Top Mental Health Games to Boost Brain and Emotional Well-Being
Top Mental Health Games: Mental health issues are prevalent in India; millions of Indians suffer from various types of mental illness. This article explains the prevalence of mental health disorders in India. It includes a list of traditional and readily available indoor activities that will help in improving mental well-being.
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Mental Health Disorder in India
Among people across India, vast numbers suffer from mental diseases. According to the WHO statistics, of 100,000 people in India, approximately 2,443 are disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) due to mental disorders. Furthermore, 21.1 age-adjusted suicides occur among 100,000 people around the world.
Economic Cost: The statistics suggest that for the period from 2012 to 2030, people will lose as much as about USD 1.03 trillion due to losses in mental problems.
Impact of Indoor Games on Mental Health
Games played indoors are excellent for social bonding, stress relief, and mental stimulation. They help improve mood, give a sense of achievement, and increase cognitive abilities. These activities can be a healthy way to express feelings and are particularly useful in reducing stress and anxiety.
Top Mental Health Games
Here are some top mental health games:
1. Snakes and Ladders
In this traditional board game, players move around a board with ladders and snakes, symbolizing the ups and downs of life.
Benefits for Mental Health: Conveys the concept of luck, resilience, and how to cope with disappointments.
2. Carrom
A table game played with fingers is like billiards, where players put discs into corner pockets using a striker.
Mental Benefits: Improve your hand-eye coordination, concentration, and accuracy.
3. Chess
A strategy game played on a chess board between two opponents, it uses strategic moves for a win: checkmating the other opponent’s king.
Mental Health Benefits: Improve critical thinking and problem-solving before an action.
4. Ludo
Ludo is a board game in which four pieces of each participant are rolled on the dice from the starting point to the finish point.
Mental health Benefits: Ludo develops social interaction, patience, and the strategy that the player may employ when making their move at a certain place.
5. Antakshari
Antakshari is a singing game through which participants sing songs based on the alphabet or consonant of the previous song ending with.
Benefits for mental health: Enhance creativity, and memory, and facilitate feelings to express in musical form.
6. Dumb Charades
In this game, one person performs the meaning of a word or phrase without saying anything, and others are to guess what it means.
Benefits for Mental Health: Boosts creativity, cooperation, and body language.
7. Jigsaw Puzzles
It involves assembling different pieces to form a picture.
Mental health benefits: Include improved problem-solving, keen attention to detail, and a sense of accomplishment.
8. Sudoku
Sudoku is a number-placement puzzle that fills a 9×9 grid with all the numbers from 1 to 9 in every column, row, and box.
Benefits to Mental Health: Enhances mental acuity, concentration, and logical thinking.
9. Meditation and Mindfulness Exercises
- Guided Meditation: Mindfulness activities such as guided meditation can reduce stress and anxiety. Free sessions are available in multiple languages on many apps and websites.
- Yoga: Practicing yoga can help with emotional stability and mental clarity.
10. Creative Tasks
- Painting or Coloring: Among the therapeutic activities, painting or coloring is one activity that can facilitate mindfulness and relaxation.
- Journaling: Putting ideas and feelings down on paper relieves stress and aids emotional control. Encouraging frequent journaling is one simple but efficient strategy for good mental health.
- Social Interaction: Playing and talking with family members or friends can strengthen bonds and provide emotional support.
Play these games weekly or daily to provide regular relaxation and mental stimulation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Are these activities a replacement for professional mental health treatment?
No, these are not a replacement for professional medical services but an addition. Please refer to a medical provider for personal medical information.
Q. Where do I go to buy traditional board games in India?
Some internet retailers and local marketplaces sell old games.
Q. Can these activities be played by children?
Yes, these activities are safe for children and can be modified according to the child’s age and understanding level.
Q. How often would I need to play these activities to gain any mental health benefits?
Daily or a few times a week would help a person continue experiencing the benefits.
Conclusion
A diversification of strategy is needed to manage mental health in India. Mental health games and indoor games are the most accessible and culturally appropriate ways to enhance mental health. These activities will help individuals improve their emotional well-being, decrease stress, and increase cognitive benefits as they include them in their routines.
