Woman Plays Bejeweled - Beats Depression
Here's something that we already know. Playing video games can make you feel good. (Now we know why it's such a lucrative business.)
One woman who suffered from depression found that playing Bejeweled on her computer gave her emotional relief and helped her make it through the night. She wrote to the game manufacturer to attest to its mood enhancement quality. They were so surprised by her feedback that they commissioned a study of possible mental health benefits associated with playing Bejeweled.
The preliminary study was published this year in the Annual Review of Cybertherapy and Telemedicine. Researchers found that volunteers who played Bejeweled displayed improved mood and heart rhythms compared to volunteers who did not.
This type of game combines concentration with relaxation and distracts the player from their problems and the world around them. Basically, they're in the zone. The effect is similar to doing crossword puzzles, needlepoint and other activities that provide just the right balance of mental challenge and mindlessness.
Gotta go. It's time to play Bejeweled. Source
One woman who suffered from depression found that playing Bejeweled on her computer gave her emotional relief and helped her make it through the night. She wrote to the game manufacturer to attest to its mood enhancement quality. They were so surprised by her feedback that they commissioned a study of possible mental health benefits associated with playing Bejeweled.
The preliminary study was published this year in the Annual Review of Cybertherapy and Telemedicine. Researchers found that volunteers who played Bejeweled displayed improved mood and heart rhythms compared to volunteers who did not.
This type of game combines concentration with relaxation and distracts the player from their problems and the world around them. Basically, they're in the zone. The effect is similar to doing crossword puzzles, needlepoint and other activities that provide just the right balance of mental challenge and mindlessness.
Gotta go. It's time to play Bejeweled. Source
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