@inproceedings{a171d38beb2c4e7f9082ed8e4f7646e4,
title = "An Interactive Game to aid with Anxiety Management",
abstract = "Most, if not all, persons have reacted negatively to stress at some point. However, when daily functioning is hindered by feelings of anxiety, it is likely that a person could be suffering from an anxiety disorder. There are many treatment options available for anxiety and anxiety related disorders that vary in effectiveness depending on the patient, mental health professional and environment in which the treatment is administered. Many sufferers, however, do not approach mental health professionals with their disorders in the first place. This project aims to create a game that is accessible and low-cost and that shields the user from societal stigma to an extent. This game aims to enable the user to indirectly work out of an anxiety attack by starting at a difficult level and ending at an easy level (contrary to traditional gaming convention). Several psychologists have claimed that this game could be effective at managing anxiety symptoms, with an average rating of 65% being awarded for the game's effectiveness at managing anxiety. Hopefully, this project will begin the first of many more accessible and affordable serious games that aim to assist with mental health issues; a serious, albeit often overlooked societal vulnerability.",
keywords = "accessible, anxiety, emotional neutrality, game development, management, mental health, serious games",
author = "Shiksha Dheda and Reolyn Heymann",
note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2019 IEEE.; 7th IEEE International Conference on Serious Games and Applications for Health, SeGAH 2019 ; Conference date: 05-08-2019 Through 07-08-2019",
year = "2019",
month = aug,
doi = "10.1109/SeGAH.2019.8882483",
language = "English",
series = "2019 IEEE 7th International Conference on Serious Games and Applications for Health, SeGAH 2019",
publisher = "Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.",
editor = "Duarte Duque and Jeremy White and Nuno Rodrigues and Vilaca, {Joao L.} and Nuno Dias",
booktitle = "2019 IEEE 7th International Conference on Serious Games and Applications for Health, SeGAH 2019",
address = "United States",
}