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Is it possible that an app that has become a worldwide phenomenon can make you feel better? With all of the warnings of too much screen time creating a world devoid of true interaction, could Pokemon Go actually alleviate mental health issues?
According to intelligence firm, Sensor Tower, as of July 19, Pokemon Go has been downloaded 30 million times worldwide. It seems Nintendo is trying to take over the Facebook, Twitter and Tinder market – and it’s succeeding right now. For those who grew up with Pokemon, it’s an easy sequel. For those younger, it’s a fun app that supplies instant gratification, augmented reality and opportunities for parallel play. But some say that Pokemon Go is more than just an entertainment app.
“Apps like Candy Crush and Angry Birds may be mindless entertainment, but sometimes we need technology to be a little more, well, mindful,” says Lindsay Homes, author of “8 Ways To Use Your Phone To Benefit Your Mental Health.”
Social media users are posting about the positive effects of this app, saying it encourages them to get out and meet new people.
While fresh air and exercise have always been known to help certain mental health issues, those with anxiety and social disorders often find it difficult to go out into the great wide open. “I think this is a wonderful demonstration of the unintentional but beneficial consequences of gaming and producing a game that encourages healthy exercise,” says By John M. Grohol, Psy.D in his article, “Pokemon Go Reportedly Helping People’s Mental Health, Depression.”
Indeed apps such as Breathe2relax and Optimism are just a few of many apps that track everything from breathing to how you handled situations in your daily life. Writer Emily Anthes says more research needs to be done on mental-health apps. “…the technology is moving a lot faster than the science. Although there is some evidence that empirically based, well-designed mental-health apps can improve outcomes for patients, the vast majority remain unstudied. They may or may not be effective, and some may even be harmful.”
The vast success of Pokemon Go is sure to spark copycat apps whose creators would love to see some of the monetary success this app has seen. With $35 million in revenue so far, Pokemon Go isn’t going anywhere soon. As Anthes points out, research will continue and eventually a study may be done on the longer-lasting effects of Pokemon Go. Is it truly an app that alleviates stress and depression, or is it a temporary fix whose users go back to their previous state after they stop playing the game? For now, it may be helping lessen the effects of mental health issues along the way, and for an app, that’s a pretty big accomplishment.
By: Melissa Hardin Baysinger
