
Computer Games Better Than Medication in Treating Elderly Depression - hachiya
http://www.livescience.com/47209-computer-games-depression-older-adults.html?cmpid=514645
======
izzydata
2 hours a week? I guess I'm set for a few hundred years with of mental work.

Although if I had to guess this would probably be more related to elderly
people doing mental work that stimulates new connections. If a young person
today who had been playing games their whole life were to try it when they
were old it probably wouldn't have the same effect because they would be so
used to those mental stimulation.

Just a thought from a person who knows nothing about this field.

~~~
scipol
The improvement effect might be smaller but perhaps persisting in game playing
would keep those pathways from atrophying.

Plus, I imagine by the time the first video game cohort (today's late 30s?)
are in their 70s that the way we interact with and play computer games may not
be anywhere near the same physical experience.

If by 2050 I don't have a holodeck I'm going to be pissed.

------
pessimizer
You would expect this, because SSRIs perform no better than placebo except in
cases of extreme depression.

[http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=185157](http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=185157)

~~~
Symmetry
That paper just says that the effects of SSRIs scale with with the severity of
depression, averaging an effect size of .2 greater than a placebo for people
whose HAM-D is less than 23. That's a small effect, smaller than the placebo
effect, but it's statistically significant and we're talking p < .0001 here.
ALso, a HAMD of 23 can be called anything from "very severe" to "moderate"
depending on who you ask.

But part of the reason you see such a small response is that according to [1]
some people have significant positive responses to SSRIs but the average is
brought down by people who have significant negative responses to SSRIs.

For more information about SSRIs and the controversy around them than you
could possibly need, see here:

[http://slatestarcodex.com/2014/07/07/ssris-much-more-than-
yo...](http://slatestarcodex.com/2014/07/07/ssris-much-more-than-you-wanted-
to-know/)

[1][http://archpsyc.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=11074...](http://archpsyc.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1107437)

------
RyanMcGreal
"In a study of 11 older patients"

Is that a big enough sample to draw any conclusions?

~~~
ivanca
Studies are expensive, we wouldn't get anything done if we wait for all
researches to be properly funded.

------
raphman_
Original article:
[http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2014/140805/ncomms5579/full/nco...](http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2014/140805/ncomms5579/full/ncomms5579.html)

It seems like they are currently preparing a study comparing the efficacy of
computer games and general computer work with regard to reducing elderly
depression:
[http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT01979289](http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT01979289)

------
dschiptsov
Why should a medication which is designed to lift the symptoms but has nothing
to do with the causes be better than a simplest CBT, even if it is mere
distraction?

~~~
scipol
Money aside, because it's the symptoms that bother people, not the cause. Most
people just want relief.

~~~
dschiptsov
Ignoring of the causes is called ignorance - the cause of suffering.)

------
heroku
I remember doing nothing but playing computer games in my deepest depression
states.

~~~
bithush
I am the complete opposite in that my depression made it impossible for me to
enjoy any kind of video games (and tv shows, movies and music).

~~~
ivanca
That's a more severe depression. I been there (symptoms of a chronic disease),
unfortunately.

~~~
bithush
Indeed. I was diagnosed 5 years ago (age 25) with recurrent major depressive
disorder (aka chronic depression) along with PTSD (due to childhood abuse I
only started to deal with in my twenties) and generalised anxiety disorder.
While the anxiety problems were horrible the worst was chronic insomnia. I
have taken part in a number of sleep studies in NHS and private hospitals and
two universities as my sleep disorders were rated as "most severe" in that I
would sleep for less than an hour per day over a 14 day period which led to
all kinds of horrible things such as hallucinations and false memories. For a
while I was diagnosed schizophrenic but that was a misdiagnosis as it was
simply (ha!) down to exhaustion. I was on 50mg of Zolpidem (Ambien) a night
but even that couldn't shut my brain off.

Thankfully my depression and other issues are much better now although I still
find it close to impossible to sit down and play a game, watch a movie or read
a book for some reason :( It is a great shame as I used to love playing video
games as a kid/teen. It is horrible not being able to enjoy something you used
to love. It is almost like that part of my brain is been switch off and I
can't find the on switch anymore.

~~~
ivanca
Thanks for speaking up. Doctors work between their boundaries, that includes
giving medication based on symptoms profiling and comparing those with
previous cases or just their medical training, unfortunately that sometimes
backfires against understanding some individual case and therefore its
treatments and diagnostic. You have to read for yourself everything about your
disorder, your symptoms, and its treatment.

I would suggest you to responsibly try two medications, one is Duloxetine, the
symptoms you describe (about the sleeping part)are very similar to mine, I
coulnd't sleep, I couldn't sit and watch a movie even when trying to force
myself to do so, and worst yet, I couldn't enjoy music, and I used to listen
music all day long. I would wake up at night sweating for no reason. It may or
it may not work for you but is surely worth a try. Just start with one single
30 mg at night, if you see improvements a couple of months later you can start
using 60mg; of course if you don't see improvements just stop taking it. If
you are taking any anti-depressants better read first about any possible
reaction between that and Duloxetine.

The other medication that helps my brain be very focused is Modafinil, lost of
focus is one of the symptoms of my chronic disease (Fibromialgy) and it helps
greatly on that matter, it also helps a bit with the mood, it is usually taken
by people with narcolepsy, a common sleep disorder. Is also taken by healthy
people who needs to stay awake for long periods, such as combat pilots and
overnight workers.

------
DanBC
SPARX is a game from New Zealand designed to teach basic CBT techniques to
teens.

[http://www.beckinstituteblog.org/2012/04/a-computerized-
cogn...](http://www.beckinstituteblog.org/2012/04/a-computerized-cognitive-
behavioral-therapy-intervention-for-adolescents/)

There's a niche in the market.

------
ollysb
I'd be interested to know what their lifestyle is, are they spending the
majority of their lives watching insipid TV? (That would certainly be enough
to depress me...)

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pinkyand
there's also this research about casual games seducing depression and anxiety:

[http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/123495/Study_Finds_Casual...](http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/123495/Study_Finds_Casual_Games_Reduce_Depression_Anxiety_Symptoms.php)

The key question is why:is it only the distraction ,because its known that
distraction is helpful against depression , or is also something else ? and
how best is to design such games ?

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clueless123
Oh boy.. can't wait till my 12 yrs old kid hears about this! * So much for my
"stop playing games all day long" ranting..

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Aardwolf
Good to know that when I'm old, I'll be spending my time gaming again :)

APM will be less I guess, but so will that of my opponents.

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neals
Oncoming depression, burnout and stress. Let me play for 2 days and I'm good
as new.

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mathattack
Outstanding potential for technology! Who says all these games are just mental
candy?

