🎮 Because the part of the brain used to play video games is different than the part of the brain used to complete a work project!
🦉Bipolar disorder deeply affects executive functioning. Executive functioning relates to the frontal lobe of the brain.
🕹Video games have a lot to do with intelligence of course, but they’re much more about reaction time and physical ability than executive functioning. It would be interesting to study if video game ability changes in terms of role-playing games vs. first person action games depending on what mood swing someone is experiencing.
If anyone has research on this, I’d love to see it. Or even a personal experience. Let me know what you think.
🏞 It’s the same reason we can scroll and watch videos and maybe even do short Instagram posts when we’re not well, but if you ask us to work, it feels impossible.
I struggle with this almost every day.
🏋🏿 How I manage my intense work struggles…
As a person with bipolar disorder, I have to train myself to work. My brain doesn’t allow me to work like a regular person as I am often in a mood swing.
When I’m stable, I don’t have intense work problems.
If your ability to play video games while not being able to work is episodic, it can definitely be bipolar disorder. Managing bipolar is the answer. You can still play video games, but you can work as well.
😝 Video games also create dopamine rewards that we rarely get from daily work.
Julie
Book recommendation: Get it Done When You’re Depressed Get it Done When You’re Depressed. This is what I use daily to somehow get this wonky brain to focus.
