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I deal with my panic disorder by cutting virtual grass

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Sega “It creates the most reports of players who have had a very positive experience in terms of mental health,” Loades said. “We’ve had some really moving opinions. 2020 was a stressful year, so there were a lot of people playing to relax, but also first-rate staff playing to help with the stress of the pandemic and also to play to help the grief of loved ones who die. , and it wasn’t the same with our previous games. “

The game was designed to create the kind of situation it was in, Loades says, making him particularly proud of how he moves with digital grass and virtual wind. They wanted to get into the sense of joy that comes from mixing something (in this case too long grass) and becoming tidy and tidy. Plus, you can’t miss it. You can’t turn it wrong, or mix the grass, or break the lawn mower. It’s not a challenge. It’s just a quiet distraction from life.

For me in particular, the game is very helpful because it takes me away from the ordinary details of my day. I live in the city and I don’t have to worry about mowing the lawn; in fact, the lack of yard maintenance is one of the main reasons I chose to live in a three-story apartment. It seems strange that doing almost something I deliberately avoid in real life relieves anxiety, but there is a good explanation behind that.

“Images can be a powerful tool for changing emotions,” says Memorial Psychologist at the University of Massachusetts Pooja Saraff. “We often imagine that we have a relaxing place in mind to escape from everyday problems, and imagining green grass for a citizen can have that effect. Along with creating a peaceful landscape in your head, especially green, you feel closer to nature which helps calm your nerves. In addition, the app is especially useful if it mimics a real-life experience that isn’t available to you at all times — think city, winter, or work. Engaging in an activity that is outside of your usual day can be relaxing, because it’s a novel, it creates interest, it attracts you more, and it helps you shift your attention from worry. ”

I wonder, though, would cutting the real grass have the same effect? I haven’t cut it in years, and I honestly don’t remember whether I liked it or not. Without asking my father to let me mow his lawn, I asked Jackman and Saraffi the question. They both think it would have the same calming effect. I would do outside and exercise, things that already lift my spirits. I would also gain a sense of accomplishment, like “like in those movies where dads are cut on Sunday, the lines come out well,” Jackman said. It would literally be just a scythe, in full immersion. That said, I’m lazy enough to jump on the lawn mower at my parents ’house so I can continue to use the game.

Using the app for anxiety has serious drawbacks, however. Both Jackman and Saraff realize that it can become an unhealthy mechanism for me to cope if I am unable to manage my anxiety without it. They say that dependence on a single aspect to relieve anxiety is a problem in itself. Also, I might lose interest in the app. If today I can’t imagine a world where I don’t spend time mowing the virtual meadows of my virtual neighbors, getting tired of it is a very real opportunity.

At least I know that Just mow since it never loses its novelty and stops helping me, I would be quite happy to start mowing the real grass in the neighborhoods with the side hustle and bustle. Ah, the things we do for peace of mind.


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