How RPG Gaming Can Help Maintain Good Health
Whilst browsing the web the other day, in search of a quick guide on keeping healthy I came upon an article on the CNN site called “How to keep your mind sharp: Preventive action” written by a doctor from the MayoClinic. Being more than a little interested I began to read.
It spoke of exercises for the mind and how important it is to keep your mind sharp and agile. As I looked down the list I noticed a pattern…
1. Learning to play a musical instrument
2. Playing Scrabble or doing crossword puzzles
3. Interacting with others
4. Switching careers or starting a new one
5. Starting a new hobby, such as crafts, painting, biking or bird-watching
6. Learning a foreign language
7. Volunteering
8. Staying informed about what's going on in the world
9. Reading
Many of the things on this list are part of RPG pen and paper gaming. When you think about it, solving puzzles or problems #2, interacting with others #3, learning new skills, #4 & #5, and reading #9. Much of what we do when engaging in our gaming hobby promotes good brain health. Further things listed were, Staying phsysically active, develope healthy eating habits, drink alchol in moderation, manage stress (gaming is a big de-stressing tool), etc...
Keep the brain active, its good for your overall health, helps you cope with nasty things like strokes, and keeps you alive after you retire.
I Totally Agree
In fact I will go even further. Role playing is a universally excepted clinical psychological therapy. It helps change the way your brain deals with topics. It expands your mind. It lets you put yourself in other people's shoes. It can release surpressed emotions and feelings. All of these are theraputic.
Of course it all depends on how you role play, but I think more often than not, it is beneficial. If you are in a group of people that you like and trust, you can have fun and explore things with your mind. This is one of the reasons that I feel so strongly about the ban of D&D in that prison in Wisconsin (and a few other places).
If they ban D&D they should ban having an imagination and the practice of role play in counseling sessions. I guarentee there are counseling sessions with inmates at that prison that utilize role playing as a technique.