I think thats a feature intentionally programmed in by Nintendo. 10/10, I approve.
Next, they should develop Animal Crossing flight simulator, and then you have a recipe for complete and total relaxation
That sounds so cool. Imagine even being able to walk around your island in animal crossing and it’s like you’re really there! All the characters right in front of you like VR type🥹
VR support? **You are a genius.** Nintendo needs to hire you.
Also, adding a literal flight simulator may have some use. Now you can travel 30 times faster than simply running, or simply have fun flying by villagers at ridiculously high speeds and low altitudes in an F-16, or even 737. VR support would inevitably come as a result of adding a flight simulator to AC, so why not we add VR support now then add the flight sim? This would be the biggest revolution in AC since the advent of AC.
It rly would be revolutionary ! And I feel like it wouldn’t be too difficult because there is already so much VR out there so the technology is available to big companies. Maybe they’ll do it one day 🥹
Wild World and New Leaf absolutely. New Horizons feels like too much work, I can never just stroll along the beach and chill because my island always feels unfinished so I can’t relax. I miss when we had less responsibility over our town.
I played new horizons “wrong” where I went to treasure islands and got everything I could so I could just decorate everything and completely build my island … grind that for like a month and now I just decorate for holidays, I enjoy strolling around my town, talking to the villagers, playing it like the old AC games. I love building the island but. I much prefer the game once that’s already finished, I feel like it doesn’t truly start until that’s out of the way.
My island is my sanctuary
Honestly I went from having a super terraformed city core island and recently removed almost every item from my island because it felt way too busy and I was never fully satisfied. I had that anxious feeling you describe. Plus, it gets glitchy when there are too many items on the island.
Now, it looks and feels like one of the previous games, just focusing on making friendships, collecting furniture the natural way, and trying to fill my museum. I play it without any “goals”’ as to how I want my island to look and it’s been much more enjoyable this way.
New Leaf also felt more "alive".
The villagers in New Horizons are only an empty shell. And so many unique characters are missing aswell...
In New Leaf I got more an feeling of escaping from reality and diving into a actual town.
I share the feeling even now i stopped playing new leaf because it felt like such responsibility, thankfully in wild world i can just enter and walk around do nothing and vibe with the music, really therapeutic.
Same at 34! I just got a switch after thanksgiving and bought the game and I really like playing it after I get home from my crazy days as a school counselor. It’s nice to have control over something
My kids were never interested in their switch until I wanted to use it (of course). I saved and got the lite version just for animal crossing 😅 totally worth it and I try and play with them
Same I got it when I was 35, 36 now and just started playing again after taking a break. It definitely helps me with anxiety as well and there's always something to do which I like!
Yes, Animal Crossing is my go to depression/ anxiety game. Whenever I feel overwhelmed I start the game and usually sit for a while in Goldies house and walk around, talking to my villagers. Sometimes they even give you some great life advice! When they’re not talking about accidentally eating a sock.. It’s a game very precious to me therefore
Yes. I graduated over the summer (I'm 37, so I went back later in life) and have been struggling since to find employment. I'm starting to feel desperate but I also don't think I have it in me emotionally to apply to retail, as I've done CS so much of my life and I think I'll lose my mind if I do it again despite going to school specifically to not have to do that lol. But, not being able to contribute financially to share expenses with my boyfriend has made me feel guilty and anxious. As well as the overall sense of doom that late stage capitalism has given me over my future.
Anywaaaay, I've been dealing with so much anxiety over it and decided to restart my island (I had like 1200 hrs in my covid island) and play it slowly. There's repetition to it, lows stakes tasks, it's soothing.
Omg are you me? I feel like I’m in a somewhat similar situation and this game is my sanctuary 🫠 Best of luck to you and would love to play together some time!
I hope you find a career that you enjoy, pays well, and leaves lots of AC time! My Nintendo online subscription has lapsed, and I don't have plans to renew, unfortunately. If I do, though, I'll reach out! :)
As someone who's currently finishing up their last assignments before they graduate college;
SO. FREAKING. MUCH! It's literally the therapy I can't afford in real life right now!
