I have a high stress job and many nights when I get home a quick game takes the edge off a brutal day!

Very true,Years ago i would have a very stressful day and coming home i would power up all the pins and loved to watch all the LED's and attract sounds.It was like taking a huge step back in time

Absolutely! Had a high stress job and playing pinball after, or before a
difficult day really helped.
Steve

Wow! What a thread ...still reading the posts

Pinball is a great way to vent your frustration. Especially when watching football.

I actually got PTSD in 2015 after a car crash that nearly killed both me and my dad. We got very lucky that the car that hit us tried to avoid us on the last moment, otherwise we would have gone straight into a large tree. (See photo: both front and back axle snapped in half and the front of the car was gone) While I am almost "complaint free" now, my dad will most likely always suffer from the whiplash he got that day. (he is not able to lift "heavy things" and can't work for 100%)

In my case with the PTSD I landed in a huge depression and I didn't want to do anything anymore, or just couldn't because all my energy got drained. I quit school and my side job, and started focussing on getting better. After multiple sessions of EMDR therapy, my psychologist said I should try to enjoy life again.. So I started playing and repairing my machines, and I truly believe that it helped me to get rid of (some of) my negative thoughts and feelings. If pinball makes you feel happy, play pinball! Spending time with loved ones really helped me too.

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Personally, I try to work or play my games to get my mind off my severe depression. Some days a good repair or game lifts me up a good deal. And the days nothing works usually don't hit me super hard like anything else normally would.

Pinball is a good thing to direct attention to and distracts from emotional things. It’s a very healthy hobby and has been good to me.

I typically play for 30 min to a hour every weeknight. I normally do this when my wife is taking her bath. It definitely gets my mind off of work and other day to day stress. It’s a great way to relax.

I have found that pinball helps me tremendously. I don't even need to play my machines. Sometimes just watching them in atract mode is enough. I spent three years in Iraq as a soldier. I spent 20 years on active duty as an M1 Abrams crewman. Those three years in Iraq were spent actively seeking out the enemy. Non of it was fun to say the least.. Playing is soothing for me. Now I can get worked up playing but its never anger. Of all the things I've done for therapy pinball is my 1 that really makes me feel better. Working on them Playing them. The thing is i have to be fully involved with it and that takes your mind off of the other stuff. Now my wife is supportive for sure till I tell her how much these dang things cost.

If staying out in the garage until 3 AM with all the games on until I am so drunk and high that I can't even stand is therapy, then yes, I've been therapized.

This covid has been tough for me. Wife is a high risk candidate so haven’t been able to hang out with anyone or have the kids over. Now that I’m working at home they think you just all of a sudden have extra time and they expect it now. Been a tough few months but having a game room has helped tremendously. Thirsty Thursday has been a great way to clear the mind! Few beers, pinball, and have been listening to psychostick live. Never really knew who they where until quarantine. Pretty funny stuff. But yes pinball is very therapeutic

Several years ago I was on the shelf with a pretty gnarly leg injury that had me off my feet for several months. After PT was done I still had problems standing for more than a few minutes. I had the brilliant idea to try to get back into pinball to help with this. A friend sent me a pic of an MM at a nearby bowling alley so I started my other PT... Pinball Therapy. That helped me stand for a while. I also was able to vastly improve my game and before long I was standing in front of that game for 30-45 minutes at a crack for a single game. So, mission accomplished.

$35 solution for disabled.
Let's all get PinAbled! https://www.facebook.com/61551670333035/posts/pfbid02fTTCoofCYApfzLaFiLGKmqTmJj1GjXHZWCB3pQsdKXFtVsuzA9JVWPR2BRYcb46El/?mibextid=Nif5oz