Can Ordinary Horror Games Reduce Avoidant and Safety Behaviours in Players with Anxiety Disorders?

Abstract

Since 2010, several studies have highlighted the ability of therapeutic video games to reduce avoidant and safety behaviours in individuals with anxiety disorders (ADs). However, there has been little exploration into whether horror games can have similar effects on these behaviours without incorporating explicit therapeutic design strategies. This paper provides an exploratory heuristic analysis of Carbon Steel (Klubnika, 2022), an indie puzzle horror game, to investigate its potential impact on reducing avoidant and safety behaviours in players with ADs. Carbon Steel evokes fear and tension, elements that are typically seen as counterproductive in anxiety management, yet it may offer players controlled exposure to fear-inducing events, which are central to therapeutic techniques like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), attention bias modification (ABM), and exposure training. The analysis explores how Carbon Steel, though not designed as a therapeutic tool, might indirectly provide benefits for players with anxiety disorders. This paper advocates for further research into how ordinary horror games could be adapted to serve as supplementary tools for more accessible and engaging mental health interventions, offering diverse approaches to anxiety management and prevention.