Therapist breaks down how Souls games affect our mental health

[@Psych_Lore]

Guys..... I did not expect this video to get more than a couple hundred views or even the channel reaching 100 subscribers like what?!?! Just wanted to say thank you so much for the comments, really means a lot. I hope to give you guys some more content within the coming weeks. Thanks again for tuning in!

[@suave605]

Quality content deserves recognition, this video was one of them.

[@joeking6972]

I like your attitude towards emotions. Mastering your emotions doesn't mean getting rid of them, but rather knowing what they're telling you and how to properly use them.

[@SixBladesKojiro]

Its the effect it has on the anterior midcingulate cortex. You want to give up because it is hard but when you don't it builds strength in this section of the brain which is where your willpower comes from. According to "some" studies.

[@AKAKeyz]

what a great great great combination of content - video games & psychology. super relaxing, enjoyable to listen to & watch, teaches us about ourselves & others without us really realizing! thanks a lot! please please keep it up!!

[@PickleMonster5565]

I mean what did you expect with a bangin’ title like that!

[@jackbrownlee2135]

Notice how the mental health expert skipped DS2.

[@shuten2904]

Lol

[@linkfiedproductions2246]

DS2 helped me with my desensitization of death, as crazy as that sounds. I had never cared about death, but that game made me care about life again. I could write a whole essay on why but basically the story of the characters and bosses really affected myself.

[@Yerfdog1]

Therapists can have bad opinions too! But great video! Appreciate your awesome analysis of souls games!

[@jeremyday4892]

​@linkfiedproductions2246 Would love to hear your thoughts on it.

[@Its_All_A_Farce-re9wy]

DS2 was my first souls game so irrespective of whether it maybe considered the worst. It still benefited me substantially mentally at the time.

[@void4954]

Souls games are just so relatable to life, so much struggle and adversity that can be overcome by within ourselves.

[@scehr]

I was a melancholy teen when Dark Souls 1 released. The loneliness and the struggles of that world were familiar to me but victory and achievement from it gave me a lot of joy and helped to balance my general contentment in life.

[@jordan442]

Sometimes brings out the worst in me can’t lie

[@fikrirahmatnurhidayat4988]

We come in from "Put this foolish ambitions to rest" then come out with "Your strength is extraordinary, a mark of a true lord."

[@an_omega_wolf]

I swear! Margit and the first tree sentinel were the toughest bosses I fought in the game 😅 took me so many hours

[@castform57]

Also "Thy strength befits a crown". Another great progress is Master Hewg. You start with "You're a new face. No matter, it's all the same. Lay out your arms. Let's get smithing." And you end up with "It was a great honor to smith your weapons during my time here. Allow me to c-call you this, just once, before it ends. My lord, f-for that is what you are."

[@joeking6972]

Miyazaki understands that there is nothing more profound than hope in the face of overwhelming hopelessness.

[@NexusKin]

@joeking6972 That's why basically the two universal stats to level up the most in any Soulsborne game are Strength and Health, because they allow you to both deal and absorb extreme amounts of damage.

[@catedoge3206]

The indomitable human spirit

[@soulstech414]

Dark souls saved my life. I was a heroin addict for 10 years and I was trying to get clean for the umpteenth time and I was in a sober living home and I could feel myself slipping mentally backwards... one day I went to the flea market and bought a 360 and dark souls 2 just because I thought it looked cool.. never heard of the game before.. and I just became obsessed and slowly I became more focused, happier, took my recovery more seriously.. that was almost exactly 5 years ago and I've been clean ever since and I've beaten every soulsborne game multiple times.. fromsoftware saved my life

[@Psych_Lore]

Glad you found something that helped you overcome addiction, keep it up. Thanks for the comment and hope you enjoyed the video

[@ZERODIS0]

That’s amazing my guy hell yeah

[@gentlerabbit6852]

keep it up king! you're such an inspiration

[@poodle9557]

good for you man, congratulations and keep going strong

[@kimL93]

Good job bruv proud of u 👏

[@KenchiofTaichi]

"Goodbye then. Be safe, friend. Don't you dare go Hollow." -Laurentius of the Great Swamp. 🔥

[@NexusKin]

@@KenchiofTaichi "Oh, hello there! Exhilarating, is it not? The power of the Sun. I am blessed to have found such a brave companion. Hahaha!" -Solaire of Astora

[@tearsofglass9826]

I still think about these quotes

[@tearsofglass9826]

Especially Laurentius

[@Starzoh]

Imma be honest elden ring is getting me through an extremely rough time it's completely absorbed my spare time and allows me to just forget. Sometimes you just need an escape

[@danielsatter1805]

Thank God for that escape right? I think I might be playing too much though as I had a wild dream about Miquella and other npc's. Can't remember it exactly now but it was dark as well. Fkn crazy. I've never found myself in a gave world in a dream but I have with FromSoftware

[@Psych_Lore]

Glad you're able to find something that brings you joy during a rough time. Important to note that sometimes we gotta face our problems because we can't always escape. Hope you enjoyed the video and thanks for the comment.

[@manashieldworld]

Escaping has created more problems than its solved for me but I get you. Sometimes you gotta.

[@Psych_Lore]

@@manashieldworld yup escaping is a double edged sword bc if it’s all you do, then you’re not living or facing your responsibilities. Gotta learn how to manage the time and escape in moderation to where it doesn’t become the go to coping mechanism

[@julianosantosOficial]

Great to see all these smart comments, face your problems and they will lose their grisp on you.

[@darkphoenix2]

I've long believed that you can genuinely grow and improve as a person from these games. The elements of learning, persevering, and finally overcoming is so strong compared to a lot of games, and it sometimes feels like you can compare it to the mentality needed to face real life challenges.

