Play healthier and happier with The Sims

I still remember well that I staged a little flu. I was still in elementary school and had just had my birthday. Read: The Sims 2: Deluxe including the expansion pack with The Sims: Pets and Hot Date in my pocket. You understand: there was no time to lose. And school? There was really no time for that at all. I managed to stay home for exactly one day until I got caught. But hey, better something than nothing, right? And what turns out now (mom, are you reading along?): Playing The Sims was anything but a waste of time. On the contrary, if we are to believe psychoanalyst Steve McKeown (and we really want to), playing The Sims makes us happier and healthier.

McKeown says that The Sims can be a very healthy escape from reality. Where drugs, alcohol, and gambling serve that purpose for adults, The Sims does that for children. But why should we stop when we grow up? It’s a lot healthier, less harmful, and very good for your mental health. It’s very healthy to occasionally escape from reality. If you don’t do that, you risk becoming overstressed. Creating this distance is therefore a lot more normal than you might think. You do it every night unconsciously when you dream in your sleep. ‘It’s the way our brains take a break from the pressures of daily life,’ says McKeown.

So I don’t know about you, but here in the editorial office, we suddenly have a huge craving for a game of Sims. And hey, don’t forget to drop the ‘motherlode’ code. Fifty thousand dollars per CTRL-V. Too bad we don’t have that in real life. And mom, I promise I won’t stage a fever attack. Promise.