Roll for insight: Using Dungeons & Dragons as a group therapy tool
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One hopes they're using James Thomson's fabulous Dice by PCalc!
EDIT: Huh. Well, anyway, it's a great little app for simulating dice for games. I mean, yes, real dice are great, too, but it's still a cool app.
EDIT: Huh. Well, anyway, it's a great little app for simulating dice for games. I mean, yes, real dice are great, too, but it's still a cool app.
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I think lots of people have been able to personally attest to the benefits of gaming as they relate to social anxiety/isolation. Cool to see that there's real science and data behind it to back it up.
Every socially anxious person I know (myself included) can get down with an RPG - having a co-operative activity to filter your interactions through or act as a setup for instead of standing around nervously at a traditional social gathering can really help.
Every socially anxious person I know (myself included) can get down with an RPG - having a co-operative activity to filter your interactions through or act as a setup for instead of standing around nervously at a traditional social gathering can really help.
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This is great. I think the creative aspects of DnD can be really useful even if you aren’t playing.
I got into Dimension 20 (A Starstruck Odyssey) in the middle of the worst pit of depression in my life. I’m not sure what about it helped (I’ve never played DnD), but it really did. And Reddit at least is full of stories like mine.
Something about just watching people be creative helps.
I got into Dimension 20 (A Starstruck Odyssey) in the middle of the worst pit of depression in my life. I’m not sure what about it helped (I’ve never played DnD), but it really did. And Reddit at least is full of stories like mine.
Something about just watching people be creative helps.
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Playing D&D may be therapeutic, but those ten sided dice are giving me some pretty serious anxiety.
(If you don't know, it's not uncommon to use symbols to replace the highest or lowest numbers on some dice. It's usually the "1" or "20" on a d20, but for a d10 it would be the "1" or "0"/"10". Each of the dice in the picture is already showing the "0" face with the symbol replacing one of the adjacent faces. It can't be the "1" because that would be on the opposite side of the die from the "0" and all of the even numbers will be on the same half of the die. Since all of the other numbers are in the correct place the symbols are likely replacing "60" and "4". Fortunately, people who play Dungeons & Dragons are always very easy-going and never the type to be bothered by small inconsistencies like this so I'm sure nobody will notice.)
[Edit: It's a good graphic, Aurich, and I'm not saying I don't like it. It just breaks some really obscure, mostly un-written rules about making dice that most people wouldn't even believe exist. And that's appropriate for an article about Dungeons & Dragons.]
(If you don't know, it's not uncommon to use symbols to replace the highest or lowest numbers on some dice. It's usually the "1" or "20" on a d20, but for a d10 it would be the "1" or "0"/"10". Each of the dice in the picture is already showing the "0" face with the symbol replacing one of the adjacent faces. It can't be the "1" because that would be on the opposite side of the die from the "0" and all of the even numbers will be on the same half of the die. Since all of the other numbers are in the correct place the symbols are likely replacing "60" and "4". Fortunately, people who play Dungeons & Dragons are always very easy-going and never the type to be bothered by small inconsistencies like this so I'm sure nobody will notice.)
[Edit: It's a good graphic, Aurich, and I'm not saying I don't like it. It just breaks some really obscure, mostly un-written rules about making dice that most people wouldn't even believe exist. And that's appropriate for an article about Dungeons & Dragons.]
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As GenX I didn't get to play much D&D because my parents bought into the great Satanic Panic, so it's great to see that it has not only come back from that bit of madness, but to inspiring new generations of TTRPG designers, GMs and players.
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I disagree. The last thing the hobby needs are any more self-entitled gatekeeping prats. Whether it's bemoaning newbies or people not playing the game you think they should be playing.
Play the game you want to play, with the people you want to play with and stop worrying so much about how other people are enjoying and potentially helping themselves. It literally costs you nothing.
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My household belongs to a D&D group that our roomate created and DM's the campaign. There's about eight to ten who play on a semi-regular basis every other week. The group is made up of an unusual demographic with respect to social skills and other aspects of social interaction. To call them socially non-normative would be fairly accurate.