[@Psych_Lore]

Totally agree! It's all about that will to overcome that next challenge which you can implement to practically any facet of life, whether they're social, professional, or academic challenges. Hope you enjoyed the video and thanks for leaving a comment

[@Shady-Frank]

Agreed

[@theobell2002]

Learning from mistakes and improving is not something unique to these games. If you waste your life playing video games all day, you are not growing, you're coping. Go outside, seek professional help if you need it and make some real life experiences. That is truly how you grow as a person.

[@Shady-Frank]

@theobell2002 I disagree. Although it doesn't in itself improve you, the philosophy gained from them can. (When applied to real life.)

[@nkorppi]

@@theobell2002 Video Games are a part of real life experience.

[@brutusmagnuson315]

It also reinforces emotional regulation. For example, it doesn’t matter how close you are to killing a boss, you aren’t owed that last 1-2 hits; you have to stay calm and keep playing the way you’ve been playing. Panicking, getting greedy, getting angry all get you killed. Playing with an even-headed approach will always be the best approach

[@Shady-Frank]

When i started playing dark souls, i was an alcoholic, drinking a 5th of vodka each night. When I tried to get sober, playing through these games helped me learn that what seems impossible at the moment doesn't mean it is. Then, progressing through the game alongside complete strangers struggling as well only served as encouragement as we could learn from each other without words. Lastly, every once in a while, you'll see an old summon from earlier in the game, and you get to see the progress you both made since. The souls games have actually given me a new perspective on life's struggles. Now I'm sober and trying to learn programming, something that seems impossible with no knowledge, but you slowly begin to learn how to progress one step at a time.

[@Silenthero66]

Makes me choke up this does. Well fucking done.

[@Psych_Lore]

Sometimes all it takes is gaining a new perspective from someone/something to change our lives for the better. Glad you're sober man, keep it up. Thanks for commenting and hope you enjoyed the video

[@Shady-Frank]

@ShuriffDumian it was a great video, my man. thank you for the encouragement. I'm 2 years sober now and going strong.

[@JoshNorman937]

The joy of overcoming some of the struggles is very rewarding In these games

[@Psych_Lore]

For sure, thanks for leaving a comment and hope you enjoyed the video!

[@thecodemachine]

Souls games force you into a flow state that requires you to forget your other problems. I'm one of those people who did beat DS3 on soul level 1. I have autism with anxiety. Souls games force me to be in the moment, and not worrying about the past.future.

[@Psych_Lore]

Glad you're able to tune out the noise of the past/future with these games. The 5 senses grounding technique is a pretty good way of bringing yourself back to the present if you don't have access to these games. Hope you enjoyed the video and thanks for your comment

[@loafofbread481]

As someone who also has Autism with anxiety and even confidence issues I can agree! I've just now started playing these games, via Bloodborne, which has been challenging but a lot of fun. Only been playing for around 14 days or so and I've already beaten 11 bosses, so I'm feeling good, but I know there's gonna be that one boss that will truly test me and I can't wait.

[@thehiddenwarrior354]

@@loafofbread481there will be, but you will overcome that one too.

[@shivpawar135]

​@@loafofbread481There is nothing such as Unbeatable in soul Games, It may take months in a bad scenario, Saying as a noob.

[@BenjaminCanales-nn9gi]

Psychedelics are just an exceptional mental health breakthrough. It's quite fascinating how effective they are against depression and anxiety. Saved my life.

[@Jerome12222H]

Can you help with the reliable source I would really appreciate it. Many people talk about mushrooms and psychedelics but nobody talks about where to get them. Very hard to get a reliable source here in Australia. Really need!

[@ejmabrothers6743]

Yes, dr.porassss. I have the same experience with anxiety, depression, PTSD and addiction and Mushrooms definitely made a huge huge difference to why am clean today.

[@יוסימניאק]

I wish they were readily available in my place. Microdosing was my next plan of care for my husband. He is 59 & has so many mental health issues plus probable CTE & a TBI that left him in a coma 8 days. It's too late now I had to get a TPO as he's 6'6 300+ pound homicidal maniac. He's constantly talking about killing someone. He's violent. Anyone reading this Familiar w/ BPD know if it is common for an obsession with violence.

[@Jerome12222H]

Is he on instagram?

[@ejmabrothers6743]

Yes he is dr.porassss

[@silenceyang6980]

The souls games teach you that patience is key. If you go into a boss without the patience to roll ten times, attack once, fourty five times, then you won't beat the boss. If you don't have the patience to do that for hours, even if the boss has one hp left, you keep preservering. Personally, after playing souls games, i've noticed that I have become a bit more patient, and I feel like most if not everybody feels the same. There is still nothing stopping me from raging when I'm one hit away from beating a boss and then dying.

[@Lo-KeyMuzik]

It also teaches you its ok to ask for help 😂

[@Psych_Lore]

I'm glad the patience in boss fights has translated to using it in the real world. Anger is totally normal so don't worry haha, it's what we do with it that could be problematic. Thanks for commenting and hope you enjoyed the video

[@Hma-q2g]

Elden Ring DLC final boss currently smacking me in the face with a lesson on patience

[@Elriuhilu]

*forty

[@NexusKin]

The souls games also teach you which stats are the most important and practical to level up, like Strength, Health, and Endurance, so that you can really turn the tables and bring the fight to enemies who were previously kicking your butt.😊

[@haizen-jx1sp]

I have been diagnosed with depression that i had for a long time , lately i started playing souls games ,i remember after finishing Bloodborne which was the first one , that i stopped thinking about dark thoughts , i was playing every night angry with the boss that killed me hundred of times when before i was laying down thinking and thinking all about bad things that put me down thinking i can't change , it was like a whole month with peace of mind and some sort of accomplishments that gave me the energy to change little by little by giving myself some objectives like a game in real life , still recovering but i believe now it will be all right soon

[@Psych_Lore]

I'm glad your thoughts and perspective shifted. Keep it going, you got this! Wishing you the best, thanks for the comment and hope you enjoyed the vid!

