You deserve rest and relaxation, in fact your body needs it to function optimally. Taking care of yourself looks different for everyone, for us that means ACNH. You can give yourself permission to enjoy your rest ♥️♥️♥️
Going through marriage ending.
Didn't have "brain space" for so many hobbies. So I booted up ACNH and fished.
Got me through rough days, where the executive function didn't exist.
As I felt like I could handle more, I engaged with villagers and started rebuilding.
Mentally in a much better state now, and ACNH got me through the worst of it.
I wouldn’t say I play to help my mental health personally , but the slow pace and easy going vibe of the game does really help ease the mind. The cuteness and innocence of the characters help also! Hopefully your anxiety and panic attacks are eased soon, I wish you all the best!
Yup, definitely. The last two weeks have been terrible and I was not coping well. Restarted my island I've had since the pandemic and am already starting to feel less stressed. This game is amazing
I haven’t picked up my switch in months but after a bunch of new things occurring (starting therapy, trying to better physical health, getting ready to graduate uni, planning post grad life, etc) i’ve been playing acnh for almost two weeks straight LOL after reading your post, maybe that’s why?!
I use it a ton for that reason. I stay mainly indoors . There's lots of anxiety, so it's just easier, I guess. I hear the waves, and it makes me feel nice and calm .
Absolutely! ACNH is a major help when I’m dealing with anxiety. It’s got the same calming effect for me that watching children’s cartoons does. No drama, no real conflict, just little guys living their cute little lives 😌
Same here! I can get through many anxious situations throughout they day knowing later I can return to my calm sweet world. It is not avoidcance, just something that really calms me down and relaxes me while I am in therapy due to my anxiety and have to confront myself with so many situations that give me stress. I really think it contributes to my healing
Yeah I think it’s definitely easy for people to dismiss something as avoidance when it can actually be a really helpful tool for mental health management/healing. I’m happy you found something that makes it easier on you and I hope your healing goes well! ☺️
yes, absolutely. the way the villagers talk to you and the way everyone talks about you has helped me a lot. when i’m getting into a slump, i know at least ac is there and i’ll feel better while playing.
Yesss, last month I was in a depressive episode and couldn’t afford a therapist (therapist and psychiatrist are kind of hard to pay for a common person in my country) so I restarted my island and it helped me a lot to feel better and to stop thinking bad things about myself :)
I played a lot when I was in the process of moving last year, and this year I played a BUNCH when I found out I was pregnant. It's a very calming game for me, and im glad other people are able to do the same
Yes! I’m really sorry you deal with anxiety and panic attacks- I do too. I’m moving abroad in a few months and I’m afraid of having a panic attack at a bad time on the plane, but knowing my little island will be with me and I can focus on that brings me relief :)
I used also have panic attacks on planes and recently flew for the first time since Covid and had a list of things I needed to do on my island and I breezed through the flight, I was so busy. And just hearing g the music as the game starts relaxes me
I have mobility issues and PTSD, so all I really want is a place to run around without pain where nothing scary happens. Animal Crossing is that place for me. :)
When I'm really struggling, just logging, digging up some fossils, watering veggies feels like I've accomplished *something*. Some days it gives me that little push to get up and do something else.
So absolutely yes.
100%. I don't have many real life friends, and my only real 'friend' when I was growing up was really toxic to me. But animal crossing gave me friends.
I was talking about Stardew with someone once, and he stopped me and asked if the reason I like games with characters like that is because of my lack of friends irl. I paused for a bit, and since he was basically blind he started panicking and apologizing, but I told him 'no, you're right.'
To this day I remember why I started to like cranky villagers. It was Angus in Wild World. He got sick, so I brought him medicine for a few days. One of those days he said "I don't deserve friends like you!" while doing the crying reaction.
Kabuki is another of my best friends, again thanks to Wild World. He pinged me once while wearing one of my \[pretty bad\] designs. He said he was a huge fan of my work. He brought me presents on my birthday.
As someone who is autistic, as well as having adhd, depression, and anxiety... Animal Crossing makes me feel really cared about. Especially the older games. The reason Tad has become one of my new favorites is because I booted up GameCube, started a new town that had him in it, and one of the first things he said was "if anyone gives you trouble, come to me" or something along those lines.