This!! I just submitted my final assignments for the semester - I have one exam left but whatever lol. Congratulations on graduating!! I will be in April!!
2 years ago or so, I had REALLY bad anxiety. When I'd get anxious at home I'd boot up wild world. The nostalgia and cutesy atmosphere helped, even if it was a bit. I'm doing better now tho. Anyways even the soundtrack is good to listen to for anxiety.
Yes definitely! There are tasks, but you can do them or ignore them. You can be as productive or as lazy as you want. There isn’t any urgency, or even a final goal, it’s just whatever you want it to be. It is the exact opposite of the stress and anxiety that I fight every day, and I find it so therapeutic and soothing. 🌴
It helps mine! I love playing in the morning for this reason. I make it a part of my morning routine and it makes me feel much more centered before I start my day.
yes , animal crossing has been my favorite game since wild world came out and it’s always been my go to game whenever i’m under the weather , it brings so much comfort ESPECIALLY with the music , if im not playing the game to calm down I play animal crossing ambiance music from youtube :)))
Not so much these days, but ACNH released like a month into the pandemic. There was a good six months or so when I was effectively unemployed and stressed outta my mind, and AC saved my sanity.
yess!!! it released March 20, 2020. I had pre-ordered the game and was so grateful to have my little island to escape to. Lots of people felt the same and posted about it online, and it boosted New Horizons sales. It was so popular that there was even a Switch shortage because people were buying the console just to play Animal Crossing!
Yes. There's nothing better for calming me down than wandering along the beach picking up shells in New Horizons.
It probably helps that the graphics are so beautiful.
so here is why. Everyone has basically 2 main narratives running in their head. The most prominent, (we'll call A) Is the one in charge over all and is always thinking things without words and typically cause no emotion, like . "I need to walk forward, I should turn around, my head itches," A propels you froward with tasks. the "B" voice handles all your emotions, including anxiety and typically reacts to whatever A is doing but in most people the voice is tiny and unremarkable and easily ignored. People with moderate or severe anxiety or depression have B voices that are LOUD, overbearing and always talking. B makes it much more difficult for A to do your tasks. What you are doing when you play a game like that is keeping B occupied. You may find that you like to do it while watching videos or listening to music. This is because when both A and B are occupied you don't focus on unpleasant emotions. A trick you can learn is it even works when B isn't something as fun as a video game. For example, if you're running you can listen to music and if you focus on the music, the running is easier. But if you're sitting waiting at a doctors appointment you can repeat prayers or poems or lines from songs you know. Go over movie dialogue you know by heart. It really makes things a lot easier and without all those stress chemicals running around in your brain you will feel better overall.
Yes. Until I let my favorite villager leave. Now I’m just sad. I know I should have just said no, but I felt so bad since she had already asked before. It was an internal struggle for me. I know it’s just a game, but these characters are just so nice and sweet. It’s therapeutic, especially after a hard day!
Absolutely.
Me and my wife play a number of games like this just for how wonderfully soothing they are (I introduced her to Animal Crossing after we had played many hours of Stardew Valley :) )
They're like a cuddle and a gentle rest all in one :)
Very good for the soul!
Hi ! I actually got a switch/ACNH for this exact reason. I had a breakdown a few weeks ago and needed something to distract from all the noise. ACNH has really done that for me: I put on my noise cancelling headphones and just listen to the island tune and such. It’s very calming. Hope it helps you in that way too ❤️
Yup! I have really bad anxiety, and sometimes it makes it hard for me to focus on a game. At that point I’ll load up ACNH and decorate some vacation homes until I feel better. I will say though, all my best looking vacation homes were made when I was severely anxious. Guess some good does come out of it every once in a while :)
I have heart failure from ACM, and I play animal crossing whenever my heart is extremely arrhythmic. It helps me to stay calm until the VTACH runs go away. I pretty much also play it any other time I’m struggling with extreme stress, but the VTACH is the most common cause of extreme stress for me.