[@Superdingusmcgee]

Haven’t played Elden Ring just yet, but this video convinced me to finally pull the trigger.

[@Psych_Lore]

Glad you found the video helpful, appreciate the comment

[@mintkit1064]

Reading this right after he said "people explain that this series had saved them" really threw me for a loop 😅

[@jamiekslog]

Just wait on the DLC until you get really good at the base game.

[@DemonEdge82]

You got it, the key to these games is not giving up. You’re going to be your worst enemy when u first start playing these games. If u get some self doubt just block it out and keep throwing yourself at a boss until you beat them.

[@maliketh2951]

Welp see you in the next 200+ hours my guy

[@mikeyswift2010]

I tell people all the time how souls has changed my life. I have told many people (and i swear on my mothers life this is a true story) how when i was first learning to wire an electrical panel as an apprentice electrician, it was one of the most daunting things ive ever had to learn. The amount of wire, mental focus, steps to remember etc. seemed impossible to do without help. However, I remember thinking to myself “man if i can beat iishin the sword saint, malenia, and midir all by myself, then i can do this.” Sure enough, i learned and i do them independently on a regular basis now. I have applied this thinking to many different things ive had to learn on the job under rough conditions as I am a right leg amputee and it always has helped me. I kid you not when i say these games have changed my life. Souls taught me that if you do something enough times you’ll eventually get it, and this applies to virtually everything.

[@charlesqbanks]

For me it was Bloodborne that was an amazing outlet for my frustration, and a distraction from my depression. What really helped was that the world of my thoughts was so similar in how they felt; overwhelmingly dark, violent and hopeless, filled with monsters that hate me and the only helpful people are weak or incompetent themselves, or worse, crazy as well. Being able to relate to the darkness of the world, and also learn to overcome it, as well as my own impatience, self doubt, and inaction, made me feel accomplished in a way I didn't feel in real life at the time. This also gave me courage to try to do the same in my own life, to fight back against thoughts saying "just give up" after having failed so many times. I don't want to be a mindless beast like Gascoigne, or a sad defeated hunter like Gherman. Id rather be like the intrepid hunter who never gives up and succeeds where anyone else may have ended their own "run," even if the process is bloody and the revelations as to why I'm going through this may be horrible and grotesque. Thats gow BB saved me, and that's why I love BB so much.

[@Psych_Lore]

Glad BB helped you during a tough time and you were able to gain a new healthy perspective to life. Hope you enjoyed the video and thanks for the comment

[@NotxDs]

To "put this foolish ambitions to rest" to " i've finally met my match" is the craziest things I've felt on souls games

[@ltsEternall]

Elden ring not only taught me it is okay to get angry… but it also taught me HOW to deal with that anger.

[@Psych_Lore]

Good stuff, hope you enjoyed the video and thanks for the comment!

[@Silenthero66]

I was stuck on the DLC Final Boss fight since before you released this video. Wednesday night. I simply couldn't find this exact feeling you describe again. I was feeling really dejected and depressed, thinking "Am I really gonna have to use a summon after all this time?". This video, honestly was instrumental in getting me back into the right headspace, that unique fromsoft state of mind. I stopped feeling angry about the boss and just accepted all of it. Anyone here who'd even experiences that second phase knows what its like. Just two or three hours after watching this video, I beat him. Literally just 10 minutes ago. I want to think you for that. My life has... problems... right now. Things I want but because of the way I think, I can't change my behavior and its like a block on getting the things I want. Well, I just beat, the most unbelievably hard boss fromsoftware has EVER created, and now I feel just like you describe; maybe I can do it in my real life. Thanks again.

[@Psych_Lore]

Hey that's all you! You're the one that did it, probably just needed a little nudge. Hope things get better for you, thanks for the comment

[@jialigary]

It gives me a Can Do attitude. No matter how insane a boss is at the beginning, I know I am on the right track, I am winning and I will win. Death in soul like games is not a game over. It is part of the journey. Another thing I learn is to know myself and take control of myself. I know I am going to make mistakes and I will be greedy. For the old games, I used to save and load millions times so I can undo mistakes. But save and load is not how the real life (and the soul games) works. I have to face the true enemy : my anxiety, my impatience, my urge, me being greedy.

[@JustAGuyWithThoughts]

Not only the reward loop, but the resilience. They tie you in with the reward loot, and chasing that leads to persevering and overcoming obstacles. It's literally gamifying overcoming barriers. When you gamify perseverance and overcoming challenges so it's rewarding, challenges and struggles outside of the game reflect that game loop, and you realise that perseverance and determination are important in life. With the instant gratification generations coming up, we're absolutely seeing mental health issues skyrocketing up, because these kids never played outside and got banged up having fun and still had to get home when the street lights went out like us older generations, they didn't build that mental fortitude and perseverance as kids. For many of them, Elden ring may well be the first time they are exposed to the "rub dirt in it and get up" mentality.

[@rxshovxx]

No other game in my life have taken me through plethora of emotions from anger, disbelief,joy to absolute euphoria other than souls borne franchise. Souls series taught us we are much tougher than we think we are.

[@Psych_Lore]

Love this! Thanks for the comment and hope you enjoyed the vid

[@kwisatzhaderach9591]

Sekiro was actually the first "souls like" game I finished. It was super hard at first felt like breaking a controller in rage. Eventually I slowly got better and better, and the sense of accomplishment was incredible when I finally finished the game. I've replayed it several times, and everything about it I absolutely love. Since then, I went to Bloodborn, Elden Ring, and circled back to DS1 and DS3. I probably wasn't in the most positive point in my life, but I wouldn't say I was depressed. Those games do require a certain mind set of facing countless failures before breaking through. I used to never understand why people go through raging at a boss and game, but after playing enough I get it. When everything starts to click it just clicks, but it's hard to explain. Something about the hit of adrenaline and dopamine hitting after a tough boss grind is incredible.