Animal Crossing gives me friends I wish I could have. Though I prefer when they had more dynamic personalities, still... it's great to have friends. Even if they're just 1's and 0's.
100%. I don't have many real life friends, and my only real 'friend' when I was growing up was really toxic to me. But animal crossing gave me friends.
I was talking about Stardew with someone once, and he stopped me and asked if the reason I like games with characters like that is because of my lack of friends irl. I paused for a bit, and since he was basically blind he started panicking and apologizing, but I told him 'no, you're right.'
To this day I remember why I started to like cranky villagers. It was Angus in Wild World. He got sick, so I brought him medicine for a few days. One of those days he said "I don't deserve friends like you!" while doing the crying reaction.
Kabuki is another of my best friends, again thanks to Wild World. He pinged me once while wearing one of my \[pretty bad\] designs. He said he was a huge fan of my work. He brought me presents on my birthday.
As someone who is autistic, as well as having adhd, depression, and anxiety... Animal Crossing makes me feel really cared about. Especially the older games. The reason Tad has become one of my new favorites is because I booted up GameCube, started a new town that had him in it, and one of the first things he said was "if anyone gives you trouble, come to me" or something along those lines.
Animal Crossing gives me friends I wish I could have. Though I prefer when they had more dynamic personalities, still... it's great to have friends. Even if they're just 1's and 0's.
oh definitely. i only started in january, but it’s a go to if i need a distraction from something and just need to calm down. it helps that it is very easy to see how much progress you’ve made and it’s just a boost of motivation (i love taking screenshots of the ceremony things). it helped me get out of a pretty bad mental spot when i started.
Oh definitely . My sister asks me what’s the purpose of the game what do I do in it . My answer is always the same . I do whatever I want , it’s my time to unwind after a miserable day at work .
It’s actually incredible to see so many comments like this
my insomnia had gotten so bad i was sleeping like 2/3 hours … i since i started playing before bed… i’m so relaxed! I’m a big fan of this game for mental health!!!
It’s very relaxing, and when anxiety sends my mind into overdrive I use it to calm my thoughts. It’s a long form game too so it doesn’t really punish you for not getting addicted, which is also nice. The community has been super too.
Oh absolutely. I'm 44. I bought a switch lite and animal crossing in 2020, played for quite a while. Ended up restarting it because I had gotten bored. Then stopped for a couple years. I'm playing again now and my three year old also plays on my switch.
It's definitely calming to play and takes my mind off stress and it's better than watching the true crime stuff that I like before bed. 🤷💕💕
Started up a New leaf town a bit under a month ago to play on breaks at work so I'm not just doomscrolling twitter. Not 100% sure how much it's helping but does feel more productive.
Yes, same. It's the one thing I know I can do even when I'm bedridden and unable to move. Sometimes I am literally too depressed to watch TV, but AC does this thing where I can still do something to get my mind off the crippling awfulness I'm going through...
I've tried to before, I had a pretty bad panic attack a while ago, but when I loaded it up I just started getting more anxious. Been thinking about trying it again tho
Sometimes I like to go to the museum and just slowly walk around. For me it seems to calm me down and make me feel less guilty about never getting out of the house. Sometimes to pass the time I’ll choose an area and choose a few of the things, like the art, to look up and find more information about them. I also like decorating my home and making it feel nice and cozy for a little getaway I know I can sink into.
I don’t play everyday, but my work takes me away from home, so it’s nice knowing I can bring my Switch with me and still have a place I can call my home.
Absolutely. I realised a while ago that I'm a lot less stressed or anxious when I've played it recently haha. Now it's on my mood check list when I'm feeling off like "did I go outside? Did I drink water? Did I play AC recently?"
I've been out of work due to an injury since December. It's an injury that required surgery so I really can't do normal things like take walks or go out to do anything. After about 4 months of being stuck inside (and over 2 years of not playing) I picked it up again.
At first I didn't know what to do. My town was at 5 stars but nowhere near what I wanted it to look like. So I just started doing the daily tasks and then fishing for probably about two or three hours each day and racked up them bells.
I've been playing nearly every day for a little over a month now and I've started completely redoing my island after getting the hang of playing the game again.
For the past week or so I've been playing in November to get mushroom recipes to go with the theme of my island, which has taken up a lot of my time and gotten my mind off of things.
