Reducing Mental Health Stigma With Video Games

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In 2020 researchers at Florida State University designed a study to find out if video games could help reduce mental health stigma. They did this by having participants play or watch Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, while measuring key variables.

For Mental Health Awareness Week, we spoke to those researchers to find out more about their study.

You can read the full study, including their findings, here https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.02240/full

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31 thoughts on “Reducing Mental Health Stigma With Video Games”

  5. This is why Ninja Theory is the best! I used Hellblade as an example to explain my experiences to friends and family in a way that my words could not express. thank you so much… the first time I placed my headset on and played your game I was nearly in tears… it meant that other people also understood. Much love.

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  7. I have BPD, anxiety, have suffered trauma, and have never been so moved by a game in my entire life. I cried throughout the experience and felt such a fondness for Senua and how much she suffers, but conquers. I can't wait for the saga. This game stands alone in its uniqueness and portrayal of mental illness.

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  8. As someone who's lived with psychosis, C-PTSD and DID, I was moved more by this game than any other experience in any other medium. I've had sessions with my friends that also suffer from mental illness and we play Senua for a while and then just talk. The level of recognition and comfort it brings is indescribable.

    To also be able to show my closest friends that have no idea what it's like, but have lived next to me in my worst moments, and to be able to show them parts of this game and just say "remember that time? well this is what it was like for me, except for this or that". Like a translator for mental suffering.

    So grateful for this game and for Ninja Theory!

    And I LOVE the combat system! 😛

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  11. Thankfully, I have slowly learning on bit more on the Mental Illness. And I have Mental Illness of my own with ADHD, so, at least I can understand where the game is going with it.

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  14. The moment I was able to truly empathize with Senua was the scene where we hear the voice of her father tear her to shreds, calling her a failure and how everything was her fault. It hit me hardest because that voice sounded like my inner voice when I'm at my deepest, darkest moments of depression.

    Intellectually, I knew everyone who faces mental health troubles has moments like that, but it wasn't until Senua that I was truly able to understand that I was not alone, and there were others who also know my pain and heartache.

    Thank you Ninja Theory for helping bridge the gap between experience and understanding.

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  20. Hellblade single handedly lifted me out of the darkest hole I've ever known. That game did more for me than every therapist I've ever met combined. It's not "promising", it's real, it's right there. You're a fool if you cant see that.

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  21. I hate the term "mental illness". Being different from the norm is not an illness, it's being different.
    I can understand wanting to be "fixed" if it puts yourself or others in danger, or if it is something that you personally cannot cope with, but otherwise I say accept it as part of you and don't hide it. If others cannot accept you as you are then they do not deserve your friendship.

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  25. Yes its so true, i had OCD toughts 2 years ago and everytime i played a game, i fergot the bad things in my head and i was free. Sry for my bad english.

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  28. Being empathetic is not universally a good thing. Sorry to burst your bubble, bu I don't thin'k it is inherently a good thing. Not saying being mean and sociopath is a good thing either, so don't get me wrong. Just sayin'

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