How Stardew Valley helps me ride the wave of health anxiety
by Chelsea DeAngio
It’s 5 o’clock. I’m done with work for the day, but my pain is intensifying. I’m hyper-aware of every sensation. I reach for my heating pad, my ibuprofen, my ice pack. I’ve successfully avoided googling my symptoms all day, but the temptation is growing fast. I stare at my phone blankly, considering keywords.
“Wanna play some Stardew?”
The question is less of an invitation and more of an acknowledgement. Without saying it, my husband is reminding me that my pain is manageable, my anxiety is passing, and that fun — or at least distraction — is only a minute away. My urge is to cry, to lean into my hopelessness. Instead, I nod as he hands me the controller.
I’ve always been an anxious person, but in the wake of COVID-19 and a few personal health challenges, even the most innocuous symptoms have sent me spiraling. Of course, as many people with health anxiety know, the fear isn’t entirely unfounded. After a month-long bout with an antibiotic-resistant urinary tract infection (UTI), even the most minor pelvic pain triggers anxiety about kidney stones and ovarian cysts. Will this cramp be the one that lands me in the emergency room? While I await answers from my doctors, I turn to Stardew Valley.
Life in Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley’s sky changes from day to night, reflects weather changes, and has inspired countless fan-made greeting cards and wallpapers.
Released in 2016, Stardew Valley is a video game set in a peaceful rural community. Players are tasked with restoring a neglected farm and turning it into a thriving enterprise. The game has been lauded for its immersive gameplay, engaging cast of characters, and charming visuals, but perhaps the most remarkable thing about Stardew is its potential to help players manage anxiety. There are no levels to beat or missions to complete, only long-term goals at which to chip away. Bright pixel art visuals and an atmospheric soundtrack add to the experience.
With clear, daily objectives to work toward, the game provides lightly challenging targets that help sustain motivation. There are bundles of items to amass in the larger goal of rebuilding the town’s community center, however there’s no deadline for completion, allowing you to collect things at your leisure. Even on the dullest day in Stardew, there’s always another fish to catch, another crop to plant, and another villager to befriend. I tune out the discomfort, focusing instead on directing my avatar through the mines or to the beach.
Stardew Valley comfort food sprites created by pixel artist, Lux
Something to look forward to amid health anxiety
When my husband fires up a game of collaborative Stardew, I’m instantly transported to a place of peaceful mundanity, and I regain some of the control I believed I’d lost. I have a say over how the environment is shaped and how to spend my time. Instead of feeling doomed to spiral, I can spend my in-game day however I’d like. Minute by minute, my feelings of helplessness float away. Stardew Valley features a gameplay loop: you unlock new items, grow your bank account, and develop your relationships. The “one day at a time” mantra that guides me through the worst of my anxiety transforms in Stardew Valley. Rather than merely tolerating the passage of time, I eagerly anticipate the opportunities that lie ahead.
The author tends her chickens.
Health anxiety makes minutes feel like hours. With Stardew Valley, the opposite is true.
In-game time passes in ten-minute intervals. Each interval equates to about seven seconds of real time. Pause for too long and you’ll see your day quickly escaping you. The game gently nudges you to stay active. Satisfying player feedback — the bounce animation of freshly-mined minerals, the suck-pop sound of crops, the vibration of my controller as I hook another fish — only enhance the immersion. Before I realize it, an hour of real-life time has elapsed. My anxiety is manageable again. My pain has eased, too.
Video games for stress reduction
Much has been written about the relationship between video games and anxiety. Studies have shown that playing Tetris in the wake of a distressing incident can help prevent the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. A 2019 National Institutes of Health study found that action video games may reduce rumination and improve cognition in those with depression. While stigma surrounding video game violence and addiction persists, research frequently points out substantial benefits. Like with most things, balance is everything.
Stardew Valley isn’t a panacea. Some nights, my pain leaves me doubled over, crying in the shower. Most of the time, though, the game buys me enough distance from my anxiety for a few moments of peace. After finishing up a round of Stardew, I realize I’m capable of doing hard things. I can labor through the intrusive thoughts and the dull ache in my stomach. I can exhale. Just as I follow the in-game rhythms of each day’s passing, I can weather whatever storm is churning inside.
Flower sprites by Lux