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<blockquote data-quote="CleverNickName" data-source="post: 9778558" data-attributes="member: 50987">I've been playing tabletop games for almost four decades, with dozens of friends and family members over the years.&nbsp; Twice, I've had someone casually mention how gaming saved their life.[SPOILER=CW: suicidal thoughts, abuse]One of my closest friends had struggled with loneliness and depression for most of his life.&nbsp; After a particularly good gaming session, he stayed late to help me clean up and that's when he told me that he was really happy that he had found this hobby and our group of friends.&nbsp; He explained that he had decided to commit suicide over the summer if he still hadn't made any friends by the end of the school year, but now that idea sounded silly and strange to him.Another friend of mine was struggling with some really dark stuff at home--stuff she couldn't talk about directly lest her parents find out and punish her.&nbsp; But she was able to talk about it through her D&amp;D character, and we were able to get her the help she needed to escape that terrible situation.&nbsp; She talks candidly about it now, saying &quot;I'd probably not survived high school&quot; if not for her gaming group. [/SPOILER]Games are super important.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="CleverNickName, post: 9778558, member: 50987"] I've been playing tabletop games for almost four decades, with dozens of friends and family members over the years. Twice, I've had someone casually mention how gaming saved their life. [SPOILER=CW: suicidal thoughts, abuse] One of my closest friends had struggled with loneliness and depression for most of his life. After a particularly good gaming session, he stayed late to help me clean up and that's when he told me that he was really happy that he had found this hobby and our group of friends. He explained that he had decided to commit suicide over the summer if he still hadn't made any friends by the end of the school year, but now that idea sounded silly and strange to him. Another friend of mine was struggling with some really dark stuff at home--stuff she couldn't talk about directly lest her parents find out and punish her. But she was able to talk about it through her D&D character, and we were able to get her the help she needed to escape that terrible situation. She talks candidly about it now, saying "I'd probably not survived high school" if not for her gaming group. [/SPOILER]Games are super important. [/QUOTE]

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