Games offer a degree of empowerment and security to anyone feeling downtrodden: it's no surprise that they come entangled with other life issues. To deal with a

Games offer a degree of empowerment and security to anyone feeling downtrodden: it's no surprise that they come entangled with other life issues. To deal with anything in the real world, you have to summon the energy to get up and do tasks, make calls, send emails and hold meetings, and worst of all, spend your limited money on something. If you're already depressed, even mildly so, you will have trouble reaching the "activation threshold" needed to do any task. With an investment in a game, you pay for the game and the equipment once, and can then have a multitude of experiences with no financial consequence. Negative elements have been guardrailed and smoothed out for you into minor irritants, allowing you to get through a day without experiencing stress, panic or anxiety even if your mind and mood are at a low level of resilience. What games often don't do is guide their players back into views and habits that aid in overall life satisfaction. Most forms of human development involve struggling with more and more things - but in a liberated sense, where you are taking it on because you want to grow and challenge yourself. The escapist fantasy can't do that - which doesn't mean they shouldn't exist, but society is conflicted with how they should be used.