[@Warpded]

I think of this franchise as a series of dances. Learn the dance or perish. Simple as. Learning the dance can be grueling at times, but mastering it is a reward unto itself

[@deadspoonxxx]

I agree, or cheese the dance and decimate. overcome in a matter appropriate, ask for help if you've done all you can to study the steps.

[@SantanaBanana47]

Challenging ourselves in general is so good. That self reflection is required to get through it and this skill can bleed into other areas of your life. You gotta dig deep. You have to shut out certain thoughts that don't serve you too.

[@SantanaBanana47]

Knowing yourself helps you understand what your life task is (your one true desire or duty). Arguably the most important thing to know in life.

[@Psych_Lore]

Facts, thanks for commenting and hope you enjoyed the video

[@CLRBeatbox]

Every other game is so boring now because the feeling of achievement from a souls game cannot be replicated

[@thanganbabp5570]

from watching this video what i've gotten out of it, is that the souls games make negative feelings and anxieties a close companion you have to confront often, and then as you overcome despite it all you learn how to deal with them all.

[@lollekompolle]

The Souls series helped me in a lot of ways to overcome my internal monologue, ever since I discovered it back in the day with Dark Souls 1, then going to its predecessor Demon's Souls then DSII and III, Sekiro and now Elden Ring... It, on a regular basis, helps to keep me grounded and calm whenever I start overthinking again and getting anxious. In my opinion there are two things that the game does which fundamentally make the game what it is and result in the effects that it has. First - and foremost the game gives you a real challenge. The game makes sure you know you're up for something really hard and you better expect a lot of setbacks and failure. What this does is, it sets the stage of expecting failure as something normal in the environment you're about to enter. Second - the game never betrays you. Everything that happens is predictable. Something that worked at some point will work again if executed by you in the same way. Whenever something goes wrong it will be pretty easy for you to come to the conclusion that it was due to your own mistakes. With enough time and experience you will come to realize this and what this does is, the game is authentic to you. And this authenticity builds trust with you. You trust in the game and how it works, which is the sole reason for you to happily endure whatever pain is involved for you while playing. It's all really about this in my opinion. Culture of failrue and trust.

[@raymondtendau2749]

After i lost both parents, i got really depressed. I got myself a ps4 2014, i tried out Bloodborne out of curiousity. After i beat bloodborne, i became a huge fan of Fromsoft Games. Looking forward to play Elden Ring too. This game really help me cope with my depression.

[@savvaskatsidonis7417]

Great video man. In my opinion you do a great job of addressing all the details and describing views but in the end kind of avoid making solid points, it all just sounds like an aimless mumble. Try to emphasize the conclusions of each point of discussion more heavily and the result will be way easier to follow and understand ❤

[@ectoplasma5]

Smart to show Malenia in the background,to trigger ptsd and aquire new customers !

[@skrabio]

SoulsBorne is the gym of video games 😂

[@zachhiggins1668]

Love this topic and this video. On a larger scale From/Miyazaki's work has expanded video games by being intentionally character-building, if you will (pun genuinely unintended). To my knowledge no other game developers have created their games with the manifest intention to build the player's mind up. The games have supported my character and mind in a number of ways, so I'll just give a recent example. You rarely have the option to not take enemies seriously in the games. Even a hollow can take out a leveled player who is not fighting to win, or is too angry, or not in the right head space to play. They might be able to mow over pedestrians in GTA but not competently take down a hollow in dark souls. And if you do fight and use your overpowered aspects, it's not fun. Souls combat is not fun if you're not playing it with your mind. Conversely it's great fun fighting, from hollows to bosses and everything between, when you play intelligently and intentionally. When you accept the battle Souls taught me accept the battles you must face. When you put down the controller and go outside you will be fighting a hundred different battles that day. All manner of strategy and thought, and care needed to competently execute the tasks of your life. Many of them we do not want to do. But if you 'accept' every battle you must face, even if it's painful, you are playing Dark Souls in real life.

[@Psych_Lore]

Totally agree with your perspective and glad you liked the video! Appreciate your comment

[@zachhiggins1668]

@@Psych_Lore 🙏

[@linkfiedproductions2246]

I’ve learned how to persevere and stick with things. Never giving up in failure.

[@sapphicquartz]

Personally soulsborne and challenging games is the only place that i feel like i'm good at something while still powerless Achievement without requirement

[@vingerengaoma]

Play Armored Core. (Not just 6)

[@grubblewubbles]

I was very happy when you beat malenia at the end, great job

[@babloescobango5143]

I can't begin to truly describe how much I needed this video today. Thank you.

[@Psych_Lore]

Any time, hope you get through whatever it is you’re going through. Thanks for commenting, appreciate it

[@oscaroscar7904]

Its true though, most games can be addictive and a problem for me, i think its the only thing i struggle with from time to time and they also take alot of time that i feel i should have used doing other more productive things like music etc but these " souls" games for some reason helps with endurance and preserverance a bit like for life in general, but they do take alot of time still

[@Psych_Lore]

It's all about moderation as long as these activities don't negatively impact your day to day (like missing work, school, impacting social life, etc). Hope you're able to figure out how to balance these things out. Hope you enjoyed the video and thanks for the comment

[@oscaroscar7904]

Thanks for the tip and the kind Words, its nice to see that comments on the internet can be used like this, appriciate it, have great day.