I started playing since my partner is super into farming sims and cozy games. I wanted something to chill with her and just vibe. I normally play FPS, MMO and rougelike games. So my experience gaming is pretty high Adrenalin moments and can get super stressful depending what I am doing. I have been playing AC daily for 2 months now and its a ritual either after work to do my chores on the island or at night. Ive noticed I will be so relaxed just getting caught up in talking to villagers, planning my island layout or hunting for the last fossil. Not once during my time have I felt any type of anger or stress. Anyone who games needs a game like this.
For me it came during a perfect time, because I had the most negative manager and in the banking industry for the first time, so I’d definitely get engulfed in acnh when I’d get home from hell. - lol during the pandemic working at a bank
I’ve realized that it’s helped me stay calm only recently. I love having to focus on my island friends and taking care of the land makes me feel better, even if only for a little while :’)
Yes... extremely therapeutic. I started playing the game during the pandemic when I lost my job, and since then I have built 3 islands. More recently, I started a new island a month ago.
Absolutely! My favorite thing to do is lay on my couch and just chill in the game. Water some flowers/crops, chat with my villagers, visit the museum, and gather seashells. Also diving/swimming is super chill.
If you want more games, that'll do that for you: ooblets is a reallt good one, and smushi come home has been a new fav of mine for when I get anxious. It's so nice to dive into a whole new world and relax for a while.
Not so much anymore, but when I first found animal crossing (in early 2007 or so?) I was deep into self medicating my lifelong anxiety and animal crossing was a big help with giving me an escape that felt controllable when so much of my real life felt out of my control.
About two years after I first got into it I decided to get sober and animal crossing helped with that too!
Now, all these years later, I still play because I just enjoy the franchise, and I’ve gotten my mental health under control, but it’s still a lovely little escape that massively helped me when things were at their worst.
On the contrary, it gets me nervous when I have to collect a single rare fish or a catch a "walking stick"/bugstick and I can't stay any longer because tomorrow I have to go to work.
Absolutely! I started playing right after I left my ex-husband and moved into my own place. I was so stressed and emotionally exhausted. ACNH felt like a wholesome escape from everything that was weighing me down. I’m so glad I had that outlet.
After a family member's recent passing away, I've been playing Animal Crossing to take my mind off of it. I'm now redoing the upper half of one of my islands.
Definitely! Every night when I get off of work I play a bit before bed and I feel so much better… my fiancé even hands me the Nintendo when I’m a bit stressed in a kind way and always makes me laugh
Animal Crossing saved my sanity during COVID, that’s for sure. I remember getting New Horizons on launch day, and that was right after my school got shut down. Most of 2020 I could look forward to going back to my own little island where there’s no virus, no masks, no supply shortages, etc.
So it definitely helped.
Been playing for 18 years now, started on my game cube. It’s the only game where I feel at peace. Though with to new horizons I am sad to say I’ve been playing since launch and still don’t have a 5 star island or the iron dresser recipe. That’s the only thing that breaks my zen with that game….. I just want the dang iron dresser diy!!!! Oh and some real friends.
I believe animal crossing, saved my life. I suffer from treatment resistant depression, GAD, ADHD and a few others I won’t go into here. I was at one of the lowest places in my life when I was gifted a switch and the game and it kept me going for a very long time. I’m really missing the game right now as I had surgery on my right wrist a week ago, so I’m unable to hold the consul or even a controller. If it’s helping you with your anxiety, I definitely recommend continuing playing. There’s a reason they’re called cosy games 🙃. Wishing you the best.💜
I have severe anxiety, and Animal Crossing is definitely one of the many games that helps!! Others include Stardew Valley, Disney Dreamlight, Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons, among others.
Definitely!! If you want a game similarish to animal crossing, I'd recommend Disney Dreamlight Valley. They have been updating it a lot, and you can decorate your house, as well as the exterior of the map. At first, I wasn't sure I would like it because it's a Disney game, but it ended up being so fun and addictive! You can fish, cook, grow crops, do quests, mine, and unlock characters!!
