RPGs and mental health issues

[Quickleaf]

I have never played with anyone who had a substance abuse problem. I have played with people who have mental health issues such as depression, bi polar and PTSD.


I have all three of those diagnosis so I deal with mental illness everyday of my life. I have found that people with mental health issues are attracted to things like gaming because it allows you to play being someone else.

Though I have never played with anyone who made it impossible because of their issues to have them at the table.

I have also played with a great many well adjusted people.

Because of the nature of gaming I think you are more likely to see the illness manifest itself than if you were just going to the movies.

Just wanted to acknowledge you sharing that I likewise have lived with similar diagnoses.

I think of gaming as a form of creative expression, and artistic highly intelligent people tend to suffer some degree of madness. Robin Williams used to play D&D and suffers bipolar disorder...

 

[jbear]

This hasn't been my experience either. But then I've been at the centre of the web of all the games that I've started and I've dragged those around me into loving RPG's as well. It's worth saying that I have never played with anyone that you would consider a 'typical gamer type'. Pretty much just every day folk who had never had the opportunity to play an RPG before.

And as I chose them, well I chose folk I liked. Which I guess culled out the people with mental heath issues, funnily enough.

Perhaps it is different when you take who you can get rather than choose them and then enthuse them into giving it a try. I don't know.

That said, I've been on the edge of what felt like depression a few times. But what sane person hasn't given the world we live in?

 

[Ahnehnois]

Mental health is, even in the 21st century, a rather taboo topic. You may not think you know many mentally ill people. However, the statistical likelihood is that you know many.

For example, the lifetime prevalence of depression (major depressive disorder, not just regular sadness) is over 15% in the U.S. Stats. The percentage of people who qualify for some type of psychiatric diagnosis at some point in their lives is at least one-third and perhaps even a majority. More stats.

So I think it is fair to say (as [MENTION=177]Umbran[/MENTION] did), that it is entirely likely that the people in a gaming group are simply people that you get to know very well, and that you are more likely to observe any disorder they might have than you would be in a coworker or other casual acquaintance. That does not mean that the population of gamers is more or less mentally healthy than the average person.

That said, I think it is entirely plausible that certain types of disorders, particularly those related to social anxiety or subject to stigma, might show up more often in the gaming population. In fact, I think that a small group social activity is probably a great form of support for such people.

 

[Squire James]

I haven't really noticed any mental unbalances in my long-term players, though some have cropped up in a few short-term players that I didn't like. I admit I have some emotion control problems (I get angry, everyone around me knows it though I have enough control not to actually DO anything).

 

[Shades of Green]

As for myself, a DM for 15 years, I suffer from a moderate anxiety disorder which manifested itself several years ago after I've cracked under the stress of working at a customer service call centre. I was also depressed as an adolescent, though this episode of my life is long past. However, I do not abuse any substances.

Many other gamers I know are mentally healthy, though many use some recreational drugs on an occasional basis (especially weed) and get drunk from time to time. But a sizeable portion of young people (under 40?) in Israel smoke weed from time to time, and this is evidently so common that a specialist doctor I visited once was positively impressed (!) by the fact that I don't smoke weed.

There is, however, one excellent gamer and superb role-player I know who suffers from a serious mental health issue - my fiancée. She is highly intelligent and brilliantly creative - and gets into character better than most RPGers I know - but suffers from a Personality Disorder (uncategorised type). Three or four years ago she wasn't very healthy and even tried to kill herself (and almost succeeded - was in intensive care for the weekend), but now she's under treatment and is doing much better.

Now, note that gaming is far from her only hobby - she paints, makes cheese at home, collects mushrooms (and knows the entire mushroom classification guide for Israel by heart!), cooks and bakes (I also cook and bake but not as well as she does), knits, makes jewellery, makes her own clothes by hand, grows plants on our balcony and reads a lot (now she's almost through a big Lovecraft collection). Of course, the fact that she's stuck at home on disability benefits (and some help from me) and can't find a job for the time being means that she has to find herself interesting things to do. Gaming is just another hobby for her.

 

[Elf Witch]

Just wanted to acknowledge you sharing that I likewise have lived with similar diagnoses.

I think of gaming as a form of creative expression, and artistic highly intelligent people tend to suffer some degree of madness. Robin Williams used to play D&D and suffers bipolar disorder...

I used to hide it because I viewed it as something to be ashamed off some kind of weakness. I don't anymore. It is a health condition the same as any other. I am a diabetic I am not ashamed of that. I run my life to control my diabetes like test by blood sugar, take my meds and eat a proper diet.

My mental health issues except for the PTSD is because of faulty brain chemistry I was born with it. So like my diabetes I try and run my life so I can limit the impact these diseases have on me. I take my meds, try and stay on a routine. People with Bi Polar do so much better if they can have structure and keep the chaos to a minimum.

There have been a lot of studies showing a link between very creative people and different mental health issues. The more they learn about how the brain works the more they will understand this better.

But I do think it is why you find so many writers, artists and musicians with their own personal demons.

 

[Elf Witch]

This hasn't been my experience either. But then I've been at the centre of the web of all the games that I've started and I've dragged those around me into loving RPG's as well. It's worth saying that I have never played with anyone that you would consider a 'typical gamer type'. Pretty much just every day folk who had never had the opportunity to play an RPG before.

And as I chose them, well I chose folk I liked. Which I guess culled out the people with mental heath issues, funnily enough.

Perhaps it is different when you take who you can get rather than choose them and then enthuse them into giving it a try. I don't know.

That said, I've been on the edge of what felt like depression a few times. But what sane person hasn't given the world we live in?

I kind of fine the idea that you culled out the mentally ill kind of insulting.

There are plenty of people who are mentally ill who are stabilized and on the right medications or doing other things so you unless they told you, you wouldn't have a clue that they were mentally ill.

For example I am bi polar which means if I am out of control and swinging when I am on an up I will talk more, laugh more, spend more money, go without sleep. To most people who don't know it just looks like I am having a great time and that I am full of energy.

On a downswing I get quiet depressed, sleepy and find it effort to get things done. On a down swing people think I am either sick or coming down with something or I am feeling blue.


My roommate suffers from social anxiety disorder. She both loves and hates gaming. She handles it by keeping her game at about four to five hours and then wraps them up longer than that and it starts getting hard to handle. She also found that eating helps so she munches away on celery and take cigarettes breaks.

My point is that there are a lot of people with mental health conditions who function and it can be hard to say oh that person is mentally ill.

 

[halfjack]

I've been playing since about 1976 and have had exactly two players become a problem because of mental illness. In both cases it was schizophrenia and both were within a two year span in the early 80s.

I've met some people who I suspect should see doctor, mind you, aside from those two, but no diagnoses.

 

[saskganesh]

I smoke weed because it's fun, not because I am mentally ill. Christ.

 

[Mr. Rage]

I can agree with the first reply to this thread. Roleplaying is a form of escapism. So yea, there are a few.