Mental stability and roleplaying games

[Torm]

Torm: I am sorry to hear about what you went through, althoug it seems you are handling everything well. I think gaming is no more or less mentally damaging than any other hobby or interest.

I appreciate the kind words, but, despite my having run on a bit about myself to do it, my point was really that D&D, far from being something that drives people looney, may actually in some cases save them from it.

 

[Agemegos]

I'm mentally unstable too: I have bipolar affective disorder (type II). But I don't think we can blame D&D for this one, because my great-grandfather, my grandmother, my father, my father's eldest sister (who had type I), two of her daughters, two of their six children, one of my sisters, and at least one of my nieces had or have the same problem. I have never had the slightest tendency to confuse my identity with any of my characters. (On the contrary, I have occasionally be criticised because some of my characters are too like the real me.) One of the fellows in my usual gaming group is schizophrenic (and has been since before he started playing). He soometimes has trouble with reality, poor chap, but in the fifteen years I have been playing RPGs with him he has never got any of our games muddled up with reality. He rather tends to have hallucinations based on the 'animations' from Monty Python's Flying Circus.

It's a bit odd that this should come up now, because just the night before last I took in an episode of a show called NCIS to see whether it was to my taste (it isn't). The mystery in the episode I saw turned out to involve the death of a brilliant but unstable computer jockey who had

Spoiler

mistaken himself for his character in an MMORPG and tried to (a) live out the game by engaging in a sword-fight with another seaman and player of the game, and (b) tried to walk ashore with fifty pounds of weights chained to his waste to prove that he was his character

. It really struck me (as irritating) that a psychiatric disorder that is so very rare in fact should feature prominently in so much third-rate drama. I think that lazy writers who wont do their research do us a great disservice in their attempts to make the improbable seem plausible.

The finale of this show was that one of the regular characters (a silly, vain, dishonest, deceitful shirker) summed up his reaction to the tragedy by saying "I'm really glad my parents pushed me into sports in high school."

Feh! What imbecility! I was on my school swimming, hockey, and Rugby teams, as well as playing club hockey on weekends, swimming in club competitions, training five mornings a week through the swimming season, competing in surf carnivals with my volunteer lifesaving club, and fencing and playing water polo in university. that didn't discourage me from RPGs, and it didn't save me from mental illness.

 

[Torm]

It's a bit odd that this should come up now, because just the night before last I took in an episode of a show called NCIS to see whether it was to my taste (it isn't).

That always happens when those sort of shows try to deal with RPGs or video games - and that one featured both. Even X-Files kinda screwed it up, and that was the geek show extraordinaire. I'd recommend giving it another chance with a different episode, especially if you like CSI.

You should know, btw, that while you might not have gotten it from that episode, the guy who made that comment at the end is the show's resident knuckle-headed, sexist, doesn't-play-by-the-rules guy - so his comments were probably taken with a grain of salt by regular viewers.

 

[William Ronald]

I appreciate the kind words, but, despite my having run on a bit about myself to do it, my point was really that D&D, far from being something that drives people looney, may actually in some cases save them from it.

You do have a valid point. As I recall, therapists sometimes use roleplaying in psychotherapy. You may have worked out some of your tensions and issues, even subliminally, with some of your characters. Or at least got some sort of emotional release from the game. (As for mental health issues, I believe that it is importan for people to seek help from a good therapist. A supportive network of family and friends can help as well.) I think one of the strengths of roleplaying as a hobby is that it often allows you to imagine other perspectives. This is often helpful in real life -- empathy is very important in social situations.

Agemegos wrote:
It really struck me (as irritating) that a psychiatric disorder that is so very rare in fact should feature prominently in so much third-rate drama. I think that lazy writers who wont do their research do us a great disservice in their attempts to make the improbable seem plausible.

The finale of this show was that one of the regular characters (a silly, vain, dishonest, deceitful shirker) summed up his reaction to the tragedy by saying "I'm really glad my parents pushed me into sports in high school."

Feh! What imbecility! I was on my school swimming, hockey, and Rugby teams, as well as playing club hockey on weekends, swimming in club competitions, training five mornings a week through the swimming season, competing in surf carnivals with my volunteer lifesaving club, and fencing and playing water polo in university. that didn't discourage me from RPGs, and it didn't save me from mental illness.

Agemegos, Dorothy Parker once wrote "The only -ism that Hollywood believes in is plagiarism." So, I am not too surprised about the show.

As for your own experiences, I have known cops who are gamers as well as people who are very athletic. I think we need to look past stereotypes. Your interests did not impact your mental illness -- although you seem to be treating the issue more seriously than the first poster's friend.

 

[DungeonmasterCal]

I'd appreciate it if any of you can link me to online articles about this topic, preferably well researched ones. She said she'd like to read any articles about this.

Check out this yahoo group: http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/Christian_Gamers_Guild/

And on behalf of we gamers who are Christians (or at least trying to be), please refrain from insulting us. I'm not saying anyone in this thread has yet, but it sure has the potential. Thanks.

 

[Agemegos]

Agemegos, Dorothy Parker once wrote "The only -ism that Hollywood believes in is plagiarism." So, I am not too surprised about the show.