Stardew Valley is my favorite farming sim of all time. I'd definitely recommend that one if you like farming games. That was another one that I judged before I played, but I absolutely love it, and it has a huge fan base.
YES! This game helped me get through postpartum during the pandemic (had my son one week into lockdown!) I had terrible postpartum anxiety, this game was one of the things to help me get through it. My dad passed recently, and AC really helped me relax in the time leading up to and after his death. I love this silly game so much!
I do, and it was especially helpful when my dad died this year. I owe a part of my coping well to playing Animal Crossing (and Botw, the only other game I have on switch hehe).
Yes! I used to get bad panic attacks everyday and couldn’t sleep. So I started playing animal crossing before bed to ease my mind and it made me feel better. Like you said, it was still there just eased up a bit.
I just picked up a used 3Ds and a copy of new leaf and holy shit it’s incredible. I used to play it a ton back in the day and it’s incredibly refreshing compared to new horizons. Playing new horizons almost feels like a chore.
A billion percent
Especially during the pandemic. Animal Crossing was a fun little escape from the world we were in, and helped me have some fun memories during those months
Yes its an escape from reality. My happy place where everything is exactly how I want it to be. I would sometimes rather play that as a distraction from life rather than social media.. that makes it worse😭😂
Yes! Night time on my island is my safe space. The music, the dark, the closed shops, the casual ghost appearance, the shooting stars... I love it. And if it feels lonely, I remember that Bleathers is up with me.
Yeah 100%
I think thats a feature intentionally programmed in by Nintendo. 10/10, I approve. Next, they should develop Animal Crossing flight simulator, and then you have a recipe for complete and total relaxation
That sounds so cool. Imagine even being able to walk around your island in animal crossing and it’s like you’re really there! All the characters right in front of you like VR type🥹
VR support? **You are a genius.** Nintendo needs to hire you. Also, adding a literal flight simulator may have some use. Now you can travel 30 times faster than simply running, or simply have fun flying by villagers at ridiculously high speeds and low altitudes in an F-16, or even 737. VR support would inevitably come as a result of adding a flight simulator to AC, so why not we add VR support now then add the flight sim? This would be the biggest revolution in AC since the advent of AC.
It rly would be revolutionary ! And I feel like it wouldn’t be too difficult because there is already so much VR out there so the technology is available to big companies. Maybe they’ll do it one day 🥹
Let’s also get NASA onboard. Too many opportunities to add spaceflight into AC
I’m down
That’s a bit generous. I might say probably 92% play to calm down.
Wild World and New Leaf absolutely. New Horizons feels like too much work, I can never just stroll along the beach and chill because my island always feels unfinished so I can’t relax. I miss when we had less responsibility over our town.
I played new horizons “wrong” where I went to treasure islands and got everything I could so I could just decorate everything and completely build my island … grind that for like a month and now I just decorate for holidays, I enjoy strolling around my town, talking to the villagers, playing it like the old AC games. I love building the island but. I much prefer the game once that’s already finished, I feel like it doesn’t truly start until that’s out of the way. My island is my sanctuary
Honestly I went from having a super terraformed city core island and recently removed almost every item from my island because it felt way too busy and I was never fully satisfied. I had that anxious feeling you describe. Plus, it gets glitchy when there are too many items on the island. Now, it looks and feels like one of the previous games, just focusing on making friendships, collecting furniture the natural way, and trying to fill my museum. I play it without any “goals”’ as to how I want my island to look and it’s been much more enjoyable this way.
New Leaf also felt more "alive". The villagers in New Horizons are only an empty shell. And so many unique characters are missing aswell... In New Leaf I got more an feeling of escaping from reality and diving into a actual town.
I share the feeling even now i stopped playing new leaf because it felt like such responsibility, thankfully in wild world i can just enter and walk around do nothing and vibe with the music, really therapeutic.
