Answers.Body: <p>Chess is especially great for men. <a href="http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/006016848X" rel="noreferrer">As you may know,</a> when men are stressed out by really big problems it helps to divert their attention to a hobby. That way they can be working to solve smaller problems. People say chess makes you think hard. I think the guys who play it actually want to relax. It's like watching football.</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <h2>"But I play chess to not think."</h2>
    
    <p>--CLUB PLAYER</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>For me it becomes very zen, especially when just playing with my friends. In America our attitude is very task oriented or goal focused. When you're playing with a friend and you've got the game all wrapped up, it's more about being there. Asian cultures generally have this attitude. It's about the experience of the leaves, the air, the black tea, or the fountain behind you. The friendly curiosity of girls walking by on their way to class. Maybe the encouragement of a few spectators gathered around your board to watch.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-12-12T19:47:35.863Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2012-12-12T19:47:35.863Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Tyler Langan
Answers.Body: <p>Friends I really had an ill-fated childhood as one of my close relative was acute alcoholic and I had severe mental disorders like OCD and Social Anxiety. However with the help of caring people like parents and treatment in a international Bangalore based Deemed University today I walk free from the shackles of mental illness. I play chess for earning and I play it in India. No I am not that much successful and my ELO Rating is below  1800 but I enjoy playing the game . Though initially I had some problems regarding the physical aspect of competitive chess today with proper diet and exercise I have overcome that. Thankfully my chess coach is understanding and due to my exposure to life, chess has given me a new view  to life. High level competitive chess is helping me to do my other works nicely as it is helping me to have a definite goal and structured thinking pattern. Obviously I do not practice for hours as that can be detrimental but I do practice for about 7-8 hours weekly. I know that to do well  I should practice a little more, say about 15-16 hours per week but not more than that as everyone's brain has its limitations. Chess has really empowered me and due to the fact that I can count my blessings(that at least I am winning some games) I am happy with my life. Thank you chess.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2013-01-21T19:03:14.077Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2013-01-21T19:03:14.077Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Master Blaster
Answers.Body: <p>There is a professional chess therapist out there.</p>
  
  <p><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20170105171446/http://szachoterapia.pl/kontakt.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://web.archive.org/web/20170105171446/http://szachoterapia.pl/kontakt.html</a></p>
  
  <p>NOTE: the <a href="http://chess-therapy.org" rel="nofollow noreferrer">original link</a> is dead, and the website is only available on the Wayback Machine in Polish.</p>
  
