For those of us that life comes easy for, it is difficult for us to relate to someone who struggles with the most mundane things that the rest of us take for granted. As a teacher, I see how prevalent anxiety is for many of my students and how it affects their ability to learn and progress. Anxiety affects a person’s perspective and interpretations of events. It can cripple resolve and make the most simple of tasks next to impossible to complete. Mental illness affects sixty percent of Canadians directly and indirectly and yet our acceptance of it as a common medical ailment continues to elude us as the stigma surrounding mental illness still prevails, keeping many sufferers from seeking help.
The game Pokemon Go was released only weeks ago but its impact has been dramatic. I’ve watched crowds of hundreds of people roaming the legislature grounds searching for rare Pokemons. What has really excited me about this game is the impact it has had for people suffering from social anxiety. Giving a person who is scared to leave their home a sense of purpose that gets their mind off their anxiety and focused on a task, creates opportunity for change.
A game for some, a life changing opportunity for others - it’s just a matter of perspective.
“And those who were seen dancing, were thought to be crazy by those who could not hear the music.” - Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 - 1900)
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