Stress Center Peer Support

I don't know if this has been discussed before but I would like to know if anyone's anxiety level gets higher while playing a video game. I find that if I play a nice relaxing game on my computer like solitaire, or some of the board games, I am fine. I feel relaxed. As soon as I play against or with someone on a tense video game (action ones), my anxiety level goes up and I sometimes even have the symptoms of extreme anxiety like before a panic attack.

I know the cause is probably the adrenalin rush due to the excitement of the game, but I'm wondering why it affects me so much. After all, it is only a game.

Anxiety and excitement have some of the same symptoms. It's all in how we percieve it. When you're playing and you feel those sensations, just remind yourself that it's just excitement. The more your anxiety goes away, the milder these feelings will become. Don't stop playing because of this, this is a good chance to work through these feelings.