  <p>Let me quote the overview of her ideas from her website:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>chess is the bridge between the therapist and the world of the kid</li>
  <li>action on the board serves as an ice-breaker and stimulates the conversation</li>
  <li>initially the therapist plays passively and observes the child</li>
  <li>only much later the therapist raises the stress level by more active play</li>
  <li>this kind of interaction at the chessboard serves as a diagnostic tool</li>
  <li>the core of the method: new behaviors learned in chess transfer to the kid's real life</li>
  <li>chess therapy ignores correct chess from the competitive point of view</li>
  </ul>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2023-10-19T08:47:17.447Z
Answers.Text: +1. But, study/evidence of effectiveness would be cool.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Cyriac Antony
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-05-28T10:43:08.040Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2019-07-01T09:33:46.077Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2019-07-01T09:33:46.077Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: MichalRyszardWojcik
Answers.Body: <p><strong>I recommend to consult the book &quot;<a href="https://books.google.co.in/books?hl=en&amp;lr=&amp;id=9cEGAgAAQBAJ&amp;oi=fnd&amp;pg=PR5&amp;dq=chess%20therapy&amp;ots=4dTyof8tZN&amp;sig=rabrG10wxH4IKk8TYPbggX-DJr0&amp;redir_esc=y#v=onepage&amp;q=chess%20therapy&amp;f=false" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Chess Therapy</a>&quot; by Fadul and Canlas. The book seems comprehensive to me</strong> (in a first look). The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess_therapy" rel="nofollow noreferrer">wikipediea article</a> looks good enough as a starting point (which seems to be largely based on the writings of the above two authors).</p>
  <p>There are more recent articles, such as these two.</p>
  <ul>
  <li>&quot;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rpsmen.2016.01.003" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Efficacy of chess training for the treatment of ADHD: A prospective, open label study</a>&quot; (a pilot study of efficacy of chess in ADHD treatment).</li>
  <li><a href="https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/bmjopen/12/9/e057707.full.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Effects of chess-based cognitive remediation training as therapy add-on in alcohol and tobacco use disorders: protocol of a randomised, controlled clinical fMRI trial</a></li>
  </ul>
  <p>The articles on chess and psychoanalysis seems irrelevant for this question.</p>
  <p>PS: Seeing the <a href="https://chess.stackexchange.com/a/17671/14678">answer</a> of MichalRyszardWojcik, I searched for journal articles that discuss it, and found one in Asian Journal of Psychiatry immediately, to my surprise: Chess therapy: A new approach to curing panic attack. But, it is a letter to the editor and is only anecdotal &quot;evidence&quot; (there are plenty of such resources).</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2023-10-19T09:11:33.277Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2023-10-19T09:29:15.710Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2023-10-19T09:29:15.710Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Cyriac Antony
Answers.Body: <p>I am not an expert, but an active chess player at <a href="https://www.chess.com" rel="nofollow noreferrer">chess.com</a> and participate in its forums. Yes, chess can be therapeutic. Playing chess involves co-ordination of different mental abilities like strategy, tactics, intuition, visual imagery, risk analysis, control of emotions, etc. Actively playing chess everyday keeps the mind sharp and attentive. In most cases, it has also shown improvements in mental conditions like ADHD, OCD, Depression, etc.</p>
  
  <p>However, over indulgence into anything is bad and playing compulsively over long duration can effect the individual's thought process. Many schizophrenic persons who play chess start visualizing everything including this life, its people and events as chess moves. If the connection with chess is too deep, real life relations with people are affected. These studies are not confirmed, and are said to be more like "adding order to chaos" from schizophrenic mind's perspective.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-07-11T20:15:58.563Z
Answers.Text: Do you have any material showing the connection between chess and OCD?
Answers.UserDisplayName: lvella
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2020-06-15T01:41:33.113Z
Answers.Text: I don't know how to explain it but I once had a similar thing. I was continuously playing Breath of the Wild maybe many hours a day and once when I was walking outside, I sort of felt like I was sitting in front of the TV playing that game while I was walking outside in the real world. I'm not seeing things that way anymore now that it's so long since I last played the game.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Timothy
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2020-06-15T01:42:38.693Z
Answers.Text: That's so funny, seeing other events as chess moves.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Timothy
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2020-06-15T01:50:17.857Z
Answers.Text: You might be able to benefit Psycology and Neuroscience Stack Exchange by asking and answering your own question giving information about people who compulsively play chess seeing other events as chess moves.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Timothy
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2020-06-29T03:27:34.823Z
Answers.Text: I just asked the question https://chess.stackexchange.com/questions/30181/can-playing-too-much-chess-make-you-see-everything-as-chess-moves based on your answer. Maybe you have a pretty good idea how to answer it. Not that other people don't have things that are worthy of drawing attention to the right person in the right way. It's just easier for one to find those things for oneself than it is for others to find them for them.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Timothy
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-12-11T07:12:18.453Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2019-08-01T19:45:15.230Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2019-08-01T19:45:15.230Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: manav m-n
Body: <p>Have there been any studies on using chess for therapy?</p>
  