[@DemonEdge82]

Souls games taught me that sometimes if I’m having negative thoughts like I can’t do something that if I just put my head down and block it out and I’ll persevere. That has absolutely translated to my life in other areas.

[@Psych_Lore]

That's a very valuable coping skill we call "cognitive restructuring", being able to replace negative thoughts with positive ones. Glad you were able to implement it to other areas in your life. Thanks for your comment and hope you enjoyed the video

[@SantanaBanana47]

Realizing you can do more than you thought is also quite encouraging. When we realize our potential we start living the life we truly want

[@DemonEdge82]

@@SantanaBanana47 yeah, exactly. Plus I start to wonder what else can I do that I thought I couldn’t? Because I definitely was in the same boat as a lot of people and thought I couldn’t do it. It really is the expression “mind over matter”. Thanks for the comment btw.

[@Super-wk6jx]

i had terrible anxiety problems and then started playing dark souls in 2016 and since then recovered completely

[@thehybrid210]

Amazing video! Another perspective on the dying and trying to retrieve your souls mechanics is that the game offers you the chance to LEARN from your mistakes instead of just punishing you, so you don't die again in that part. It's like the game is saying "hey you messed up, but it's okay, everyone makes mistakes, not all is lost, as long as you learn from failure and improve, get better as a result"

[@mavairick]

8:25 => Puts everyone on manual breathing Says "yeah we probably breath on automatic" Refuses to elaborate Move on to next subject XD

[@Psych_Lore]

These comments about the breathing are cracking me up haha thanks for the comment

[@mendrizzle7591]

Not only is Elden Ring the best game of all time. It possibly has the best community of all time as well. I can get lost in these types of videos for hours. Thanks for the awesome content. Hope to see more man.

[@Psych_Lore]

Glad you enjoyed the video, thanks for the comment

[@SearingSeratil]

I just finished my bachelors degree in applied psychology this summer (yay) and I've played the same souls games you have with the addition of DS2. So I was really stoked to see this video pop up in KZbin's recommendations. I think you're really on to something, especially the part of avoidance. You might be familiar with 'Acceptance & Commitment Therapy' or 'ACT' for short. Basically and possibly _badly_ explained: with ACT you help somebody become aware of how they avoid problems and then help them replace that behavior by having strive for a value instead. And I think in Fromsoft games you partially do that first part of ACT: you become aware of your tendency to avoid things but then accept 'the bad thing' and get a massive reward from overcoming it! Usually Fromsoft eases you into that behavior too. A good example I think is in DS1. The very first enemy you face has a simple solution: flee! But afterwards you get a chance to overcome that first obstacle without an escape route and that starts an entire journey where fleeing is never the answer (anymore). Isn't that just the coolest?! Ah oops, long comment. Anyway, cool vid!

[@WattsOnTheMind]

9:13 Those "thinking traps" is what Mark Manson refers to as "The feedback loop from hell." He describes is as this. "You get anxious qabout confronting somebody in your life. That anxiety cripples you and you start wondering why you're so anxious. Now you're becoming anxious about being anxious. Doubly anxious! Now you're anxious about your anxiety, which is xausing more anxiety."

[@2005RavenR6]

Pretty sure the 8 hours I spent trying to kill the erdtree last boss wasn't good for my mental health

[@Psych_Lore]

Depends, did you do it straight? Did you try relaxing? Using coping techniques? Etc. Same way you can have a monumental task for work that might take you all day, it's all about perspective and how you deal with it. Hope you enjoyed the video and thanks for your comment

[@Dkrmaobw]

Wow. Amazing analysis on a topic so important in todays society! Looking forward to the next video

[@Psych_Lore]

Thanks for the comment, glad you enjoyed the video

[@slizardthelizard1988]

Im going through a lot & this made me shed a tear at the end. I completely understand what you mean. I can & I will. Thanks.

[@dragongamerx12]

i do wounder if those people that say there is nothing to find in the world of elden ring are trying to to find anything

[@joelhodoborgas]

Well i kinda cheese all the boss lol. I love breaking games with my crafted builds.

[@Psych_Lore]

Hey that's fun too and you can apply that to things in life through analysis. Hope you enjoyed the video and thanks for the comment

[@stefangancolic3496]

Souls Games had the opposite effect on me. I get aggressive more quickly and lose interest in playing. Unfortunately I played with friends. Since I've stayed away from them I've had a lot more fun and success in games. For example I finished Ninja Gaiden 1-2-3and beat DMC 3 and 5 on hard. I don't feel any happiness when my boss kill me 15 times and then i win and everything starts again. My brother loves every second of Elden. I hope everyone has fun with it 😇

[@Psych_Lore]

Hey these games aren't for everyone and that's okay! Good stuff with the Ninja Gaiden series and the DMC games, those are feats for sure. I have a video on anger and videogames if you want to check it out. Hope you enjoyed the video and thanks for the comment!

[@stefangancolic3496]

@@Psych_Lore yes, that's true. the games are for people who don't get angry easily. I've destroyed a lot of controllers because of Souls and because of that I even started playing old games on PS2, PS3 and x360 and enjoying them on the easy :)

[@nathanplumb3782]

I like ds2. It’s not my fave, but definitely worth playing for anyone that is a fan of this type of game. Bloodborne is amazing. That’s not controversial I don’t think. I really love and recommend Lies of P for people that like souls games as well.

[@oibraizolebulla]

These games are genuinely good for you, I don't say that about many games despite the fact I am passionate about a lot of them. Fromsoft are peak gaming for me.

[@DasJaegar]

Playing the game made me discover "Gamification", I thought life had to be linear but the side quests are what really prepare for the bosses. I am hand drawing a fantasy map and using a whiteboard to track life's progress. Game saved me from depression and anxiety

[@rustynail1194]

Great video thanks. Completely agree with you. I'd personally add the Monster Hunter series in to the mix. Has a fairly steep learning curve, you feel great once you beat a hard boss (and they are all basically bosses) and you can then fight even harder bosses or monsters. It's the sense of progression that helps me. I have had depression and anxiety, games help so much. I also used them to escape, as I'm sure we all do.

