Social Isolation and Video Games: Escaping Connection (Social Isolation in the Digital Age Series)

In this piece from the Social Isolation in the Digital Age series, Vancouver-based counsellor Alex Henderson explores how video games can offer both refuge and risk. While gaming can create community, purpose, and joy, it can also quietly deepen isolation when virtual worlds begin to replace real-life connection. Through a mental health lens, Alex examines why games feel so rewarding, what happens when they become our primary form of connection, and how we can find balance between play, presence, and genuine human interaction.