An Exploration of Mental Health In Video Games

Abstract

Over the years, games about mental illness have risen in quality and quantity. I have taken inspiration from these games and applied them to my project. My senior project, Into the World, is a text-adventure RPG that attempts to simulate the experience of what it is like to have social anxiety. My project takes from the experience of others as well as my own and portrays it in the best way I can. Social anxiety can affect many aspects of someone’s life, and I tried to include these topics that include but are not limited to simple interactions with others, going out in public, and relationships. The game contains narrative elements that will put the player in the shoes of someone with social anxiety. It is developed using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript hosted online for easy access. In addition to creating this game to help others understand an otherwise foreign experience better, I wanted to reflect on myself through art.