made me cry, even. I'm not ashamed to admit it. I mean, not like sobbing or anything, but they've pulled some tears out. :P

Replying to #38

...god of war got me a few times when kratos killed his family...and even athena-you'd think he would even care at all about a god?(as for my life-just living is good enough for me-no longer do I hope for big dreams that are hard to catch-why wish that-it's the simple things that keep me happy :) -last one about me y'all)