For some people, chess is one such board game that leads them to anxiety and panic attacks. It would be wrong to deny the fact that, for some people chess is stressful. It is because a person can relate to real-life situations while playing chess. Though they know it is a game, it seems to be a real life representation of various strenuous scenarios they have come across.
Actually, it is the other way around, chess has numerous benefits, it helps you make better decisions, strategise, increase IQ, improve memory, enhance problem solving skills and it also comes with being patient.
Patience, the gift of chess
Numerous studies conducted have proved the fact that with regular practice of chess, a person can acquire the skill of being patient while playing a match. The grandmasters say that if your brain is calm and you are patient, you have already won half the game. When your mind is calm, you are able to work out your game strategy, next move and even analyse the next move of your opponent.
Playing chess regularly, trains your mind to think differently in various situations and also control the release of adrenaline in your body. Once you know the trick, you can make your brain act according to your behaviour.
Chess relaxes Anxiety or Panic attacks
The fight or flight response is a physiological reaction that seems to happen when a person is under threat. In a dangerous situation, the nervous system triggers and send signals to the brain. The brain releases adrenaline hormone into the body, that causes a racing heartbeat, send blood to the muscles, blood sugar to spike and senses to get enhanced. Finally, the body gets signal to either fight or flight. These are normal for any individual. However if a person starts to get unexpected panic attacks and its constant for a period when it also hinders the person’s relationships and daily activities, it does not fall into the category of normal anxiety, this is an anxiety disorder. During a panic attack, the adrenaline levels in the body can spike by 21/2 times or more in a minute and stay up to 30 minutes. It seems similar to a heart attack and regular episodes of panic attacks can cause harm to the body.
Chess can help a person overcome such a disorder. Chess therapy is a popular medium of treatment that the psychologists believe in. It helps in regulating many other mental disorders like Schizophrenia, ADHD, Alzheimers etc. A regular dose of chess, helps your brain relax while functioning, to find out solutions to challenges and situations. Patience is the key to deal with problems and these people get to know this with the help of chess.
At Mind Mentorz we believe every individual is different, hence all are special. We always work to create awareness about mental health and its important for each individual to know what are the symptoms that one suffers from, so that you along with us could contribute to our vision of a happy-healthy world.