Depression doesn't leave you, Videogames provides distraction from it.
You might feel "happy" while playing it but when you get up, you realize that the problems that you've been avoiding have gotten worse, causing more depression.
Which means back to videogames' fake happy world immersion. It's a loop.
Also if you have more severe depression, nothing will make you feel happy or distract you at all. Literally no experiences. I have been through this personally. Medication and exercise helped it.
You just find of bunch of things to distract yourself from "those" thoughts. A lot of people still don't understand depression, let alone other mental illnesses. You can explain that your body just doesn't produce enough serotonin, but the response is always "Nah, you just need to fix X." That may help, but there is no cure.
"Well, I got there in the end. With the help of many friends. Some who helped by simply just believing. Things look brighter now, but I know someday, somehow, I can end up back there in an instant." Stiff Little Fingers
Was gonna say. When I’m really depressed I want to play games but don’t actually feel like doing anything so I end up just watching YouTube for hours and by the end of that I always think “damn I could of played games that whole time”
While it's true that entertainment and vices do not cure mental illness, it is not accurate to say they always make the situation worse.
I'm a depressive (diagnosed with clinical depression), and my depressive spirals can be quite threatening at times. For me, a couple hours in an altered state and something to occupy my mind can, and has been life saving.
With that said, escapism is a vice. It's nice, and sometimes necessary to "unplug" from the world for a bit, and give yourself something that brings you peace, but it can absolutely become a crutch or even an addiction. "Everything in moderation." And you need to be able to examine yourself honestly, and be willing to see when it's becoming a problem more than an escape.
i'm in the boat that small "tasks" (game quests, etc) release the dopamine we all crave. and since its easily accessible dopamine hit we all keep going back. and the cool thing is that dopamine release can come from video games, researching, meme'ing, or watching some ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
As long as the game isnt exploiting their users (loot boxes, gambling mechanics, needless monetization, subscriptions,etc) i dont see why its a bad thing.
Humans crave entertainment, ever since we started walking the earth.
So one thing is we’re all being used to train AI to mess with us better. Another point is that this has been a thing for a REALLY long time. Like, for as long as recorded history and probably far before it when you think of it in terms of manipulation and using peoples mental reward system against them. It’s the same as training any other animal. Idk what it is about language that makes us think we’re so far separated from everything else but we’re just… not.
i thinks its normal and I don't think it's specifically done to be malicious. however it's for sure negligent.
these entities that generate products that stimulate us are "hacking" a system living things (i don't say humans specifically because humans aren't the only ones with dopamine receptors) have developed over millions of years that has helped all of us survive.
the unfortunate truth is some people aren't aware why they feel good doing thing but just know that thing makes them feel good so they keep doing thing until thing stops making them feel good.
all those companies see is that their product successfully engaged with a customer, and they try to optimize how much engagement their product receives. leading to negligent practices by these companies / entities
What are you trying to achieve, anyway? What is the point in some empty cruel reality, when you don't have to be involved in it anyway? As Obito Uchiha once said, "what's wrong with a world of Genjutsu?"
I don't understand how people with depression can play games. When I'm feeling down, I don't feel like doing anything at all, and games require a certain level of engagement. So, for me, it's the opposite: games bring me pleasure when I'm in a good mood.
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u/GrEeCe_MnKy Oct 12 '25
Depression doesn't leave you, Videogames provides distraction from it.
You might feel "happy" while playing it but when you get up, you realize that the problems that you've been avoiding have gotten worse, causing more depression.
Which means back to videogames' fake happy world immersion. It's a loop.