Video games as a stress reliever?

I got into video games when my brother received an Atari 2600 for Christmas in the early 80s. I was four or five but I knew enough at the time to understand that I really liked them. Since that time, video games have always seemed to capture my fascination, whether they were console games, PC-based games, or games in an arcade. Especially games in an arcade, for some reason… Over the years I’ve played games on that Atari 2600, on a Nintendo Entertainment System that I requested for two years straight, on a Sega Genesis that I saved up for three months to buy, on a PlayStation that I somehow convinced my parents to buy me while in college, on an Xbox that I bought with a tax refund, on a Sony PlayStation Portable that I picked up along the way, and currently on an Xbox 360 that I bought after selling my Xbox and PSP to raise the funds.

Video games have always been a part of my life, and I haven’t just played them either. I’ve also enjoyed reading and talking about them with friends, both in person and online. I think that there are different aspects to video games than simply turning them on and tuning out, although that is the subject of this post… Video games can be played for entertainment, for diversion, to get together with friends, and as a stress release to name a few.

Let’s talk about video games and stress.

Stress is serious. CBS News talked about stress killing back in 2003. The idea of video games being designed to relieve stress levels has been around and  documented from a health standpoint. In addition,  surveys have been conducted showing that people who play casual games relieve stress while they play. I think that playing games to reduce stress is a cool way to kill two birds with one stone.

So what if a video game could give you the same stress reducing results as a vacation?

I first heard the term Video Game Vacation when Liam Lynch mentioned it on MTV Cribs. I immediately identified with it because I think that it perfectly describes a phenomenon that I was familiar with, but had not known to call it anything in particular.

Dictionary.com defines the word vacation as: a period of suspension of work, study, or other activity, usually used for rest, recreation, or travel; recess or holiday

Now you can always take a vacation by cruising to a beach somewhere exotic, but I’m suggesting that you can also take a vacation to a far away land by locking yourself in your living room, drawing the shades, and loading up the latest blockbuster title until you finish it. I have personally taken video game vacations with Splinter Cell, Halo, Fable, Assassin’s Creed, and Grand Theft Auto IV to name a few. And I’m talking about pulling geek-fest all nighters to advance in the game.

For the money they’re great, and a lot cheaper than airfare + hotel.

The one thing I really like about video game vacations is the sense of immersion I am able to experience for that period of time. The task at hand is all that matters, how do I get to the next screen, stage, level, what-have-you? I find it liberating, and akin to pushing my body to its limits while exercising. I have learned that I am able to focus intensely for a relatively short period of time, and walk away totally refreshed with a new perspective on the real challenges that life brings on a daily basis.

Now that I’ve outed myself, I’m interested in reading what you think about the idea of a video game vacation. What games have you played obsessively until you beat them? What games do you wish that you had more time to play? Let me know in the comments below.

About the author.

Chris Hall is an internet enthusiast working to promote a health epidemic centered on Life and Happiness within the walls of Humana’s Innovation Center. A project manager by trade, Chris is passionate about all forms of digital media, electronic dance music, and Carne Asada burritos. Chris can be found tweeting and blogging about all forms of awesomeness under the code name: Hallicious.

photo by: lylamerle