How it started

The reason behind this event is not as fun as the collaboration itself, but incredibly important. But before we get into that; if YOU are struggling with your own mental health, know that you are far from alone. A lot of people around you have gone through similar things. More than you imagine. And talking to someone can really help. But I know, it is hard. It took me years to open up about my own struggles, and I still find it hard to talk about.

If you don’t want to, or can’t, talk to someone close, or if you’re considering suicide, seek professional help immediately. This handy link houses links to good places to start from around the world.

I started Gaming for Mental Health last year when I did a 12h charity stream for the Tim Bergling Foundation and raised $1040 with just 200 subscribers on YouTube. For this year I decided to make it a tradition but also change it up a bit, hence this event. Part of the reason I do it is to keep myself busy throughout the roughest time of the year for me, on top of the whole doing good thing.

Mental Health is a rising global issue!

And the worst part is, this is by no means an outlier or unique story. In Sweden, 73% of women between 16 and 29 said they were experiencing anxiety or worry. 46% of men. When limiting the question to severe issues, the numbers were a staggering 23% of women and 9% of men.

This graph (green for men, purple for women) shows these numbers over time and as is obvious, the numbers are going the wrong way.

Women are more commonly treated for suicide attempts at Swedish hospitals than men, but men have a higher suicide rate.

These statistics are similar across the world. Mental health is like a pandemic without a vaccine and we don't know how to treat it properly.