Telehealth available in Idaho, Utah, and Oregon. Covered by most major insurances.
In this time of social distancing, Pokemon Go may be just the thing to beat the blues.
When I first read some research on this wildly popular game in 2016, the last thing I expected to read was how it was lessening players’ depression and anxiety symptoms.
But that’s what users reported, and it actually makes sense!
Pokemon Go is an augmented reality game–meaning it takes the real world around you and supplements it with virtual content. As you look at a real-life scene through the camera of your smart phone, characters appear. Your job is to catch them. Millions of people are heading outside for hours at a time to go on Pokemon hunts.
The game gets people moving around in nature, and that’s a dynamite combination for mental health. When you’re depressed or anxious, finding the motivation to head outside and exercise and engage socially can be extra difficult, but with the game’s competition and rewards, people are doing it. It’s enough that hundreds have been commenting on social media about feeling better.
For the tech savvy, apparently there are ways to invite your friends on a remote raid, so you can still socially distance AND party with your friends while roaming outside. So get out there and hunt some Pokemon!
