NXNews-Issue9-FINAL-ForWeb -160916LowRes

LIGHT RELIEF | MOBILE GAMES
@RayRossTheBoss
PokemonGo is so therapeutic.
It's breaking down all of my
social anxiety. I've met so many
cool people so far.
Pokémon Go has also helped increase activity
levels for some who have previously struggled
with exercise, previously going for a 20 minute
walk was a Herculean task… but now, they’ll
willingly walk anywhere from 2km to 10km just to
hatch a few Pokémon eggs.
Critics have raised questions about safety
and privacy but some argue that the hit mobile
game has therapeutic benefits. Can chasing
imaginary monsters really be good for you?
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the
past month, you will have heard of the new mobile
game Pokémon Go. Within the first two weeks of
its release, Pokémon Go became one of the most
popular mobile games of all time with over 15
million downloads.
The game encourages
players to leave the house and
exercise while searching the
streets for animated characters
called Pokémon, which appear
on their smartphone screens by
creatively using augmented
reality to bring the creatures
to life. Naturally, some people
dismiss it as just a game or
passing fad, but there are
many others who proudly state
that Pokémon Go is the best
thing that has happened to
them, despite the critics.
People from all over the world
that suffer from depression and
anxiety have started reporting
that after playing the game for
some time, they feel more
energetic and they’re less
prone to negative feelings.
They have even taken to twitter
to praise the game
@PozziePHL
Pokemon Go somehow
helps me divert my attention
to something else and get
through health anxiety.
Increased activity can help you feel better. When
you exercise endorphins are released and you feel
happier. Feelings of depression or unhappiness can
diminish or even disappear because your body is
active.
An idle mind is a devil’s workshop and Pokémon Go
leaves you very little time to be idle. There can be a
mental shift within you that could make you feel better.
The game has even been seen to help in a clinical
setting with C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Michigan
using Pokémon Go as a tool to help get patients out
of their rooms. Use of the game soon encouraged
interaction with fellow patients and hospital staff.
J.J Bouchard, child life specialist at the Hospital,
said “It’s a fun way to encourage patients to be
mobile. This app is getting patients out of beds and
moving around”. Jigna Patel, whose son is receiving
treatment at the hospital added; "You can see the
kids take their minds off the pain and the treatments
that they're going through. I could see the
difference. The kids were having a blast."
The app is available
for free on both the
Apple App Store and
Google Play Store.
26 newcrossnews | www.newcrosshealthcare.com