Skill-based gaming can improve mental health in post pandemic era

New Delhi: To combat the emotional and psychological burden of the pandemic, and to boost mental health, skill-based gaming could be used to provide the excitement of real-life sport and competition at home, according to Dr. Subi Chaturvedi, Industry Expert and Chief of Corporate & Public Affairs, Zupee.
 
The conference, “Fit Women, Fit Families, Fit India”, organized by FICCI in association with Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and Ministry of Women and Child Development saw top policy makers, sportswomen and renowned names from technology, news and entertainment industry get together to discuss how women against all adversity, have risen in the field of sports, both within the country as well as on a global level.
 
Speaking on the Fit India Movement panel, Dr. Subi Chaturvedi, said, “Skill-based educational games are carving a new segment in online gaming as they offer healthy competition and incentivized learning to the users. While the pandemic has rendered a lot of us home-bound, the spirit of sport, gaming and competing has been kept alive by companies like Zupee. Now, the focus is on gamification of education, healthcare, governance and strategy to offer valuable solutions to the problems of unemployment, skilling and literacy. While physical health is definitely important, we cannot ignore mental and emotional health & I believe tech-led innovation is the way forward”.
 
Stress is one of the primary catalysts for the deterioration of mental health. While both men and women face stress, women are more susceptible to it due to the repetitive nature of their work (in most cases) and the lack of power and appreciation, which men get at work. Because of social situations, women have to find unique ways to cope with stress, experience healthy competition and success.  It has been shown that the right set of skill-based gaming in a competitive environment can activate reward centers in the brain and cure depression. This is quintessential for the high stress multitasking roles that women often play in work and home environments.
 
Speaking about the importance of wellbeing and mental health, Ms. Anju Bobby George, Ex-Olympian, advised women, “Indian genes make us very strong and we can handle any tasks. But we avoid ourselves and focus on the families or jobs, instead of our wellbeing. Without a fit body and a fit mind, it is impossible for us to support our families and people. So, take care of yourself first”.
 
Ms. Deepa Malik, President, Paralympic Committee of India, further added, “I think I am fortunate that I had sports and fitness as culture in my family. I am happy that this culture was introduced at home and that is how I could defeat the taboos surrounding disability. It was all because fitness and sports in my life and that’s precisely the reason that I am here as a fit person and not a paralyzed body”.
A number of startups are working on innovations in the online skill-based gaming, with Zupee leading the way.
 
Dr. Subi Chaturvedi further added, “The idea is to create new applications that can engage, empower and entertain users. We are committed to the vision of creating an empowered India, fit India (Swasth Bharat) and a self-reliant India (Aatmanirbhar Bharat). With these innovations, we are looking at a new industry segment that will create employment opportunities and help with educating and skilling the workforce of the new India. We need to bridge the digital divide & improve access through better technology adoption & tech-led innovation, which'll ensure better outcomes at personal, societal & national levels.”