I have grown up always enjoying board games, but it wasn’t until the past couple of years that I discovered there was a whole new world to the hobby and one that can make you feel an excitement and buzz, even on the lowest days.
Who would have thought that away from the hustle & bustle of life and the high street toy and game shops you could feel elated in laying the longest road, growing & eating bamboo, gathering berries from under the Evertree and laying eggs in the nest of a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker!
I was in awe of the many options available - themed games (I love a good pirate board game!), cooperative & solo games (I didn’t know I could play by myself outside of patience!) There are so many categories that suit any person and any occasion or mood: from abstract & worker-placement games to a good Strategy or Dungeon Crawl and a ‘Push your luck’ style game when you feel the need.
Board games are a real escapism from the trials and tribulations of life. They have helped me with motivation, connection, grief, confidence, dealing with stress and just a good old mood boost.
Good mental health, according to mentalhealth.org.uk, is determined by someone’s ability to achieve key functions and activities such as: the ability to learn; the ability to feel, express and manage a range of positive and negative emotions; the ability to form and maintain good relationships with others and the ability to cope with and manage change and uncertainty.
Board games can play a big part in achieving good mental health. There is no better feeling than when you have learnt a new exciting board game and then are able to teach it to other people; especially a more complex game or one that has great reviews! When I spent a whole day learning the rules to Dwellings of Eldervale and how to play The Lost Ruins of Arnak and was then able to effectively teach them to family members, I felt on top of the world!
We have all been a sore loser at times and negatively competitive - regular board gaming can help mange those emotions. I love to win but now do so gracefully - we don’t have to flip the table over when we lose! Cooperative games are a valuable tool for enabling you to win and lose together and share that feeling. Games such as The Crew or Pandemic are great for this.
For me now, I just love to play a game, and if I/we win its a bonus, but there is also joy in seeing other people’s faces when they win a game that you have taught them.
Games nights are a great way of bringing friends & family together. Cooperative games, themed nights, table-top escape rooms and fun party games can help form and maintain those relationships. You will discover new things you have in common, shared favourite games that you will want to play again, including small games you can fit in a bag and pull out at the pub or whilst waiting for a meal to keep connections and conversations flowing, rather than just scrolling through your phone!
Role Playing Games (RPG’s) can be a great way to mange uncertainty as you are never sure what the next step or outcome might be and you may have to make a quick decision or act on the spot. They also enable you to step outside your world for a moment and get completely lost in an alter-ego role - be anyone you want to be! Strategy games can equally be great for managing change. Having to think about what your next move might be and knowing that it could win or lose the game for you helps with the challenge. Get it wrong and you might just play again so you can learn from the experience and think about changing your action plan.
Other benefits from playing board games, to help boost your mental health are: increasing your brain function; helping you set goals; enhancing creativity, patience & self-confidence; reducing stress & isolation; enabling you to laugh more and releasing endorphins to make you more happy and content! (buckslib.org)
Board games get everyone doing less screen time, meaning better sleep patterns; they enable you to relive happy memories - you can always guarantee there is a family favourite in every household and many laugh out loud moments. Board games enhance many essential life skills: communication, decision-making, conflict resolution, honesty, following rules and teamwork to name a few.
Board games are so versatile and there is literally something for everyone. You can play them anytime, anywhere and with them dating back approximately 7,000 years - you know they have staying power!
So what are you waiting for? Dust off an old favourite or take a plunge and buy one you like the look of and get gaming - it might just be the best move you make this year!
The Motivation Meeple x
If you or someone you know needs to talk, call day or night 116 123 (UK)
Email jo@samaritans.org