Why Video Games Just Might Be Better Than Therapy

I've never been to therapy, and I don't plan to start anytime soon. And I owe it all to video games.

Ever since I was old enough to hold a controller the right way and comprehend which buttons made my character do what, I was hooked. My earliest addictions were the first Zelda games for the Super Nintendo and - of course - Super Mario Bros.. As I got a little bit older, I started getting into Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter and other games that essentially focused on beating the crap out of your opponent and putting together any combination of hilariously ridiculous deaths. Mortal Kombat has got to be the best example of this (especially MK: Armageddon where you can rip out your opponents arms and beat him over the head with them). Eventually, I got into RPGs, the Final Fantasy series being my absolute favorite. Put all these together and... well, you got someone who's avoided ever having to see a therapist.

OK, what the heck am I talking about? First I said that writing was a cheap form of therapy. Now I'm saying that video games can be a substitute for a therapy. I should probably make up my mind, huh? Well, not exactly. You see, over the years, I've employed both of these methods (writing and playing video games) to maintain my sanity. Between school and work and family, friends and a boyfriend, sometimes I just need to relax and unwind. That's when I pick up a pen and paper and write my heart out. But then there are other days when I'm so angry at the world, I want to smash stuff.

That's when I grab my PS2 (PlayStation 2) controller.

I pop in my current addiction, God of War II (the sequel to possibly the greatest game ever made) and zone out. I become Kratos, slayer of gods. I hack and slash my way through hordes of enemies, solve numerous puzzles in an attempt to do what no mortal has ever done before (can't give away the story line folks, sorry), all while maintaining my ability to drive women (those who aren't afraid of me) crazy. I don't think in real time. All I see is this puzzle that needs to be figured out, these enemies that need to be killed, these women that need to be sexed (before you get all upset or excited, it only happens once in the game, and you don't see any of the action). My breathing changes. I hold my breath during a boss battle and let out a sigh of relief upon gaining a new power. When I feel like my bloodlust has been satisfied, I look for a save point and turn the console off. Simple. Everything returns to normal, and suddenly, I'm not angry anymore.

"Well, that's all good and well for you, but what about those of us who don't like gratuitous animated violence?"

Good question, my dear friend. If you're not into chopping up mythical creatures with two huge blades attached to your forearms, there is hope. Maybe you want to try to increase your IQ. Go for Brain Age or Big Brain Academy. Maybe you're addicted to Sudoku. There are several Sudoku games out now such as Ancient Sudoku or Classic Sudoku. Maybe you want to fulfill your childhood dream of being a chef. Cooking Mama is just the game for you. Or maybe you're a fan of Japanese art. Okami is right up your alley. There's something for everyone.

"What about the children?"

No need to worry, there are hundreds of games out there that are kid-friendly. Has your youngster been blabbing on about Shrek the Third since you saw it in the theater? Now you can get them the game, where they can play as Shrek, Donkey or Puss in Boots. Is your kid one for the classics? The Mario franchise is possibly your best bet. A word of caution here to parents. If you're concerned your child might be playing games that are too old for them (because of violence, nudity, language, whatever), make sure you check the ESRB rating. ESRB stands for Entertainment Software Rating Board and is designed to help decipher for whom certain games are appropriate. The ESRB ratings are as follows:

Early Childhood (EC) - Content that is suitable for ages 3 and up.

Everyone (E) - Content suitable for ages 6 and up.

Everyone 10+ (E10+) - Content suitable for ages 10 and up.

Teen (T) - Content suitable for ages 13 and older.

Mature (M) - Content suitable for ages 17 and older. Stores will ask for age verification in the form of an Id before selling a Mature game to anyone who looks under a certain age. Sometimes they ask regardless.

Adults Only (AO) - Content suitable only for ages 18 and up.

Rating Pending (RP) - Game is still awaiting approval from the ESRB. This only appears in a game's advertising prior to its release.

A rating symbol (EC, E, etc.) will appear on the game's front cover. A content description will appear on the back. To learn more about videogame ratings and content descriptions, go to the ESRB website (

"Okay, and this is better than therapy... how?"

Glad you asked. Let's say an 18 year old boy, we'll call him Joey, fails a math test. He's frustrated and angry because he studied really hard and still didn't do well. He hates his teacher and is possibly considering doing some serious harm to him. He needs something to take his frustration out on. Then he remembers he just got Soul Calibur 3 (a little old, but work with me here) for his birthday. He puts it in, and suddenly, he's battling CPU opponents. He cuts them down one by one and makes it to the final boss. He wins, and now he feels slightly better. He's still angry, but he's lost that desire to hurt the teacher that failed him. His mother comes upstairs to check on him because she knows he was upset and is relieved to find that he is now calm. Had he not played SC3, he might have done something stupid that could have resulted in him being expelled from school, going to anger management classes, or sitting behind bars doing math on the walls.

Let's take another scenario. A mom, we'll call her Susie Q, returns home after picking her kids up from soccer practice. They're yelling and screaming, tracking mud all over the carpet, making Miss Susie Q want to leave her husband a note saying she's going to the resort for the weekend. Instead, she brings down the kids' Game Cube and lets them play Mario Party until they've tired themselves out. All mom has to do is stay nearby enough to break up any disagreements, and she's good. Her husband comes home, surprised to find the house so quiet. Susie tells him that now they've got a bit of alone time 'til the kids wake up. Another marriage saved by video games. Take that marriage counselors and divorce lawyers!

One more scenario before we end. Let's say you (yes you, the reader) are stressed out after work. All you want to do is relax. There's nothing on TV except for mindless nonsense and idiocy. Then you remember the Bejeweled 2 Deluxe you got for your birthday. You start playing and you're mesmerized by the colors of the board of bright gems in front of you. It's challenging to an extent, but it's got your mind off of that presentation due at the end of the week that determines whether or not you get that promotion you've worked three years for. When you've cleared every puzzle, you're amazed at the peace and serenity that has washed over your body. You now feel ready to tackle that presentation. Three days later, you've got the promotion because you were already so focused because of the game that the energy transferred into the project. You've now got a secret that's earned you an extra $5,000 a year.

Let us recap what we've learned here today. Video games can:

Suppress violent urges (if you have them in the first place, maybe you do need therapy.)

Rebuild a strained marriage.

Relieve stress and promote focus.

So pick up a controller and self-therapautize (I know it's not a word, but I'm taking creative license for this article) 'til all those feelings of stress, anger, and general unhappiness melt away. Happy gaming! And oh, a check for all the time you've spent reading this article would be much appreciated.www.esrb.com). Concerned parents might also want to take into account that the Nintendo DS and Game Cube are considerably more kid-friendly than the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 2 and 3.