Pokémon Go is getting a lot of headlines right now. There was an amazing side effect to the game. A surge of people is reporting on social media how Pokémon Go is helping their depression!

Although there is no scientific research on whether the game is capable of doing this. It is not surprising at all that Pokémon Go can help for the following reasons:

Motivation
One of the hard things in treating depression is motivation. People who are in depressed moods have a hard time setting goals. They feel like they have little energy and activities takes much out of them. The motivation for change is THE indicator if someone can be treated for depression. The need to “catch them all” in Pokémon Go forces people to go out and acts as a great motivator!

Lifestyle changes
Depression is played out in a cycle. Dark thoughts lead to lethargy. Lethargy lead to inactivity. Inactivity leads to further lethargy and darker thoughts.

Pokémon Go leads people outdoors. Nature is a well-known treatment for depression. In fact, only 30 minutes of exposure to nature a week can help someone’s mental health. Pokémon GO players are getting plenty of that when they walk by rivers and trees.

Pokémon Go may begin player to player interactions like trades or Pokémon fight matches. When this happens, people are also motivated to interact with strangers. This could help those who are socially anxious.

Other ways to get depression help?
Of course, Pokémon Go is not about to solve the problem of depression in this world. Depression is multifaceted and will take that kind of approach to overcome. Here are a few ways to consider getting depression help.

Medication
For some people, medication is a taboo subject. Even physicians would say it is a bit of a guessing game. Make sure you are well informed by your physician of your options. For some people, it does not work and there can be side effects. For some, the effects are almost instant.

Nutrition
In a previous blog , I explained some research considers depression a result of inflammation. There are testimonials of people who snapped out of depression because of proper nutrition. Is this an area you might need to look into?

Talk therapy
Studies have shown the most beneficial way to treat depression. It is to have both the medical aspect as well as talk therapy. That’s where a psychotherapist like myself can help. We help people get perspective on all the different factors of depression. We help to reverse negative self-talk and build a plan to overcome depression.

Take ownership of your own recovery! Maybe you need to download Pokémon Go and get out there. Maybe you need to call a nutritionist or a medical doctor. Or you need talk therapy. Reach out and call me and I’ll be pleased to answer any questions you have.