My Xbox is a Great Therapist

This is how I unwind.

Anger is a very powerful emotion. Some people think it’s part of (or even the trigger for) our fight-or-flight response. That’s something that we can’t get away from; it’s hard-wired into our brains. If things get rough, we get ready to rumble or run the hell away. Anger keeps us alive.

The problem with anger these days is that you’re not permitted to express it in a professional setting… like at your job, for example. There aren’t very many constructive ways that you can express your anger in the workplace without at least losing your job, and at most becoming familiar with your Miranda rights. Knowing that doesn’t stop you from feeling that anger, though. So what, then, are we to do?

I don’t know about you, but I kill hookers and steal cars.

Grand Theft Auto 4 is not a new game; in fact, it’s over three years old. Despite its age, lately I’ve played it every night. The freedom to run around doing whatever the hell I want is pretty nice. It’s a way for me to get some of the day’s frustrations out without doing anyone or anything harm. It’s like free therapy. Sometimes I just spawn a helicopter (spawning is making the object appear out of thin air, via the usage of cheat codes) and fly around Liberty City, which is a convincing replica of New York. I’m not shooting at anyone during that time; I’m just flying.

Being free.

It’s cool to be able to go to that fictional place and do things that I’d never do in real life. It’s liberating, and it’s definitely therapeutic. As a side note, it also doesn’t make me want to go out and actually do any of the things I do in the game; I’ve played violent video games for over 20 years now, and I’m fine. That’s a post for another day, though.

What about you? What do you do to cope with stress and anger that you face in your daily life?

Related articles

• Grand Theft Auto 4 has never looked better (joystiq.com)
• Get Your Anger Under Control Online (socyberty.com)
• How Anger Can Improve Health, Enhance Intimacy, Spur Creativity, Even Inspire Social Change (alternet.org)