The way the individuals in the group RP, along with the other social dynamics of the group as a whole, highlight a lot of the things the people were saying about their study. I mentioned to my wife that they should hold therapy sessions. My wife, who has experience in counseling folks as part of her job as a health care provider, said that what I see is often what happens in these groups, and often why the groups fall apart when incompatible personalities decide the game isn't worth the aggravation.
So she kind of guides them, with the support of a few others, to get those who have trouble adjusting to the social dynamic differences between role play and just chatting, to be more comfortable and less likely to act out.
Then I read this piece and thought, "Well, cool. They're doing what the D&D group does and seeing results."
I imagine there are more considerations in an actual, deliberate therapy session, but the lessons one imparts on those who have problems of any kind in social situations, but the scenario is very much like controlling exposures to phobias to get over them. The social situation is artificial, and there are rules of conduct and someone guiding all of that. It's a very "safe" social environment for folks.
Since learning how to best deal with a social anxiety issue is going to need a lot of tweaking for most folks, having a more or less controlled social situation is a good start to that goal.
How well it translates to "real life" may be problematic, though. After all, there's a hell of a lot of difference between a "controlled social situation" and "real life". And I guarantee you these folks are keenly aware of that.
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The problem with this is the familiarity of those systems is non-existent compared to DND.
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RickRoyLeonPrisZhoraRacha
Ars Scholae Palatinae
I would paint my D&D figures. Someone I gamed with noticed and told someone. Then, I would be approached by a strange student, that would try to befriend me. Only, they wanted me to paint their character for their D&D club. But would not invite me to join or play. See where this is going?
I still have my D&D figures from high school (that is long ago...) because I grew up with parents that grew up in the Depression, in that they never threw out anything and if I did, they dug it out and put is somewhere (oh teens, if only you knew what happens when you are online or trying to date). While I lost my set of dice, I still play RPGs as therapeutic and I miss Dragon Age, Wizardry, and other noted RPGs of lure.
My great nieces were mentioning, out of the blue, about some monster in the dungeon that poisoned their cleric. I looked up, WHAT? Turns out their father is big D&D player and DM'ng is not like it used to be. Therapy and D&D can be good.
I still have my D&D figures from high school (that is long ago...) because I grew up with parents that grew up in the Depression, in that they never threw out anything and if I did, they dug it out and put is somewhere (oh teens, if only you knew what happens when you are online or trying to date). While I lost my set of dice, I still play RPGs as therapeutic and I miss Dragon Age, Wizardry, and other noted RPGs of lure.
My great nieces were mentioning, out of the blue, about some monster in the dungeon that poisoned their cleric. I looked up, WHAT? Turns out their father is big D&D player and DM'ng is not like it used to be. Therapy and D&D can be good.
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You are playing a Level 5 Human Paladin named Seraph Sunblade. You are exploring a dark, ancient and strange castle with your party. As you turn a corner, you come face to face with a hulking, green-skinned orc wielding a massive battleaxe. It roars and charges towards you. Suddenly, another member of your party, a Halfling Rogue named Pip Quickfingers, jumps in front of you and asks you why you always seem to have time to deal with orcs, yet whenever he plans something just for the two of you, you are "too busy" to do it. Pip says he feels hurt when you go off exploring dungeons and caves around the country "for work", yet had to cancel that vacation to Key West because you were "too busy"...
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Dragonscript
Ars Scholae Palatinae
As a GenX, I played D&D with my parents under the guise of Hero Quest during the 80s before moving onto Advanced D&D with my friends in the 90s.
But i agree that it is nice to see new generations of designers, GMs and players.
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As someone who's been playing TTRPGs for over 30 years (although not a lot of D&D this century), I can see how they could be very effective tools for a therapist, and I've seen them help some of the more socially awkward people I know really come out of their shells. I do think that it's important to be clear on whether the prime goal of any particular game is therapy or fun though, just to make sure that everyone has the right expectations.
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See also the Mazes and Monsters movie for a young Tom Hanks in a DND version of Reefer Madness channeling some of the panic. Or the DND episodes of Community where they use it for therapy... well, Hollywood therapy where everything is fixed with a compelling speech or a heartfelt talk.