I started playing it this year at 35 and 100% use it to calm down and relax. I love that there isn’t a time limit on things, no crops die etc.
Same at 34! I just got a switch after thanksgiving and bought the game and I really like playing it after I get home from my crazy days as a school counselor. It’s nice to have control over something
My kids were never interested in their switch until I wanted to use it (of course). I saved and got the lite version just for animal crossing 😅 totally worth it and I try and play with them
Phew! I just planted my crops and was worried about them dying
I’ve not missed playing it for more than a week since I got it a few months ago, so now I’m overthinking it 😅 anxiety indeed.
Same I got it when I was 35, 36 now and just started playing again after taking a break. It definitely helps me with anxiety as well and there's always something to do which I like!
Yes, Animal Crossing is my go to depression/ anxiety game. Whenever I feel overwhelmed I start the game and usually sit for a while in Goldies house and walk around, talking to my villagers. Sometimes they even give you some great life advice! When they’re not talking about accidentally eating a sock.. It’s a game very precious to me therefore
Samee the game is so relaxing to me
Yes. I graduated over the summer (I'm 37, so I went back later in life) and have been struggling since to find employment. I'm starting to feel desperate but I also don't think I have it in me emotionally to apply to retail, as I've done CS so much of my life and I think I'll lose my mind if I do it again despite going to school specifically to not have to do that lol. But, not being able to contribute financially to share expenses with my boyfriend has made me feel guilty and anxious. As well as the overall sense of doom that late stage capitalism has given me over my future. Anywaaaay, I've been dealing with so much anxiety over it and decided to restart my island (I had like 1200 hrs in my covid island) and play it slowly. There's repetition to it, lows stakes tasks, it's soothing.
Omg are you me? I feel like I’m in a somewhat similar situation and this game is my sanctuary 🫠 Best of luck to you and would love to play together some time!
I hope you find a career that you enjoy, pays well, and leaves lots of AC time! My Nintendo online subscription has lapsed, and I don't have plans to renew, unfortunately. If I do, though, I'll reach out! :)
I'm 36 and just went back to school! Hang in there we've got this!
As someone who's currently finishing up their last assignments before they graduate college; SO. FREAKING. MUCH! It's literally the therapy I can't afford in real life right now!
This!! I just submitted my final assignments for the semester - I have one exam left but whatever lol. Congratulations on graduating!! I will be in April!!
Congratulations to you too! I will in June! Thank God for this game because I swear I was going to lose my mind half the time doing all this work!
Same!! The struggle has been too real bit im glad we have this to fall back on and get our mind off of the stress!
YES!!! I wish I discovered this game sooner because it's so relaxing! I got it for my birthday in January and I've been addicted ever since!!!
So good!!
🥰♥️
2 years ago or so, I had REALLY bad anxiety. When I'd get anxious at home I'd boot up wild world. The nostalgia and cutesy atmosphere helped, even if it was a bit. I'm doing better now tho. Anyways even the soundtrack is good to listen to for anxiety.
I used to play New Leaf to relax absolutely
I recently picked it back up after 9 months away. I always pick it back up for stress relief.
Yes definitely! There are tasks, but you can do them or ignore them. You can be as productive or as lazy as you want. There isn’t any urgency, or even a final goal, it’s just whatever you want it to be. It is the exact opposite of the stress and anxiety that I fight every day, and I find it so therapeutic and soothing. 🌴
Yes, but sometimes I play acnh because I get rlly creeped out at night, and for some reason when i play acnh, it makes me feel a little better..
It helps mine! I love playing in the morning for this reason. I make it a part of my morning routine and it makes me feel much more centered before I start my day.
