Lost in isolation and loneliness, I discovered the world of Gundam. From the model kits, video games, and anime, I found that the characters’ struggles often mirrored my own mental health problems. But Gundam inspired hope. In the words of Banagher and Gundam quotes, I found motivation. And in Gundam Unicorn Anime, I finally discovered the true power of possibility.

Why do you give up on your dreams? We get an exciting idea but find excuses instead of pursuing it. Why do you turn your back on your passions, and what happens if you give up on your dreams for good? Using Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey, this Refusal of the Call is an important step in our journey to a life of adventure, as we face our fears, and become the heroes that we are meant to be.

Marvel’s Squirrel Girl may have started as one of the weirdest superheroes, but her quirky nature led her to become a beloved character. Why is Squirrel Girl so powerful? Beyond her superhuman strength, it’s her personality of positivity and acceptance. Her ability to accept herself and others helped transform her from a joke character to one of real power.

From that first booster pack, I became a fan of Pokemon TCG. But with the release of new sets, I became Pokemon obsessed. I was afraid of missing out and my passion led to intrusive thoughts. My mind was always on ways to buy and collect Pokemon cards. But I needed to learn how to deal with obsessive thoughts. Here are practical tips on what I learned in my journey in how to overcome obsession.

Stress is often unavoidable. But how we react to stress can have a greater impact on our physical and mental health than the stressor itself. What can RPGs teach us about stress? We typically chose the most beneficial stress management strategies while playing. One of the great benefits of role-playing games is that they can teach adaptive coping mechanisms that we can apply to our real lives.

Whether it’s in a game or in real life, stress happens from the unexpected and things outside of our control. But when faced with difficult situations in RL, we can’t turn it off and walk away. What can we learn from video games and TTRPGs like D&D about stress management and dealing with anxiety in a crisis? Here are 14 techniques to reduce anxiety and stress management for geeks and gamers.

Over a third of gamers have experienced anxiety and stress-related issues. Stress happens to most of us but there are times that it is too much and we feel overwhelmed. Here are 12 techniques to center ourselves for when stress and anxiety have sent our minds spinning.

Gaming has been blamed for a variety of negative impacts with studies showing a correlation between gaming and mental health issues. But as a gamer myself dealing with anxiety and depression, I’ve always felt that gaming made me feel better, not worse. More recent studies have shown that while there may be a connection between gamers and higher levels of anxiety, it is not necessarily causation. And in fact, gaming has been shown to be beneficial and help symptoms of anxiety and depression in many people.

The holiday can be a wonderful time of the year. But this time of year can also be a great source of anxiety.

And as a gamer, I find that I would much prefer to spend those cozy winter days online in a dungeon than participating in the festive season. And I am far from alone in seeking this Scrooge-like escape. Here are some ways to use gaming and other tips to help with holiday anxiety.