# How Video Games Can Help Improve Well-Being  ## Metadata - Author: [[Molly Liebergall]] - Full Title: How Video Games Can Help Improve Well-Being - Category: #articles - Summary: Video games, especially "cozy" ones like Animal Crossing, can improve mental health when played in moderation. Research shows that gaming can help reduce sadness and boost focus for those with depression and ADHD. With a shortage of therapists, gamified treatments may be useful first steps for children awaiting therapy. - URL: https://www.morningbrew.com/stories/2025/05/11/video-games-can-help-improve-well-being?utm_source=&utm_medium=syndication&utm_campaign=feed ## Highlights - Overall, playing one hour of video games every day can [improve](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39160286/) mental health and life satisfaction, according to a study conducted in Japan and published last year. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jv7z87gh3qxg7v86xxqhzt1w)) - **Big picture:** Amid a shortage of therapists and a youth mental health crisis—about 20% of teens are estimated to have a mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral disorder, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality—gamified treatments “could be nice first steps for children while waiting to start individual therapy,” the author of the Johns Hopkins study said.*—ML* ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jv7z7kvqk36atjz991wj31k7))