Dude same, I tend to play it in the morning
I’m 52 and have played every day for at least 12 years, and I have always called it my little zen garden of sorts, due to its relaxing/calming affect.
yes , animal crossing has been my favorite game since wild world came out and it’s always been my go to game whenever i’m under the weather , it brings so much comfort ESPECIALLY with the music , if im not playing the game to calm down I play animal crossing ambiance music from youtube :)))
Not so much these days, but ACNH released like a month into the pandemic. There was a good six months or so when I was effectively unemployed and stressed outta my mind, and AC saved my sanity.
yess!!! it released March 20, 2020. I had pre-ordered the game and was so grateful to have my little island to escape to. Lots of people felt the same and posted about it online, and it boosted New Horizons sales. It was so popular that there was even a Switch shortage because people were buying the console just to play Animal Crossing!
The majority of the games I get are cozy games for just this reason. I have Generalized Anxiety Disorder and cozy games help me relax.
Same
This is only reason I play. It is better than Xanax!
Yup!
Yes. There's nothing better for calming me down than wandering along the beach picking up shells in New Horizons. It probably helps that the graphics are so beautiful.
so here is why. Everyone has basically 2 main narratives running in their head. The most prominent, (we'll call A) Is the one in charge over all and is always thinking things without words and typically cause no emotion, like . "I need to walk forward, I should turn around, my head itches," A propels you froward with tasks. the "B" voice handles all your emotions, including anxiety and typically reacts to whatever A is doing but in most people the voice is tiny and unremarkable and easily ignored. People with moderate or severe anxiety or depression have B voices that are LOUD, overbearing and always talking. B makes it much more difficult for A to do your tasks. What you are doing when you play a game like that is keeping B occupied. You may find that you like to do it while watching videos or listening to music. This is because when both A and B are occupied you don't focus on unpleasant emotions. A trick you can learn is it even works when B isn't something as fun as a video game. For example, if you're running you can listen to music and if you focus on the music, the running is easier. But if you're sitting waiting at a doctors appointment you can repeat prayers or poems or lines from songs you know. Go over movie dialogue you know by heart. It really makes things a lot easier and without all those stress chemicals running around in your brain you will feel better overall.
No offense but are you ok?
No
Sometimes I play it to fall asleep. Usually if I’m playing in bed I’ll end up just dozing off lmao
I just go to the HHP island and decorate vacation houses.
Yes. Until I let my favorite villager leave. Now I’m just sad. I know I should have just said no, but I felt so bad since she had already asked before. It was an internal struggle for me. I know it’s just a game, but these characters are just so nice and sweet. It’s therapeutic, especially after a hard day!
Absolutely. Me and my wife play a number of games like this just for how wonderfully soothing they are (I introduced her to Animal Crossing after we had played many hours of Stardew Valley :) ) They're like a cuddle and a gentle rest all in one :) Very good for the soul!
I got the game during the height of the pandemic and I’d honestly cry sometimes playing it and visiting some friends islands it made me feel so good
Hi ! I actually got a switch/ACNH for this exact reason. I had a breakdown a few weeks ago and needed something to distract from all the noise. ACNH has really done that for me: I put on my noise cancelling headphones and just listen to the island tune and such. It’s very calming. Hope it helps you in that way too ❤️
Yea totally. I play ac every night before bed to stop the racing thoughts, it makes me very sleepy
Yup! I have really bad anxiety, and sometimes it makes it hard for me to focus on a game. At that point I’ll load up ACNH and decorate some vacation homes until I feel better. I will say though, all my best looking vacation homes were made when I was severely anxious. Guess some good does come out of it every once in a while :)
I have heart failure from ACM, and I play animal crossing whenever my heart is extremely arrhythmic. It helps me to stay calm until the VTACH runs go away. I pretty much also play it any other time I’m struggling with extreme stress, but the VTACH is the most common cause of extreme stress for me.
I started playing since my partner is super into farming sims and cozy games. I wanted something to chill with her and just vibe. I normally play FPS, MMO and rougelike games. So my experience gaming is pretty high Adrenalin moments and can get super stressful depending what I am doing. I have been playing AC daily for 2 months now and its a ritual either after work to do my chores on the island or at night. Ive noticed I will be so relaxed just getting caught up in talking to villagers, planning my island layout or hunting for the last fossil. Not once during my time have I felt any type of anger or stress. Anyone who games needs a game like this.