[@Mr.VaudeVille]

I can personally say that these games have helped me a lot. =) It's funny that I happened to make a short video today. Elden Ring motivational speech about failure "Failure is the only path to success" While doing it, I was thinking about those things.

[@philovermyer6166]

What if I told you...people lie about their emotional state on the internet? Fromsoft games don't offer anything unique except that as a popular media franchise that derives it's notoriety from being difficult, it creates a mindset that you don't want to be the one person who didn't beat X boss or didn't get past X part of the game so you struggle despite these things potentially even to greater levels of mental damage than supposedly is being solved to feel like part of a grander community of people who did X thing. Any feeling of a grander sense of accomplishment from this is artificial, it's the same as a dopamine hit from playing a mobile game, it's part of the design feature to get you back to the well.

[@andreasreinhardt8753]

Most From Soft Soulslikes aren't that hard if you use everything. People just tend to not use consumables at all. Most people be like magic and summons is not beating the boss on your own... Now Sekiro on the other hand forces you to git gud enough.

[@homunculus6557]

As a fellow psychotherapist I cant agree more on how good fromsoft games are for mental heath. Its a great self help tool thanks to the aspects related to CBT as you describe, but also its a perfect therapeutic tool to use in psychotherapy if the client plays these games. You can use its ambiguous story telling as a free association tool if you work with psychodynamic approach, you can help a perfectionist client for gaining ability to request help in times hardship using summons as a metaphore or searching advices from other players, you can focus on their coping strategies by analysing the way the cope with bosses that seem impossible to beat, but in fact is possible if you are creative. The fact that these games provide open ended challenges similar to actual life conflicts, makes them a safe space to explore, play with, and have mastery on struggles that leads to mental health problems.

[@shiretsu]

these games have such unique and masterfully crafted gameplay loops. I think we get addicted for slightly different reasons tho. the quickest way to lose interest in a game is to beat it. we don't truly want the reward, we want the struggle for the reward. we really get the joy out of trying over and over and over. the feeling we get when we do get a reward from a hard boss is great but as anyone can tell you very fleeting. our dopamine is actually spiking when we're in the process of working for the kill, unsure if we'll make it or not. you'll feel the most hooked when you're out of flasks and the boss has 1 more hit left, not when you've beaten it. if you get one of those scenarios, good luck stopping there! this is evident when you consider that on a first playthrough we don't even know what the reward for each boss is. it's not what's behind the drive. a lot of the time the reward is totally irrelevant to our character or how we wish to play. we only want them because we don't have them yet, therefore we are driven by the challenge of continuing to collect as the difficulty and thus uncertainty of our success gets higher and higher. because the games' balancing is so well tuned, we get just strong enough to keep up. tl;dr we love the suffering and lack, not the rewards

[@Muldvarp_]

It really shifts your perspective, your default mode just gets the ass whooping it should have gotten a long time ago, dark souls 1 saved my life (depression ocd adhd I'm talking the whole alphabet) and the rest of the series kept me going, dark souls 1 when I played it was what I needed to get going, and piece by piece it showed me and conditioned my brain to have the right attitude and the best part, at first you don't even notice of, but then you stand on top of sens fortress and the only thing you can think is: well shit, might as well finish it. I think you are right on the money, the reward loop that is most of the time extremely carefully optimized together with the themes, especially the dark souls trilogy is something special, at this point it can't just be mere coincidence it has had this effect on so many people, and that in stark contrast to just playing games to escape from life.

[@Psych_Lore]

Glad you were able to find a way out of depression and that you found these games which helped you get out of that hole. It's wild to think that a videogame can have that effect, but like you mention it can't be coincidence. Videogames can definitely be more than just "an escape". Hope you enjoyed the video and thanks for leaving a comment

[@Muldvarp_]

@@Psych_Lore yeah man your videos just sorta popped up in my feed def subbed after watching this one! I actually got really interested in neurology and psychology on my way out of the depression hole so to speak, so I find this stuff incredibly interesting, I do wonder though what or how would cause someone to start engaging with a game like this in the first place, cause just like therapy I feel if someone is not open to it or doesn't want to engage the game on its own terms it might fall on death ears, or in the case of ds not hook someone, but if it does it almost always hooks someone hook line and sinker, super interesting stuff. Currently can't stop thinking about the perceived higher difficultly of Elden ring by the community and the correlation with long combos / long bossfights in contrast to short attention span or more exhausted attention span from trying a boss x amount of time before. Anyway, before I write another essay :p Keep up the good work looking forward to more

[@Psych_Lore]

@@Muldvarp_ just like therapy, you have to be ready for change in order for it to work (usually). These games are not for everyone, just like therapy, but can work wonders for those that may be able to take away certain things that might give them a new perspective. I sorta get where people are coming from with the DLC, but at the same time that’s the point of these games and it’s all about perspective. If we hit a ceiling (like Malenia’s difficulty meanwhile the DLC goes passed that), then we’d just become complacent just like having a job/hobby that doesn’t challenge us anymore. No worries about the essays haha, appreciate your comments and input

[@xGusth]

I've seen a clear improvement from angry to crazy and finally I'm insane, thank you Dark Souls. (It's a joke, just in case)

[@AndrewAung1992]

It doesn't just improve mental health. Breaking through barriers and overcoming challenges also helps with your masculinity as a man because masculinity grows through challenges. People always look at me funny when I tell them this, however I just shrug my shoulders, they will never understand.

