Quick summary: Gaming can support mood regulation and social connection for someone living with bipolar I, as long as it complements rather than replaces medication and clinical care. A game supplies a goal and a place to put attention when thoughts race or sleep drops, which can help a person feel more grounded. Everyday hobbies that predate diagnosis can therefore form part of well-being without making life feel entirely clinical.

I have played video games for as long as I can remember.

Even though I am a few years out of university, my high school friends and I still play together. We aren’t the friend group that gets together and has deep conversations about mental health. We just play video games!

But since my bipolar I disorder (BD-I) diagnosis, I have started to think a little differently about why hobbies like gaming matter to me. 

I had been receiving medical care for ADHD and anxiety since I was in my teens, but my BD-I diagnosis only came in 2024 following a manic episode and psychotic episode that led to a hospitalisation. Almost two years later, I am still learning what it means to live with BD-I. 

After my diagnosis, it took a while to realise how much I would have to pay attention to some of my characteristics that I previously overlooked. Hindsight is 20/20 and I now realise certain behaviours were signs of my BD-I, which can commonly first arise in early adulthood. For example, I would have periods of being dramatically more productive than usual, talking more, trying to solve problems and connecting dots in ways that were noticeable to the people around me. I would also experience racing thoughts and decreased sleep. Losing sleep, in particular, is something I now know to pay close attention to. 

I take my LYBALVI® (olanzapine and samidorphan) medication consistently and that has been an important part of finding stability in symptom control. But only recently have I reflected on what it means for me to be a person living with BD-I, in ways that are separate from but work alongside my medical care. Talking more openly about my experience has helped me think about the journey I am on. One thing I keep coming back to is how people need to do what they love. 

Personally, I love music. I think there is a song for every emotion, mood and scenario. When I find the right song, I will listen to it on repeat because it calms me down. Gaming is also something I love that calms me down. 

There have been studies that help explain why gaming can feel this way. Research has found that video games may support mood regulation, social connection and a sense of accomplishment. That rings true for me. I don’t think of gaming as a treatment for BD-I, and it certainly doesn’t replace my medication or the support I get from my healthcare team. But it’s something I enjoy that helps me redirect my attention, connect with friends and feel more grounded.  

There is comfort in having something concrete in front of me to focus on. A game gives you a goal. There is something to accomplish, solve or pay attention to. When your own thoughts feel like they are taking up a lot of space, I have found value in being able to direct my attention somewhere else for a while. 

Gaming is also social for me. Like I mentioned before, it is one of the ways my high school friends and I stay connected. Research into multiplayer games has suggested that gaming can provide opportunities for social interaction and feelings of connectedness. I don’t pick up my controller thinking, “This is a good addition to my treatment plan.” I do it because I benefit from the activity and time with my friends. But maintaining those relationships and having something familiar that I enjoy doing has become one piece of the larger picture for me. 

I also know there is a difference between using gaming as an outlet and using it to avoid what I am feeling. I don’t think pushing something down or distracting yourself from it indefinitely is helpful. For me, gaming works best when it gives me a temporary break and helps me return to what is going on from a different perspective. 

Gaming can’t fix a manic episode, nor can it take the place of recognising symptoms, taking medication or reaching out for support when I need it. But it is a helpful reminder that, even though I am learning to manage a serious mental illness, not every part of my life has to feel clinical. Sometimes doing something I already loved long before my diagnosis can be part of taking care of myself, too. 

Eli Olmstead is an aerospace engineer at Collins Aerospace in Iowa. Diagnosed with bipolar I disorder in 2024, he shares his experience so others living with BD-I feel less alone.