When we are suffering emotional pain or experiencing bewildering patterns of defeat with increasingly ruinous consequences, the last thing we want is more pain. We want respite and relief. And the relief we crave at such times is often some form of validation— whether from a friend, a family member,…
Video games have earned something of a poor reputation in the field of mental health. They have been blamed for everything from criminal violence to depression to compulsive sexual behavior. And while it is true that video gaming, in conjunction with other factors, can become a problematic or maladaptive behavior,…