As for your own experiences, I have known cops who are gamers as well as people who are very athletic.

Indeed. People I have palyed RPGs with (and not counting at cons) have included a detective-sergeant in the Australian Federal Police on secondment to the National Crimes Authority, an officer of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (our counter-intelligence/counterterrorism body), an engineering officer in the Royal Australian Navy, an infantry officer in the Australian Army, a prosecutor for the Attorney-General's department, a successful defence litigator, the senior advisor to a (Labor party) shadow minister, a political advisor to a (National Party) Federal Cabinet minister, three people who have played cricket at the state representative level, a fourth cricketer who played as a professional in English county cricket, a contender for the Australian Olympic handball team, a martial arts instructor, and a professional skiing instructor: all of them with good degrees from first-rate universities. And that's not even starting to count medicos, lawyers in private practice, and people teaching in universities.

'Sub-culture' be damned! We are the Establishment.

Your interests did not impact your mental illness -- although you seem to be treating the issue more seriously than the first poster's friend.

In fact, I think that my intrests (particulary RPGs, but to a lesser extent sports, and community volunteer work) did impact on my mental illness: beneficially. They kept me alive, productive, and socially engaged through a mental illness that results in 30% of suffers committing suicide before they turn forty (which I do in September). There were times during severe attacks of depression when the only thing I left my room for, apart from using the bathroom, was to run my weekly TFT campaign.

 

[William Ronald]

Agemegos: An early happy birthday from someone who is only a few months behind you in age.

Originally posted by Agemegos:
In fact, I think that my intrests (particulary RPGs, but to a lesser extent sports, and community volunteer work) did impact on my mental illness: beneficially. They kept me alive, productive, and socially engaged through a mental illness that results in 30% of suffers committing suicide before they turn forty (which I do in September). There were times during severe attacks of depression when the only thing I left my room for, apart from using the bathroom, was to run my weekly TFT campaign.

I think being socially engaged is IMPORTANT in combating feelings of despair, loneliness and depression. It is very easy to feel isolated in today's busy high tech society. We can chose to isolate ourselves from the world, or to participate in it. I think the latter is generally healthier and leads to a more fulfilling life -- the exact opposite of what was portrayed on a TV show that should at least strive for mediocrity.

 

[Torm]

And on behalf of we gamers who are Christians (or at least trying to be), please refrain from insulting us. I'm not saying anyone in this thread has yet, but it sure has the potential. Thanks.

At the risk of getting religious - I have no problem with Christian gamers, nor have I ever. The only Christians I ever have a problem with are the ones who call themselves that, but have little idea what it means. It always disturbs me a great deal when I'm around a group of "Christians" and somehow I'm the only one who knows that Aaron was Moses' brother or the basis for Papal Authority or how Paul brought the faith to the Gentiles or some such. Seems like people who believe He died for them would read His book once or twice, at least.

I really think that comes down more to having a problem with hypocrits, though - and those certainly exist in almost ANY religion.

More on topic, I think the purpose of the thread is more about how to show Christians that D&D is okay, than any sort of message about Christians themselves. (Although, back to what I was saying above, it would be a LOT easier to do so if those same Christians actually knew what Christ had said, rather than just what their pastors and clergy or even parents (who may have their own agendas, unfortunately) have told them.)

P.S. I apologize if I have offended you in any way. I assure you that if I have, it is because you didn't understand me, and that could be either of our faults - mine for not being clear enough, or yours for reading this while expecting it to be an attack. If either of these is the case, try going back and rereading this post while hearing it in your head in the voice of the sweet little duck that wanted Tom to eat him in the Tom and Jerry cartoons, and see if it works better.

 

[Dogbrain]

Psychological Reports 1998 Feb;82(1):182.
Personalities of players of Dungeons and Dragons.
Carter R, Lester D.
Center for the Study of Suicide, Blackwood, NJ 08012-5356, USA.
20 men who played Dungeons and Dragons did not differ in mean scores on depression, suicidal ideation, psychoticism, extraversion, or neuroticism from unselected undergraduates.

Psychol Rep. 1990 Jun;66(3 Pt 2):1219-22.
Alienation and the game dungeons and dragons.
DeRenard LA, Kline LM.
Murray State University, KY 42071.
The media has speculated about negative effects of the role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons on players of the game. This study examined differences in feelings of alienation between 35 active players and 35 nonplayers. Fewer players expressed feelings of meaninglessness and more players expressed feelings of cultural estrangement than nonplayers. Other feelings of alienation between players and non-players were not different.
This paper defined "cultural estrangement" as "not watching lots of TV and not following sports".

 

[Agemegos]

Agemegos: An early happy birthday from someone who is only a few months behind you in age.

Thank you.

I think being socially engaged is IMPORTANT in combating feelings of despair, loneliness and depression.

I agree. The best advice my psychiatrist gave me was to keep up social contacts, and especially scheduled social activity, for as long as possible when going into an episode of depression. Keep doing it even when it's not enjoyable. Keep doing it even when it has become actually unpleasant, for as long as you can bear to..

And the thing is that RPGs are one of the most personal things that we do together in this day of passive entertainments (except for dating, of course).