RIPU - Research

This week, I didn't do as much as I would like due to being ill. However, I did begin to look at how pre-existing games have help to educate people on mental health. I revisited Life is Strange due to new articles coming out and the second episode of the prequel now out. I didn't have time to play the game myself, but I did watch the playthrough by Eurogamer to see if the prequel tackles mental health like the first one

Eurogamer playthough of Life is Strange: Before The Storm: Episode 1 Playthrough Episode 2 Playthrough

In addition to this, I looked at the history of art therapy, as though I am now looking at a full games design perspective and looking at how games themselves can be a therapy, I originally started this idea (many, many years ago) wanting to approach this from a art therapy perspective due to games being an art form and art therapy is a contemporary approach towards therapy - something which, if all goes well in proving games themselves can potentially be a therapy (games therapy) this would also be another contemporary approach towards therapy.

ArtTherapyJournal.org: The History of Art Therapy
Art Therapy — History & Philosophy
The History of Art Therapy and its Relationship to Art Education
A Brief History of Art Therapy: From Freud to Naumburg and Kramer

As reiterated in the articles/pdf above, despite being a relatively new form of therapy, art to communicate one's thoughts and ideas has been used since the beginning of human history. However, it wasn't until mid 20th century the practice of art as therapy was first introduced.
Despite being (in retrospect) a new form of art and entertainment, games have been used to educate and help people with mental health issues, but games themselves have yet to become entirely formed into a new type of therapy. Due to history of helping and educating others, it's surprising games haven't become a form of therapy. However, this may be due to it being a relatively new form of art and entertainment; most seeing it just entertainment; people believing games are still believing it's only for children (despite the average gamer is 35 years old) and lastly, usually being the scapegoat for horrible events or will cause damage.
As seen in this article Boo! A brief history of technology scares - people once believe when writing became more common, people would become more forgetfully. Also, when books became more common they would do damage and I quote 'confusing and harmful'.
So, unfortunately games are currently doing their time under the scapegoat spotlight - just like films before it

 Polygon article about survey about the average gamer: Take a look at the average American gamer in new survey findings
 Big Fish article about the average gamer: 2017 Video Game Trends and Statistics – Who’s Playing What and Why?