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This appears to be an attempt to undermine the potential benefits of the study via ridicule. It seems to be aimed at shaming people who derive social benefit from D&D. Is there a particular reason you chose that approach?
Roll persuasion, with disadvantage.
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How will you know when someone is
I say as a person who also dislikes dnd as a system, but it's what my friends know, and friends are way more important than systems.
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I feel kind of bad watching people put screws in with a hammer. I accept that they're having fun and it doesn't really cost me anything, but every time someone is like "I'm running a game of social and political intrigue about modern day secret vampires using DND 5e" it causes me pain. Vampire is right there! It's not even obscure!
DND isn't even a great gateway RPG because it has so many idiosyncratic things, it teaches players bad habits and patterns.
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Just from the headline, I assumed this was evaluated via a DM with the right therapeutic background; it would be fascinating to see an exploration of looking at the structure of many twelve-step programs, where those benefiting from the process do the bulk of the work carrying the practice forward, and seeing how that may expand these opportunities.
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This totally makes sense, and when I started a new school for 6th grade in the early 80s, this was how I found my friend group. Thankfully my parents were like gtfo with that satanic panic nonsense. They were also willing to take 5 mins to read/understand what it was all about.
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How about games where using social skills is a core mechanic and not just an afterthought. And where the gameplay itself is built around exploring the human condition and not just killing monsters and taking their stuff.
Hell, just last week Shadowrun put out a full length core book focused on Face characters and social gameplay. Social focused gameplay is White Wolf's bread and butter and has been for 30 years. In Fate Core combat and high stakes social encounters use the exact same rules. And, as always, GURPS has - more than one - book for it.
The sidebar about playing a disabled character? There are games that have rules for that and not just as part of a combat outcome that disappears when someone prays over you. Some of the "iconic" characters in Changeling: The Lost 2Ed have very visible disabilities and the rules follow through with allowing it. (Plus, Changeling is about living with trauma and PTSD and the politics focuses on, essentially, different types of support groups.)
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The only way your post makes sense is if social recluses are being sent out to infiltrate established RPG groups and turn them into something else, which does not appear to be the case.
Who you invite and how you choose to play is the social contract. The RPG is just a set of rules to be used however the players see fit. If other groups dilute the "prestige" you associate with yours, that's your problem.
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No ridiculing or shaming at all. Quite the opposite.
I think this is a wonderful idea, and love the creative approach.
My comment was nothing more than a tongue-in-cheek fellow-nerd shout-out, with no shaming or derision intended. Why would I do that? I spent thousands of hours playing D&D, love the game and have the utmost respect for the people who play.
I also am well aware of the value of therapy, and the importance of reaching people through the things they feel comfortable with and connect with.
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It really depends on what you mean by familiarity here. There are plenty of people who have heard of it through pop-culture, but pop culture doesn't teach people how to really play D&D beyond the necessity of a D20 and a select few mechanics (Outside of BG3 players who have played a version of 5E with much needed modifications). They still need to learn the system, just as they would any other system. It might be a little easier to learn the setting, since pop culture and stories can easily give them a "foothold" to branch off from.
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HAHAHAHA!!!!
So, one of the tabletop campaigns I played we had a gnome barbarian that was played exactly like Pip - while I was playing a paladin, no less. "Pip" died tragically and hilariously when we stuck him in a catapult and shot him at the white dragon hovering above us, and critical missed.
That particular session from 30 years ago was probably one of the hardest times I've laughed in my entire life, and the memory of our fat friend flapping his arms in the air as he screamed his last words "I'm a fatass in platemail! FUUUUUuuuuuuck! (splat)"
Technically, the tactic worked because the dragon decided we were too stupid to be much of a threat and landed so he could point and laugh at us, which is when we killed him. And then, as per standard D&D party doctrine, we retrieved our friend's body and kept it in a portable hole - with each of us fondly remembering our fallen companion every time we threw his body on a trap because our thief was lazy.