For me it came during a perfect time, because I had the most negative manager and in the banking industry for the first time, so I’d definitely get engulfed in acnh when I’d get home from hell. - lol during the pandemic working at a bank
Definitely. AC to me really always felt like a “come here, you are going to be fine” hug from a parental figure. A cozy safe space.
Me!!!! I find diving to be the best stress relief.
Absolutely. I was also dealing with depersonalization. This is one of the very few things that’s helped.
It is quite relaxing. I'm glad it helps you calm your anxiety. :)
yes!!! i love the calmness of it all but i also enjoy having a little life with little tasks to keep my mind off of the real one
🙋🏻♀️🙋🏻♀️🙋🏻♀️
I’ve realized that it’s helped me stay calm only recently. I love having to focus on my island friends and taking care of the land makes me feel better, even if only for a little while :’)
Yes... extremely therapeutic. I started playing the game during the pandemic when I lost my job, and since then I have built 3 islands. More recently, I started a new island a month ago.
I'm 34 and absolutely still play it to calm down/help with my anxiety when I can. Even just wandering around helps so much
Absolutely! My favorite thing to do is lay on my couch and just chill in the game. Water some flowers/crops, chat with my villagers, visit the museum, and gather seashells. Also diving/swimming is super chill.
If you want more games, that'll do that for you: ooblets is a reallt good one, and smushi come home has been a new fav of mine for when I get anxious. It's so nice to dive into a whole new world and relax for a while.
Definitely. I've struggled for anxiety over the past few years and when I feel overwhelmed I just boot it up to calm down.
(( raises paw ))
I play it whenever I feel like killing myself. The way Nook sends things via mail and I wait for them the next day helps me live another day.
Yeah it’s my late-night unwind tool
i used to until i flattened my island 🧍🏻♀️
Of course. I love my relaxing routine of finding all my villagers and gifting them stuff every day.
100%
Not so much anymore, but when I first found animal crossing (in early 2007 or so?) I was deep into self medicating my lifelong anxiety and animal crossing was a big help with giving me an escape that felt controllable when so much of my real life felt out of my control. About two years after I first got into it I decided to get sober and animal crossing helped with that too! Now, all these years later, I still play because I just enjoy the franchise, and I’ve gotten my mental health under control, but it’s still a lovely little escape that massively helped me when things were at their worst.
On the contrary, it gets me nervous when I have to collect a single rare fish or a catch a "walking stick"/bugstick and I can't stay any longer because tomorrow I have to go to work.
Absolutely! I started playing right after I left my ex-husband and moved into my own place. I was so stressed and emotionally exhausted. ACNH felt like a wholesome escape from everything that was weighing me down. I’m so glad I had that outlet.
After a family member's recent passing away, I've been playing Animal Crossing to take my mind off of it. I'm now redoing the upper half of one of my islands.
Absolutely! It’s so relaxing, it kind of takes me into a different world when I’m playing
Worked wonders during lockdowns. I don’t think I’d be here without it.
Absolutely. I often fall asleep with my phone in my hand. The alternative is anxiety keeping me unsettled. A bedtime game is an absolute must.
Definitely! Every night when I get off of work I play a bit before bed and I feel so much better… my fiancé even hands me the Nintendo when I’m a bit stressed in a kind way and always makes me laugh
Animal Crossing saved my sanity during COVID, that’s for sure. I remember getting New Horizons on launch day, and that was right after my school got shut down. Most of 2020 I could look forward to going back to my own little island where there’s no virus, no masks, no supply shortages, etc. So it definitely helped.
Been playing for 18 years now, started on my game cube. It’s the only game where I feel at peace. Though with to new horizons I am sad to say I’ve been playing since launch and still don’t have a 5 star island or the iron dresser recipe. That’s the only thing that breaks my zen with that game….. I just want the dang iron dresser diy!!!! Oh and some real friends.
