The Health Benefits of Miniature Wargaming - VEDA Day 3

[@ryanpenner9692]

Thank you Teri for the wonderful video. I'm a STAW player and painting miniatures, strategizing for OP's and matches, the relationships with my fellow gamers and ironically, the excitement over future releases has helped me through what has been one of the most mentally challenging and stressful periods in my life. Win or lose, when I'm playing the sense of comradery and shared enjoyment is truly cathartic.

[@thatterigirl]

I'm so glad to hear that! One of the things we get is the ability to be optimistic and look forward to gaming events and the like. I know it often helps me take my mind off of worries when I have something I can unabashedly look forward to.

[@TheBadadj]

wow what an excellent video, I count myself lucky to have lead (so far) a relatively stress free life, apart from the normal everyday stuff that i'm sure most people have to endure. There have been times in my 52 years of existence where stress and anxiety have been uppermost in my thoughts and true enough this particular hobby has undoubtedly been the most helpful, whether painting or playing, I truly become totally lost in it or obsessed within it. Thanks Teri for contributing towards my ( and everybody's) continued enjoyment and long may it last,

[@Bathorite]

I have social and general anxiety disorder and sometimes when I feel anxiety rising or a panic attack coming on it helps to have something to focus on that will distract me from my feelings, for me it is gaming, more specifically the construction and painting of minis. It doesn't always help but it does often enough for me to consider it beneficial.

[@thatterigirl]

I know the feels. When I feel particularly on the brink, painting helps me deal with my anxiety because it lets the rest of the world fall away and I'm often finding myself "in the moment" when I live the rest of my life outside of it.

[@bloodzyAU]

As a network engineer, im looking at screens all day and constantly designing, troubleshooting etc. Painting miniatures is a perfect way for me to switch off and get back to an analogue task after being digital all day. I even take a small selection of paints and get some layers done on a model or two over lunch to switch off in the middle of the day. Its a great way to de stress as well :) Having lost a few friends to suicide, if you are feeling down please reach out and get the help you more than deserve, you are loved, people do care. Stay strong and I hope you get some games in and meet some life long mates.

[@thatterigirl]

Thanks for sharing! I agree painting is a great way to help turn off the worrying part of a brain and unplug for sure, and that helps me. And I share your sentiment completely - those who need help (especially if you're lurking the comments reading this now) please reach out.

[@roblock8470]

Your are right luv. I suffer with mental health issues. and i find it does help

[@thatterigirl]

Thanks for sharing your story!

[@roblock8470]

i even got a Facebook page that ive started to share my projects. pop over and have a look. its facebook.com/CountyMiniatureStudio/

[@GermanNightmare1976]

Thank you for today's video!

[@gmchris3752]

Thanks for the video! I'm actually from the sister-hobby of tabletop RPGs, and I don't even use minis too often, but I find painting minis to be very calming and focusing. I sometimes suffer from fatigue from depression and a few other medical conditions, but when I paint a good mini, I can feel a little accomplishment, even if that was the only thing I got done that day. Victory is made from small successes.

[@thatterigirl]

Feeling accomplishment and pride is such a huge benefit we don't talk about when it comes to hobbies. So much of our needs as players (given our basic needs are generally fulfilled) have to do with self-care and psychological care. Accomplishment is a big deal.

[@walkaboutgamez2502]

Great vid Teri I have used the benefits of our hobby to help with My PTSD for over 25 years

[@thatterigirl]

I'm so glad to hear the hobby helps. It has so many benefits.

[@randynewnham5571]

Excellent video. Thank you.

[@IgnusFlamebringer]

Can I like this 1000 times? Even more identifying, I also have trouble with depression and social anxiety. Such importance much friendship

[@izrador2264]

Teri, thank you so much for this. You don't realize what this means to recognize these things. Most men's issues are completely ignored in favor of the popular cultures ideas of what's important. Again, thanks so much. Hearing a woman recognize this is huge.

[@Artimage84]

So, for those who might be interested, Mental Health and Gaming are two big things in my life. I notice that a lot of gamers(be they role players, CCG players, war gamers, or even the typical hard core video gamers), tend to be affected by mental health issues. I don't know if this is simply the kinds of minds attracted to the gaming hobby are prone to mental health issues, or that we come from environemnts that create mental health issues(bullied childhoods, for example), but we tend to have TWO things in common. A lot of what I do is both gaming and mental health related, talking about each separately, as well as how gaming can be used to aid in your mental health care, as well as the pitfalls that come with it. Hope you're all taking care of yourselves, and each other!

[@thatterigirl]

That's so insightful. I don't know if we're precluded to it, but I think that, in my experience, gamers tend to be more introverted and as such are less likely to have big social circles, and isolation is something that definitely impacts mental health (in terms of support for it).

[@ManwithoutfearJDK]

Hey! Fellow Canuck! This is interesting. Not surprising, but really interesting. It's not war-gaming but it is gaming. Have you seen the "Checkpoint" series on mental health? Their focus is video games, but I think a lot of topics are transferable.

[@thatterigirl]

No I haven't but I'll definitely check it out. Thanks for the recommendation!

[@pbeccas]

I’ve been a police officer for 25 years. I use painting soldiers to de-stress.

[@thatterigirl]

It's the reason I paint minis, for sure. For someone with anxiety, where my brain is never in the moment, when I pick up a mini and a brush, the world seems to fall away.

[@SamOnMaui]

Why is there no love button?

[@VictorQues]

Good chat

[@tonyjim6874]

Thank you very much for this. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼✊

[@WilliamKuby]

the best whay to beat depreshen is see some fun like the 3 STOOGES that fun yes tack the stooges last 4 time a day and dont call me at all not your dr and if hare dr howerd dr fin dr howwer run NUCK NUCK NUCK