# DP and Video Games



## jubbles (Jul 22, 2016)

Something I've considered a number of times is that my love of gaming, particularly first person games, could be affecting my DP, by contributing to the feeling of a lack of reality. I have an issue where sometimes, looking at my hands makes me feel more distanced from myself and the world and I feel like this is why, so I was just curious. Any other gamers out there? Do games help or hinder your DP? I love them so much, but I don't know whether it's healthy for me to play them as much anymore because of this.


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## JohnRg470 (Jul 18, 2016)

jubbles said:


> Something I've considered a number of times is that my love of gaming, particularly first person games, could be affecting my DP, by contributing to the feeling of a lack of reality. I have an issue where sometimes, looking at my hands makes me feel more distanced from myself and the world and I feel like this is why, so I was just curious. Any other gamers out there? Do games help or hinder your DP? I love them so much, but I don't know whether it's healthy for me to play them as much anymore because of this.


I did read somewhere that there was a link with gaming and DP/DR..Don't know if it's factual or not, but i guess if you're playing games constantly, you are cutting yourself off from reality..

I remember in the 90's, playing Resident Evil for upto 8 hours a night, and when finishing, walking downstairs for some food or whatever, and had a strong feeling of actually still being in the game, which was quite a scary thing considering it was a game of fright with zombies jumping out on you..

Maybe cut down on the amount of hours you play games...

God bless


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## forestx5 (Aug 29, 2008)

I did a lot of gaming about 10 years ago. For a few years, it was my main source of entertainment. I loved it. I didn't do online gaming though. I heard that was the crack cocaine of gaming, so I stayed away from it. I got enough from playing the campaigns and special ops missions. I mostly did 1st person and 3rd person shooters but also some role playing stuff. Did all the Clancy games, half life, halo, call of duty etc. I recently put a game in the PS3 and have tried to get into it, but I just cant seem to do it. I guess it was a phase of sorts. I don't regret it. In fact, I recommend it. Submersion into the game world did have temporary effects on my appreciation of reality, but nothing detrimental or permanent. I don't think it antagonizes dp/dr, or at least it did not seem to do so to me.


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## JohnRg470 (Jul 18, 2016)

Autonomic Space Monkey said:


> I'm not a gamer, but do enjoy playing online in motor racing simulations on Playstation. I must say that when I did it between 2008 & 2015, it was some of the best distraction from my DP/DR ever. I ended up joining a forum dedicated to clean gentlemanly racing, began organising race events, & met loads of honourable racing buddies. Gaming can be very social, & can distract you from your problems. I personally found that racing in the game made me more grounded, but then again I didn't use the controller, but had a racing full seat & force feedback wheel/pedals USB peripheral set up. It was awesome!


I suppose it depends on what type of games you actually play, i know when i played Resident Evil years ago, it had you thinking you were still in the game after a long session, my brother was exactly the same, and so was his friend..

Resident Evil was a first person game, that involved intense sneaking around, not knowing what was gonna jump out on you, not knowing what was behind doors etc..It definitely did have an effect on you after a long slog.

Don't know about motor racing, never played it for long enough to have any effect..


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## LiamGamerr (Oct 25, 2014)

I agree that playing video games can make you feel more distant from reality, but on the other hand, reality can be so difficult after developing dp, that its a great escape so its kind of a viscous cycle since it helps you to relax and just forget for a bit.


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## Guest (Jul 23, 2016)

Lol, John, I played Resident Evil and I remember sitting in the dark on the edge of my nerves waiting for some monster to jump out at me and thinking, "Am I actually enjoying this??!"

I'm not sure if video games are good or bad for DP. They might help focus your mind in a recreational way which might be good, and I definitely found them helpful for distracting myself if I was feeling panicky. They have that capacity to absorb you like few other things. I guess they become a problem if it's all someone's doing. I mean you can overdo anything can't you. I like a good free game, but I'm not much of a gamer these days.


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## illmatic (Apr 16, 2016)

I started playing a lot more videogames when I got DP and they worked well for distraction and helped me recover. However I kind of got addicted and spent too much time playing, and this caused DP to come back a few times, especially when I would stay up late and lose out on sleep. So I have to limit the amount of time I spend playing.


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## dutas (Apr 24, 2016)

i cant play video games anymore or my dp gets horrible


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## Disruption (Apr 24, 2016)

skyrim was nice to distract me for hours


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## The3lbDream (Apr 30, 2016)

I'm a huge gamer (Xbox one) and I will tell you that it's not good for anyone that has DP/dr.Anytging tv related for that matter.Sitting intron of a screen playing games isn't going to get you the recovery that you need.Makes things worse in my opinion.I had this going on for two years and the best thing that ice found that helps is getting out the house.Going places with friends and even purposely putting yourself in sisuations where you migh it feel 100% comfortable.Now don't get me wrong gaming is great fun but should be done in moderation.Here lately I've been playing a lot because I've just been depressed...so I come home from work and game.Its making things worse...setting me back and it's just been this week.So my advice would be to stop...completely.At least for a while.Get out and solcailze.I think that's one thing most of us would agree on.


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## Disruption (Apr 24, 2016)

The3lbDream said:


> I'm a huge gamer (Xbox one) and I will tell you that it's not good for anyone that has DP/dr.Anytging tv related for that matter.Sitting intron of a screen playing games isn't going to get you the recovery that you need.Makes things worse in my opinion.I had this going on for two years and the best thing that ice found that helps is getting out the house.Going places with friends and even purposely putting yourself in sisuations where you migh it feel 100% comfortable.Now don't get me wrong gaming is great fun but should be done in moderation.Here lately I've been playing a lot because I've just been depressed...so I come home from work and game.Its making things worse...setting me back and it's just been this week.So my advice would be to stop...completely.At least for a while.Get out and solcailze.I think that's one thing most of us would agree on.


thats true going outside helps me too.....but playing video games also helped me...it helped me to focus on something instead of staring arouind in the air for no reason and hours....

still its only helpful if i do it for maximum 2 hours but never more...i go out everyday and chill with my old friends who still smoke the good while im watching XD..just last time i smoked a tiny bowl with them...far out there in nature and you know what..it was nice...i dont necessarily feel the urge to repeat it but now i know i can do it if i feel good..XD

i feel somehow more recovered than ever before since last month...im about to conquer my childhood trauma with my psychiatrist...its a relief...even my double vision (ghost edges) got better.....dont know what happens to me but it feels like an explosion of euphoria is preparing inside of me


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## F. K. (Apr 27, 2017)

Hello.

Personally i have been addicted to video games for my whole life.

When younger i was playing assassins creed for over 24 hours to finish it, then i was playing computer games for days (these team games online which go 1 hour long and never stop) Now that i remember it clearly i really wouldn't go out, i was ignoring calls, friends, family issues, everything and because i had no one to tell me stop, this is bad and even myself was so absorbed in them i have combined reality with video games and computer.

Now i have stopped video games and i am seriously trying to grasp reality how it really is cause playing games and being on the pc all day it made me look at life less seriously, myself and people too. Also i was being on facebook and living life from computer seriously. This has made matters worse. When i was on pc i was so absorbed in games that i literally forgot i had a body. I was getting this warning from myself to stop cause it's bad but my addiction was worse so it happened. Combine video games with other anxiety problems i had, with overeating, with sleep deprivation, with isolation, with no expressing myself with anyone and i got dp/dr although it seems i've had it since birth.

Recently i had a taste of what's reality for just a few tiny seconds. I still need work to do and spend less time on pc or any of these devices.

It was like the computer literally owned me.


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