[@olderbadboy]

Part of the mental damage i take in this game for me as a PC player comes from dealing with the crapy controler meniu / UI 😅

[@nearcry2497]

No idea what you are talking about. When I approach the boss i know that I will kill it because it's a game and player must be able to do it. When I kill a boss I feel nothing because ultimately i was meant to. Reason I play is curiosity of the world.

[@SM-nz9ff]

Yea man I've heard a lot of people say it actually helped them and witnesses this so I was like wow damn. Cool stuff

[@sawiblue]

This video just came in a moment of need, sorrow and confusion about my own life, ive been playing for weeks and the sense of achivement that i get its so big in comparison to the one that emerges from other aspects of life that arent going that well. Your words about implementing all that motivation and overcoming what is in front of you in real life like you do inside the game really got me. Thank you very much

[@Psych_Lore]

Any time, hope you reach that point where the sorrow and confusion washes away completely. Thanks for the comment and glad you enjoyed the video

[@jimmyreyz4363]

dude PLAY BLOODBORNE you are tripping it's a goat in its own right. ds2 is also solid 👌 💪

[@conjurn.]

You've never played Bloodborne!? God I wish I can erase my memory of that game for the time experience

[@rpamungkas13]

this will sound like bs. when I am at the peak of adrenaline when facing tough bosses in fromsoft games like malenia, Isshin, or ludwig, time start becomes slower and I can see and know what the boss are going to do. beating those bosses when that happen is felt very addicting.

[@badguy8604]

bro found out about adrenaline

[@Psych_Lore]

It's definitely a rush, hope you enjoyed the video and thanks for the comment

[@Seekerofwisdom287]

I enjoy these games because a game without a challenge is just a walking simulator. DS is better than elden ring though imo👍

[@thomascookfyi]

I’ve always STRONGLY felt this way about Soulslike and Fighting games. Nothing compares to overcoming the adversity these 2 genres of of games can throw at you and mature you as a person to take accountability even if it’s just a silly video game. All about perspective🙏

[@PopcrankFrank]

I’m no psychology expert but I think fromsoft games stray away from the instant gratification of todays society and teaches us that struggling to achieve something great is ultimately more satisfying and gives us meaning

[@alexiakawa5040]

So you're saying that perseverance somehow helps anxiety and depression? How?

[@Wonkess_Chonkess]

The part about adhd hits home haha. I can't concentrate at all when it's something work or schoolrelated but when I'm fighting a difficult boss I can hardly hear my surroundings that's how focused I am.

[@druminusr1968]

Wooooooo that final malenia run 👌👏👏👏

[@cybbles]

Now do a video on how Soulslikes can give us PTSD. "I had 20 000 runes!"

[@ak2298]

Should be called how souls games can bring you mentally down lmao

[@Psych_Lore]

Haha definitely one perspective and an okay one to have, the games aren't for everyone and that's okay. Hope you enjoyed the vid and thanks for the comment!

[@vmarsch]

I've been telling people for years that these are the only video games that can make you a better person. When facing a challenge, I'll tell myself I'm going to "Dark Souls" it: patience, persistence, practice, research, and accepting help.

[@Psych_Lore]

I'm sure there are other ones but these definitely come to mind first. Glad you're able to tell yourself these things as they're valuable in our day-to-day lives. Hope you enjoyed the video and thanks for the comment

[@samb123078]

I just beat the last boss of the Elden ring dlc after being stuck for four days. Tried everything, but my last run I finally did it. Changed loadouts at least 20 times. I recorded it and only took 2 minutes, but those two minutes felt like an hour. I was so focused. I was in the zone like never before. I was going through a nasty divorce when Bloodbourne came out. And it got me hooked. These games definitely saved me. The lesson in all of them: sometimes you have to chip away at your problem. Learn from your mistakes, ask for help, adapt to the challenges, restraint yourself. If you do all that you will git gud eventually

[@AgeOfDanarchy]

I beat all other souls borne games but Elden Ring took a while to cool for me. The open world felt bloated compared to older games and Margott was rekting my shit. I put the game down for a while, and I mean a while. I’m now level 91 and I’m in love. The sense of wonder and tranquillity I feel in those quiet moments is the same level of joy when I beat a boss that’s been manhandling me. I’m in love and I discovered my old skills. I can’t stop and you’re right, in an uneasy time it’s been one of the main things, if not the thing I can control and escape. I’m in awe how good this game is. And thank you for this video

[@Lorenzo_That_Vegan_Dad]

I just beat Bayle after 2 hrs a few days ago. It was the best dopamine and serotonin hit I've ever had. 😂😂😂

[@Twilight55685]

6:41 thats so accurate

[@mr.tacocat8279]

I can also say that before I played the Souls games, I was in an mentaldown-state. But the Souls games really taught me, that nothing will work perfecly as planed. YOU need to improve on yourself if you want to change something. Failling is ok, as long as you learn from your mistakes and improve upon them and it is no shame to ask outhers for help, because someday you can help outhers. Just keep fighting and never ever give up

[@Psych_Lore]

Love this, glad you're doing okay now. Thanks for the comment and hope you enjoyed the vid!

[@alxsblv6164]

Don't you dare go hollow!

[@tudormiron15]

except pvp that thing will make me feel worhless each time i fail to fight off a gank in elden ring

[@klarad.l.7282]

Play bloodborne and let us know your thoughts!!! Great video!

[@ElBoyoElectronico]

DS2 really helped me during a time where I was struggling with CRPS and couldn’t use my right foot.

[@Psych_Lore]

Glad you were able to find something to help you during that time, hope you're doing okay now. Thanks for the comment and hope you enjoyed the video

[@dustinbaconflipper]

I've known one person in my circle with CRPS and have been wanting to help them with the condition. How did it feel for you when you were playing/ focusing on something else? I understand that the pain can be overwhelming and debilitating. Did putting your focus on something else help with the pain? or did you need other interventions while playing? Sorry If it seems like I'm prying: even though I myself don't have CRPS, I've seen the world of hell it puts people through and can't help but want to help.