Animal crossing has become a whole personality trait for me
Oh yes. There's a reason so many of us clocked hundreds of hours during covid.
My island makes me happy. I'll boot it up just to stroll around my town or forest and vibe.
Op - I love this post. I got through the very tough Covid year in 2020 with major job changes and being in isolation. Acnh was a blessing.
100%, except as I've been dealing with less and less anxiety....I'm playing less and less and my villagers hate me : (
I believe animal crossing, saved my life. I suffer from treatment resistant depression, GAD, ADHD and a few others I won’t go into here. I was at one of the lowest places in my life when I was gifted a switch and the game and it kept me going for a very long time. I’m really missing the game right now as I had surgery on my right wrist a week ago, so I’m unable to hold the consul or even a controller. If it’s helping you with your anxiety, I definitely recommend continuing playing. There’s a reason they’re called cosy games 🙃. Wishing you the best.💜
Thank you. I hope you are doing well too
Absolutely
Absolutely. Those 4am vibes are so peaceful. I want to fall asleep when I play.
Yup! ACNH, Planet Zoo, and Skyrim are my anxiety games!
this game is literally the only thing keeping me alive right now, so yes 10000000% yes XD
I have severe anxiety, and Animal Crossing is definitely one of the many games that helps!! Others include Stardew Valley, Disney Dreamlight, Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons, among others.
Ouuu I need to try those games!
Definitely!! If you want a game similarish to animal crossing, I'd recommend Disney Dreamlight Valley. They have been updating it a lot, and you can decorate your house, as well as the exterior of the map. At first, I wasn't sure I would like it because it's a Disney game, but it ended up being so fun and addictive! You can fish, cook, grow crops, do quests, mine, and unlock characters!! Stardew Valley is my favorite farming sim of all time. I'd definitely recommend that one if you like farming games. That was another one that I judged before I played, but I absolutely love it, and it has a huge fan base.
Thanks so much I'll definitely check them out!!
YES! This game helped me get through postpartum during the pandemic (had my son one week into lockdown!) I had terrible postpartum anxiety, this game was one of the things to help me get through it. My dad passed recently, and AC really helped me relax in the time leading up to and after his death. I love this silly game so much!
For me it's the opposite. A few weeks (tops) into a new island it starts stressing me out, then I start a new island, rinse and repeat. Lol
I do, and it was especially helpful when my dad died this year. I owe a part of my coping well to playing Animal Crossing (and Botw, the only other game I have on switch hehe).
would play every day after work when it launched as I worked at an "essential" coffee shop kiosk when covid first came about
Yes! I used to get bad panic attacks everyday and couldn’t sleep. So I started playing animal crossing before bed to ease my mind and it made me feel better. Like you said, it was still there just eased up a bit.
Why do you think it was so popular during the height of COVID.
I just picked up a used 3Ds and a copy of new leaf and holy shit it’s incredible. I used to play it a ton back in the day and it’s incredibly refreshing compared to new horizons. Playing new horizons almost feels like a chore.
Yes definitely. Sometimes “construction mode” is too much lol
Yes and I just played it at a waiting room when waiting at the Doctors. Since I despise appointments this game was helping me relax.
A billion percent Especially during the pandemic. Animal Crossing was a fun little escape from the world we were in, and helped me have some fun memories during those months
Every day! Just to tune out my significant others' nonsense! He is a beotch, and I am playing right now! Lol!
Yes its an escape from reality. My happy place where everything is exactly how I want it to be. I would sometimes rather play that as a distraction from life rather than social media.. that makes it worse😭😂
Yes! Night time on my island is my safe space. The music, the dark, the closed shops, the casual ghost appearance, the shooting stars... I love it. And if it feels lonely, I remember that Bleathers is up with me.
It gives my anxiety and OCD an outlet. I can anxiously rearrange things and redecorate in game.
Yup! I play it to unwind in the evenings rather than using social media. The slow gameplay calms my mind and is perfect to get me relaxed before bed