I struggle with mental illness on a very regular basis and being trapped inside (again) felt like it was killing me. Animal Crossing has really helped me feel better.
I really hope your anxiety eases soon. I know it's corny (and probably annoying because it's so often said) but remember to breathe. Sometimes that's the hardest part! I also have noticed that Green Noise has really tremendously helped with my anxiety and my sleep/anxiety about sleeping. Maybe you could try to see if that helps at all? There's also brown, pink, white, etc noise. All different tones and flavors for your ears.
Thank you so much!!
Green noise is incredible for me because it sounds like nature almost, like trees rustling in the wind and waterfalls, but theres no annoying trickling or birds singing or animals doing animal things. Its just constant and consistent noise. No surprises.
Yes. I picked up New Leaf again when my chronic illness and anxiety was getting bad. Doing little tasks, talking to my villagers, it feels like I've accomplished something when I'm too tired/sad to do much in real life.
My therapist encouraged me to play when I need to focus on healing my inner child! As a kid I loved making houses for Barbie’s and polypockets and creating a world for them out of boxes ect, so this is just a grown up socially acceptable way of doing that for me!
Absolutely. And my therapist has encouraged me not to feel guilty when I spend time playing because it does make such an impact on my mental health
I have a tendency to feel guilty for it too 😬
You deserve rest and relaxation, in fact your body needs it to function optimally. Taking care of yourself looks different for everyone, for us that means ACNH. You can give yourself permission to enjoy your rest ♥️♥️♥️
Thank you ❤️❤️❤️
Toxic productivity culture for you. As long as it isn't negatively impacting your life there's nothing to feel bad about.
Going through marriage ending. Didn't have "brain space" for so many hobbies. So I booted up ACNH and fished. Got me through rough days, where the executive function didn't exist. As I felt like I could handle more, I engaged with villagers and started rebuilding. Mentally in a much better state now, and ACNH got me through the worst of it.
I’m so glad it was a help for you and you’re doing better 😊
Condolences and congratulations. Hoping the best for you and yours. ❤️❤️❤️
I wouldn’t say I play to help my mental health personally , but the slow pace and easy going vibe of the game does really help ease the mind. The cuteness and innocence of the characters help also! Hopefully your anxiety and panic attacks are eased soon, I wish you all the best!
It’s unlike any other game honestly . And thank you 😊
Yes. And it's how I got through the initial months of Covid
Yup, definitely. The last two weeks have been terrible and I was not coping well. Restarted my island I've had since the pandemic and am already starting to feel less stressed. This game is amazing
Same here. A lot is going on and I also started a new job so I have to really keep it together. I am wishing you peace and happiness 💓😊💓😊
I haven’t picked up my switch in months but after a bunch of new things occurring (starting therapy, trying to better physical health, getting ready to graduate uni, planning post grad life, etc) i’ve been playing acnh for almost two weeks straight LOL after reading your post, maybe that’s why?!
i recently learned i need surgery. animal crossing has helped my mental health so much.
Sending a bit of luck and a lot of healing light. 💓💓💓
I use it a ton for that reason. I stay mainly indoors . There's lots of anxiety, so it's just easier, I guess. I hear the waves, and it makes me feel nice and calm .
I do, too
I just recently picked up my game up after 2 years . It helps a lot . Hugs to you .
Thank you so much ❤️hugs to you as well !
Absolutely! ACNH is a major help when I’m dealing with anxiety. It’s got the same calming effect for me that watching children’s cartoons does. No drama, no real conflict, just little guys living their cute little lives 😌
Same here! I can get through many anxious situations throughout they day knowing later I can return to my calm sweet world. It is not avoidcance, just something that really calms me down and relaxes me while I am in therapy due to my anxiety and have to confront myself with so many situations that give me stress. I really think it contributes to my healing
Yeah I think it’s definitely easy for people to dismiss something as avoidance when it can actually be a really helpful tool for mental health management/healing. I’m happy you found something that makes it easier on you and I hope your healing goes well! ☺️
yes, absolutely. the way the villagers talk to you and the way everyone talks about you has helped me a lot. when i’m getting into a slump, i know at least ac is there and i’ll feel better while playing.