[@ElBoyoElectronico]

@@dustinbaconflipper I was very active (hiking, climbing, weight lifting, etc.) before my climbing injury and I developed a „mild“ case of CRPS during the healing process of the original injury. My biggest problems were the swelling and the skin irritation and while pain was mostly mild when resting it was quite very severe when I tried to use my foot. Playing fast paced video games helped my to take my mind off the pain and forget about my limitations. What helped me the most was getting a good doctor and a good physiotherapist. The thing about CRPS is taking things extremely slow and stopping when the pain gets worse. Also, light walking in water (hydro therapy) and a lot of icing helped with the swelling. I had to use crutches for 3 years and nowadays (~10y later) I can do almost everything I did before, even a little bit of climbing. But I have to be careful, as the right foot will always be prone to developing CRPS again.

[@ElBoyoElectronico]

@@dustinbaconflipper Also, the friends that were the biggest help, were the ones who would just pick me up with a car (as I couldn’t go far with my crutches) and took me out to see movies, concerts and do things that I still was able to do. And just being patient and accepting is an important quality of friends in that situation. I was so annoyed by the pain that friends who made me forget about the pain for a bit were a great gift.

[@dustinbaconflipper]

@@ElBoyoElectronico I see. Thank you for sharing! Glad you were able to find your way through this, and as for your input on the friend circle: That's amazing to hear! Again, thank you so much for sharing! Your insight means a lot to me

[@RobertManzano]

So games challenge us and reward us based on very specific and calculated conditions like defeating a boss, exploring some area, practicing with a weapon, etc... And souls games do an awesome job having you have to learn to be effective with each weapon's unique style. But in real life, rewards aren't static or predictable. You might spend 30 hours working on your car only to realize you ruined it and need to call an expert. Or you might call an expert from the start and they say "Just do this $10 fix." What I'm saying is, life isn't fair and deterministic like souls games are, sometimes effort isn't rewarded and sometimes you just get lucky. And how do you think the contrast between souls games and real life plays out when you have people who train in souls games and then try to use those skills IRL only to find they aren't fairly rewarded?

[@Psych_Lore]

This is an excellent point. There are certain things that are unfair in life, just like the ones you mentioned, but what if your game crashes in a boss fight, a glitch happens, or the boss is unfair just like the final boss of the dlc for elden ring (won't spoil). The car example stands out to me because that's the process of learning, albeit a specific situation that's more taxing than others, but you still decided to take the time to learn about your car and fix a problem yourself which could be rewarding in its own right. We can structure our lives to give ourselves rewards instead of relying on external ones too, which was kind of what I was getting at with the operant conditioning. I've worked a lot of cases where sometimes you have to give yourself a reward for something, like treating yourself to 20 extra min of playing videogames if you read a chapter of a book for work today. There's also the case that reading the book itself is a reward. I like the part about luck too because maybe a boss doesn't use a certain move against you on the run that you beat them. I totally see where you're coming from though, I don't think it could be applied to everything but there are some things you can. Really appreciate the comment and hope you enjoyed the video!

[@SaHaRaSquad]

What Souls games taught me most is how much one's mindset matters. After beating my first Souls game I could feel in real time how my perception of the game's difficulty massively changed simply from the knowledge that I had indeed finished it. Also the games are designed to force a certain cautious, patient playstyle on you and if you're not prepared to learn and try to rush you're going to fail and see no progress as bosses rarely let you beat them just with luck. So beating a boss feels like an actual achievement. I don't know if the games actually changed my life but I definitely feel like they're the games that provided the most value to me.

[@gunfun7772]

I've had a really tough time for me recently and was more suicidal than I've ever been. Now that I'm free I picled up a game. Elden ring. I haven't properly gamed for years just every now and then. Elden ring is an amazing game for me at the moment. Especially of years not playing "real" games this game is wild and so beautiful. I always liked games of struggle and skill. Of course I suck at elden ring but the suffering of these types of games is very enjoyable as it really takes a lot of focus to play proficiently. I always struggle a bit with focus and I love how it takes all my attention and thought away from the shitty recent past I've had. I get angry at the game but then a minute later I'm laughing about my passionate reaction. Makes me feel alive and in control in some way. The adrenaline rush also aids in that. I'm not sure why I decided to puck up elden ring. I think its because of the memes recently on instagram. Im very very happy I picked it up tho it's so worth it. I feel like I can play this game for years and years to come. That's all.

[@Psych_Lore]

Glad this game is bringing you some joy. Try to remember that feeling you get from the game, like how you're able to focus and thinking about how it makes you feel alive, and channel that to other things in your life. If you're having suicidal/negative thoughts, make sure to reach out to someone like a professional or some family. Wishing you the best, hope you enjoyed the vid and thanks for the comment!

[@PriestlyBlock67]

I've been saying this for years. Souls games teach hard work, effort, long term payoff, it makes your mind analytical, and creative thinking, it helps you control your anxiety because of the combat, it helps you deal with dissapointment etc

[@Psych_Lore]

Facts! Hope you enjoyed the video and thanks for the comment!

[@riccardobarone384]

Yes especially the new dlc didn't cause me any PTSD! After all after you defeat a boss only the satisfaction remains. In the embrace of Messmer's flame...in the embrace of Messmer's flame...in the embrace of Messmer's flame... in the embrace of Messmer's flame...in the embrace...

[@Psych_Lore]

Haha those lines get engraved in your brain. Hope you enjoyed the video and thanks for the comment!

[@TheGravelBoys]

You gotta checkout demon souls man! Amazing video though