Anxiety Attacks

Certain things are harder to explain than others, especially those that can only be experienced with one’s mind. It would be difficult to explain the concept of right and left to an alien, for example, because it only makes sense to us. The same is true for various mental disorders, since there is no way for healthy people to imagine what individuals with depressions feel and see.

Anxiety Attacks is a simple exploration game that aims to show everyone what it’s like to live with anxiety, or at least a close representation of the disorder. The game has no enemies and it’s not really a horror flick, since there are no monsters or jump scares. Instead, you have to deal with constant panic attacks and incessant thoughts that prevent you from thinking clearly.

Everything starts rather peacefully, since the action takes place in a serene forest with trees, flowers and quite a bit of green grass all over the ground. You don’t do much other than walk around, but it doesn’t take long for the first episode to take place. The main gameplay mechanic revolves around being able to regulate your breathing correctly, which is done by pressing the appropriate keys at the right time.

In case you want the full package, the game also allows you to activate the subliminal messages. These are basically random thoughts that would pop in the mind of an anxiety patient, and they usually contribute a lot to the inception of an attack. “I’m paralyzed”, “I can’t see”, or “I’m suffocating” are just some of the examples, and the experience can get pretty scary after a while.

As mentioned before, the game’s purpose is not to terrify the players or scare them with cheap thrills, but rather to offer them a glimpse into the mind of a man suffering from anxiety and depression. Granted, it’s not the most joyful activity you can engage in when it comes to video games, but if you are curious about what such people have to go through just to get through a regular day, this is a very simple way to do that.

In the end, Anxiety Attacks can be a great tool for people who want to understand their friends suffering from anxiety and depression. The disorder is hard to put into words, which is why it may be a lot easier to understand if you could see at least a fraction of what actually goes on in the mind of a patient.