We've discussed the importance of mental health before, both in how gaming helps and how gamers need help. Mental Health Awareness month is a good reminder that game designers and freelancers can use a little help sometimes.
Mental Health Awareness Month began in the United States in 1949 and was started by the Mental Health America (MHA) organization. Each May, the organization explores a different theme. This year’s theme is “More Than Enough”: that everyone holds value no matter their diagnosis, appearance, socioeconomic status, or ability. The MHA offers several online tests you can take to check in on yourself.
There’s help online too. The Association of Illustrators, in partnership with Society of Authors and Association of Photographers has released an updated version of a guide titled Working Well: Good Mental Health and Creative Freelancers. It's a great guide for anyone who works remotely, including game designers and tabletop role-playing game freelaners. It's divided into several sections, each addressing a mental health challenge faced by creative freelancers and tips on how to deal with it.
PLEASE NOTE: If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, please seek help immediately. The Committee for the Advanced of Role-Playing Games has a page with more info.
The Roleplaying Game Creators Relief Fund (RCRF) was founded to provide financial assistance to tabletop roleplaying game creators suffering hardship due to medical emergencies, natural disasters, and other catastrophic situations. If you know someone who might benefit, send them to the application form.
The Working Well guide recommends an impartial means of measuring your success that’s not dependent on your mood, and recording your successes in a journal to bolster you during times of doubt. It also recommends networking with friends and family to act as a cheering squad when you’re feeling down.
The guide recommends keeping professional boundaries, and that includes knowing when to engage with your brand and when to avoid it if you’re not feeling up to taking criticism. It also recommends joining a peer group to vent in a safe space.
The guide makes a point of differentiating between your personal and public life, which is sometimes difficult for game designers who consider their game as much a hobby as a business. Having a systematic approach to social media helps. So does having supportive fans.
The Working Well guide recommends networking, which in gamer terms often means playing with others. That fortunately can be online, but just being outside helps too.
Mental Health Awareness Month began in the United States in 1949 and was started by the Mental Health America (MHA) organization. Each May, the organization explores a different theme. This year’s theme is “More Than Enough”: that everyone holds value no matter their diagnosis, appearance, socioeconomic status, or ability. The MHA offers several online tests you can take to check in on yourself.
There’s help online too. The Association of Illustrators, in partnership with Society of Authors and Association of Photographers has released an updated version of a guide titled Working Well: Good Mental Health and Creative Freelancers. It's a great guide for anyone who works remotely, including game designers and tabletop role-playing game freelaners. It's divided into several sections, each addressing a mental health challenge faced by creative freelancers and tips on how to deal with it.
PLEASE NOTE: If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, please seek help immediately. The Committee for the Advanced of Role-Playing Games has a page with more info.
Money
The stress on game designers who often don’t have savings, retirement funds, or even health insurance is unfortunately common.The Roleplaying Game Creators Relief Fund (RCRF) was founded to provide financial assistance to tabletop roleplaying game creators suffering hardship due to medical emergencies, natural disasters, and other catastrophic situations. If you know someone who might benefit, send them to the application form.
Impostor Syndrome
It’s not uncommon for creatives to experience Impostor Syndrome, that feeling that their profession isn’t legitimate somehow. For game designers, an industry that is traditionally underpaid even in the creative field, this can be even harder. Worse, tabletop games are still not accepted in some corners of society, forcing gamers to not mention their work, including leaving it off their resume.The Working Well guide recommends an impartial means of measuring your success that’s not dependent on your mood, and recording your successes in a journal to bolster you during times of doubt. It also recommends networking with friends and family to act as a cheering squad when you’re feeling down.
Rejection
Game designers face rejection not just in completing their work and getting it before the public, but in the relentless criticism that creative work entails. That includes reviews.The guide recommends keeping professional boundaries, and that includes knowing when to engage with your brand and when to avoid it if you’re not feeling up to taking criticism. It also recommends joining a peer group to vent in a safe space.
Social Media
Being active on social media is critical for gamers who want to find their audience. The owners of the Dungeons & Dragons brand have struggled to find a single home for that community, so any game designer will likely have to participate in multiple platforms. But those communities are often unmoderated, which means they unfortunately may be toxic.The guide makes a point of differentiating between your personal and public life, which is sometimes difficult for game designers who consider their game as much a hobby as a business. Having a systematic approach to social media helps. So does having supportive fans.
Working Alone
The pandemic made it difficult for people to game together in person, and many loose social ties snapped when gamers had to make a choice between health and fun. This can have devastating consequences for players who rely on gaming as their primary social outlet.The Working Well guide recommends networking, which in gamer terms often means playing with others. That fortunately can be online, but just being outside helps too.