The final "trap" turned out to actually be a device that ascended the user to godhood. The user, in this case, being the excessively abused corpse of our gnome... Becoming the patron deity of the gnomish race...
WE thought it was hilarious.
HE thought it was "instant and automatic bloodrage attack with +2 Thac0/Dmg from ALL gnomes that saw us, including babies and children" for the rest of the campaign.
This was a two decades before I learned I was autistic. And my Case Manager has been hounding me lately to get back into D&D for pretty much the exact reasons in this article. Think I might take her advice.
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Sounds like you have some issues with your own emotional boundaries when it comes to how other people enjoy things that have no effect on you. Have you considered therapy?
Other people doing things the way they want to do them, or in a way you consider to be sub-optimal is really none of your business. Yet you seem determined to be upset about it.
It absolutely is. If you're not paying them to do it or are affected by what they are doing, and no one is being harmed, why waste time being mentally taxed by it? That's kind of a shitty way to go through life.
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Our group has been playing together weekly for more than 25 years. I wouldn't say there was anything therapeutic about our sessions other than the basic benefits of having fun in a structured social setting (which are, to be sure, quite substantial) with people you've known for a very long time.
But maybe the fundamental idea, that some of the best and most carefully constructed plans can fall apart completely as a result of a couple of devastating dice rolls, is what really helps. It teaches you that you simply cannot control every outcome; that pure luck is a big factor in success or failure; and that when everything goes south, you don't have time to mope about: you've got to roll with the punches, work with the other players, and figure out what to do next. Sometimes the dice just won't cooperate, and that's no one's fault (though we often joke about it because the results of a badly timed roll of 1 on a skill check or save can be hilarious).
I guess that's a very useful lesson. I have played with more than a few people who take their bad dice rolls very personally, and I've been that player myself, too. Learning not to view the universe as your personal enemy is, I suppose, quite a benefit, and one way is probably to role play such a character to the extreme, as long as you and the rest of the group can see the humor in it.
But maybe the fundamental idea, that some of the best and most carefully constructed plans can fall apart completely as a result of a couple of devastating dice rolls, is what really helps. It teaches you that you simply cannot control every outcome; that pure luck is a big factor in success or failure; and that when everything goes south, you don't have time to mope about: you've got to roll with the punches, work with the other players, and figure out what to do next. Sometimes the dice just won't cooperate, and that's no one's fault (though we often joke about it because the results of a badly timed roll of 1 on a skill check or save can be hilarious).
I guess that's a very useful lesson. I have played with more than a few people who take their bad dice rolls very personally, and I've been that player myself, too. Learning not to view the universe as your personal enemy is, I suppose, quite a benefit, and one way is probably to role play such a character to the extreme, as long as you and the rest of the group can see the humor in it.
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That statement applies to both therapeutic and casual D&D games. Sometimes, a player will draw the spotlight naturally, and sometimes there is a force from group or DM. Either way, it's a very tough challenge for a DM to keep everyone equally engaged... or at least keeping everyone from being bored.
Godda say that D&D is an interesting choice for therapeutic tool. Typically, it is very rules-heavy with A LOT of random chance injected by design. Arguably too much is left to chance. The rift between what is typically considered a good DM and a bad one is staggeringly large. It's almost like an instinct; you just know when a DM is great or terrible after only a few game moments. How is that going to translate into therapy? Will bad DMs be actively causing more harm with it?
Generally speaking, this idea leaves me cautious, but hopeful and curious. Seems like a different method of any given group therapy. The bleed in and out is an interesting observable outcome. It could certainly be beneficial to restructure how certain topics are approached when they are made less "personal".
Why D&D though? Is that just due to ubiquitous nature of it these days? Couldn't you realistically substitute it with any pen-and-paper RPG, a lot of which are much less reliant on rules of chance? Or maybe even a board game, but that's pushing it too far into a rigid structure.
If the idea behind using role-playing to tease out what a character (and in turn the player) would do in order to discover patterns of thinking, then ensuring a good DM is there becomes much more paramount. Choice of what is left to chance and what should happen no matter what is another important choice. This is all uncharted territory as far as I can tell.
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