Episode 4 of First Person Storyteller features Kincl; a gamer and producer of fan magazine “Hyperplay RPG.” Kincl tells a very personal story about how he was able to lean on gaming as a healing mechanism to help him overcome the symptoms of mental illness and improve his road to recovery.

Video games should not be utilized in place of medicine or other treatments recommended by doctors, psychologists, and psychiatrists to treat the symptoms of mental illness. That being said, the field seems to be finding more and more ways to incorporate the medium into the treatment field where appropriate, and that’s promising. If you or a loved one is experiencing the effects of mental illness or depression: tell someone you love. They’ll help you find the help you find and reach out to the necessary resources to get you on the path towards recovery.

I’m very grateful to Kincl for telling such a personal story on the podcast. I think it reinforces the notion that I try to stress that this platform is a safe space for people to share some of their more intimate life moments and be vulnerable. I feel honored that Kincl was so gracious with his time and so transparent about an incredibly difficult chapter in his life.

On the next episode of First Person Storyteller, I’ll talk to Austin and Lauren. Their relationship has been grounded in a shared passion for gaming and Austin was able to leverage that passion in a unique and touching way to propose to Lauren. It’s a heartwarming story and I hope you’ll join me to hear them tell it in their own voices!

As always, thanks for listening!