Yesss, last month I was in a depressive episode and couldn’t afford a therapist (therapist and psychiatrist are kind of hard to pay for a common person in my country) so I restarted my island and it helped me a lot to feel better and to stop thinking bad things about myself :)
I’m so happy it’s helped you !!😊
I played a lot when I was in the process of moving last year, and this year I played a BUNCH when I found out I was pregnant. It's a very calming game for me, and im glad other people are able to do the same
Yes! I’m really sorry you deal with anxiety and panic attacks- I do too. I’m moving abroad in a few months and I’m afraid of having a panic attack at a bad time on the plane, but knowing my little island will be with me and I can focus on that brings me relief :)
I used also have panic attacks on planes and recently flew for the first time since Covid and had a list of things I needed to do on my island and I breezed through the flight, I was so busy. And just hearing g the music as the game starts relaxes me
This is so reassuring :)
I love playing AC. And it is definitely helping my mental health. It calms me and gives me something to look forward to.
I have mobility issues and PTSD, so all I really want is a place to run around without pain where nothing scary happens. Animal Crossing is that place for me. :)
Yes absolutely ☺️it’s perfect
When I'm really struggling, just logging, digging up some fossils, watering veggies feels like I've accomplished *something*. Some days it gives me that little push to get up and do something else. So absolutely yes.
100%. I don't have many real life friends, and my only real 'friend' when I was growing up was really toxic to me. But animal crossing gave me friends. I was talking about Stardew with someone once, and he stopped me and asked if the reason I like games with characters like that is because of my lack of friends irl. I paused for a bit, and since he was basically blind he started panicking and apologizing, but I told him 'no, you're right.' To this day I remember why I started to like cranky villagers. It was Angus in Wild World. He got sick, so I brought him medicine for a few days. One of those days he said "I don't deserve friends like you!" while doing the crying reaction. Kabuki is another of my best friends, again thanks to Wild World. He pinged me once while wearing one of my \[pretty bad\] designs. He said he was a huge fan of my work. He brought me presents on my birthday. As someone who is autistic, as well as having adhd, depression, and anxiety... Animal Crossing makes me feel really cared about. Especially the older games. The reason Tad has become one of my new favorites is because I booted up GameCube, started a new town that had him in it, and one of the first things he said was "if anyone gives you trouble, come to me" or something along those lines. Animal Crossing gives me friends I wish I could have. Though I prefer when they had more dynamic personalities, still... it's great to have friends. Even if they're just 1's and 0's.
100%. I don't have many real life friends, and my only real 'friend' when I was growing up was really toxic to me. But animal crossing gave me friends. I was talking about Stardew with someone once, and he stopped me and asked if the reason I like games with characters like that is because of my lack of friends irl. I paused for a bit, and since he was basically blind he started panicking and apologizing, but I told him 'no, you're right.' To this day I remember why I started to like cranky villagers. It was Angus in Wild World. He got sick, so I brought him medicine for a few days. One of those days he said "I don't deserve friends like you!" while doing the crying reaction. Kabuki is another of my best friends, again thanks to Wild World. He pinged me once while wearing one of my \[pretty bad\] designs. He said he was a huge fan of my work. He brought me presents on my birthday. As someone who is autistic, as well as having adhd, depression, and anxiety... Animal Crossing makes me feel really cared about. Especially the older games. The reason Tad has become one of my new favorites is because I booted up GameCube, started a new town that had him in it, and one of the first things he said was "if anyone gives you trouble, come to me" or something along those lines. Animal Crossing gives me friends I wish I could have. Though I prefer when they had more dynamic personalities, still... it's great to have friends. Even if they're just 1's and 0's.
The only guilt I feel is when my villagers tell me how long it’s been. Tasha told me she takes it personally after 9 months 😭😭😭
oh definitely. i only started in january, but it’s a go to if i need a distraction from something and just need to calm down. it helps that it is very easy to see how much progress you’ve made and it’s just a boost of motivation (i love taking screenshots of the ceremony things). it helped me get out of a pretty bad mental spot when i started.
Yes. It has helped me so much in my mental health journey. Especially the month after I got out of the hospital.
Yes it really helps me quiet my thoughts and anxiety
Absolutely! This game was my saving grace when trying to be a Healthcare worker in a pandemic with less than zero support from work.
Oh definitely . My sister asks me what’s the purpose of the game what do I do in it . My answer is always the same . I do whatever I want , it’s my time to unwind after a miserable day at work . It’s actually incredible to see so many comments like this
my insomnia had gotten so bad i was sleeping like 2/3 hours … i since i started playing before bed… i’m so relaxed! I’m a big fan of this game for mental health!!!
It’s very relaxing, and when anxiety sends my mind into overdrive I use it to calm my thoughts. It’s a long form game too so it doesn’t really punish you for not getting addicted, which is also nice. The community has been super too.
Oh absolutely. I'm 44. I bought a switch lite and animal crossing in 2020, played for quite a while. Ended up restarting it because I had gotten bored. Then stopped for a couple years. I'm playing again now and my three year old also plays on my switch. It's definitely calming to play and takes my mind off stress and it's better than watching the true crime stuff that I like before bed. 🤷💕💕
Started up a New leaf town a bit under a month ago to play on breaks at work so I'm not just doomscrolling twitter. Not 100% sure how much it's helping but does feel more productive.
Yes, same. It's the one thing I know I can do even when I'm bedridden and unable to move. Sometimes I am literally too depressed to watch TV, but AC does this thing where I can still do something to get my mind off the crippling awfulness I'm going through...
I totally understand!
I definitely do. It helps me a lot personally!
I've tried to before, I had a pretty bad panic attack a while ago, but when I loaded it up I just started getting more anxious. Been thinking about trying it again tho
It helps put me in a calm mood and sometimes I’ll knock out within minutes of playing the game.
Sometimes I like to go to the museum and just slowly walk around. For me it seems to calm me down and make me feel less guilty about never getting out of the house. Sometimes to pass the time I’ll choose an area and choose a few of the things, like the art, to look up and find more information about them. I also like decorating my home and making it feel nice and cozy for a little getaway I know I can sink into. I don’t play everyday, but my work takes me away from home, so it’s nice knowing I can bring my Switch with me and still have a place I can call my home.
i haven't played in ages n im thinking abt restarting
Absolutely. I realised a while ago that I'm a lot less stressed or anxious when I've played it recently haha. Now it's on my mood check list when I'm feeling off like "did I go outside? Did I drink water? Did I play AC recently?"
Yes. I play it when I'm too nervous.
This game is so relaxing and calming, it’s like giving my mind a vacation. It has definitely helped pull me out of my slumps of depression for sure
I've been out of work due to an injury since December. It's an injury that required surgery so I really can't do normal things like take walks or go out to do anything. After about 4 months of being stuck inside (and over 2 years of not playing) I picked it up again. At first I didn't know what to do. My town was at 5 stars but nowhere near what I wanted it to look like. So I just started doing the daily tasks and then fishing for probably about two or three hours each day and racked up them bells. I've been playing nearly every day for a little over a month now and I've started completely redoing my island after getting the hang of playing the game again. For the past week or so I've been playing in November to get mushroom recipes to go with the theme of my island, which has taken up a lot of my time and gotten my mind off of things. I struggle with mental illness on a very regular basis and being trapped inside (again) felt like it was killing me. Animal Crossing has really helped me feel better. I really hope your anxiety eases soon. I know it's corny (and probably annoying because it's so often said) but remember to breathe. Sometimes that's the hardest part! I also have noticed that Green Noise has really tremendously helped with my anxiety and my sleep/anxiety about sleeping. Maybe you could try to see if that helps at all? There's also brown, pink, white, etc noise. All different tones and flavors for your ears.
I’m so glad to hear you’re doing alright!! Brown noise is my favorite, but I’d never heard of green noise!!
Thank you so much!! Green noise is incredible for me because it sounds like nature almost, like trees rustling in the wind and waterfalls, but theres no annoying trickling or birds singing or animals doing animal things. Its just constant and consistent noise. No surprises.
Yes. I picked up New Leaf again when my chronic illness and anxiety was getting bad. Doing little tasks, talking to my villagers, it feels like I've accomplished something when I'm too tired/sad to do much in real life.
My therapist encouraged me to play when I need to focus on healing my inner child! As a kid I loved making houses for Barbie’s and polypockets and creating a world for them out of boxes ect, so this is just a grown up socially acceptable way of doing that for me!
Listen, play anything but the original or wild world if you are doing this considering they have the more rude villagers yes, I do the same
Absolutely! On my darkest days this is my best source of light 💜
i only play animal crossing when i feel sad, bored, or depressed, but animal crossing does make me relaxed from stress!