  <p>If so, what conditions or illnesses have benefited most from using chess as a therapy? Are there certain conditions or illnesses were it has actually been more stressful?</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2023-10-19T13:26:20.187Z
Comments.Text: Circumstantial evidence from GMs is inconclusive - some may have went off the deep end *by* chess, some may had their live saved by chess.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Hauke Reddmann
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2012-12-10T15:51:02.043Z
Comments.Text: Hard to say, we're not therapists :-). Google gives me that: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess_therapy.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Zistoloen
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2012-12-10T15:57:30.580Z
Comments.Text: @Zistoloen - Yeah, I saw that link.  You don't have to be a therapist and you never know if one may pop-up on the site.
Comments.UserDisplayName: xaisoft
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2012-12-11T02:14:57.920Z
Comments.Text: IMHO these are three different questions, perhaps you should consider to use each question separated from the others. Have there been studies, yes. Conditions or Illnesses benefited: ADDH. Conditions or illnesses were it has actually been more stressful: OCD and  others similar.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Helio
Tags: <psychology>
Title: Using chess for therapy?
ThreadText: # Using chess for therapy?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2012-12-10)
  
  Have there been any studies on using chess for therapy?
  
  If so, what conditions or illnesses have benefited most from using chess as a therapy? Are there certain conditions or illnesses were it has actually been more stressful?
  
  **Tags:** psychology
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_2**: Hard to say, we're not therapists :-). Google gives me that: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess_therapy.  
  > **username_0**: @username_2 - Yeah, I saw that link.  You don't have to be a therapist and you never know if one may pop-up on the site.  
  > **username_3**: IMHO these are three different questions, perhaps you should consider to use each question separated from the others. Have there been studies, yes. Conditions or Illnesses benefited: ADDH. Conditions or illnesses were it has actually been more stressful: OCD and  others similar.  
  > **username_1**: Circumstantial evidence from GMs is inconclusive - some may have went off the deep end *by* chess, some may had their live saved by chess.  
  
  ---
  
  ## 5 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_8 on 2012-12-11. Score: 10 | Accepted answer
  
  I am not an expert, but an active chess player at [chess.com](https://www.chess.com) and participate in its forums. Yes, chess can be therapeutic. Playing chess involves co-ordination of different mental abilities like strategy, tactics, intuition, visual imagery, risk analysis, control of emotions, etc. Actively playing chess everyday keeps the mind sharp and attentive. In most cases, it has also shown improvements in mental conditions like ADHD, OCD, Depression, etc.
  
  However, over indulgence into anything is bad and playing compulsively over long duration can effect the individual's thought process. Many schizophrenic persons who play chess start visualizing everything including this life, its people and events as chess moves. If the connection with chess is too deep, real life relations with people are affected. These studies are not confirmed, and are said to be more like "adding order to chaos" from schizophrenic mind's perspective.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_9**: Do you have any material showing the connection between chess and OCD?  
  > **username_10**: I don't know how to explain it but I once had a similar thing. I was continuously playing Breath of the Wild maybe many hours a day and once when I was walking outside, I sort of felt like I was sitting in front of the TV playing that game while I was walking outside in the real world. I'm not seeing things that way anymore now that it's so long since I last played the game.  
  > **username_10**: That's so funny, seeing other events as chess moves.  
  > **username_10**: You might be able to benefit Psycology and Neuroscience Stack Exchange by asking and answering your own question giving information about people who compulsively play chess seeing other events as chess moves.  
  > **username_10**: I just asked the question https://chess.stackexchange.com/questions/30181/can-playing-too-much-chess-make-you-see-everything-as-chess-moves based on your answer. Maybe you have a pretty good idea how to answer it. Not that other people don't have things that are worthy of drawing attention to the right person in the right way. It's just easier for one to find those things for oneself than it is for others to find them for them.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_4 on 2012-12-12. Score: 6
  
  Chess is especially great for men. [As you may know,](http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/006016848X) when men are stressed out by really big problems it helps to divert their attention to a hobby. That way they can be working to solve smaller problems. People say chess makes you think hard. I think the guys who play it actually want to relax. It's like watching football.
  
  > ## "But I play chess to not think."
  >
  > --CLUB PLAYER
  
  For me it becomes very zen, especially when just playing with my friends. In America our attitude is very task oriented or goal focused. When you're playing with a friend and you've got the game all wrapped up, it's more about being there. Asian cultures generally have this attitude. It's about the experience of the leaves, the air, the black tea, or the fountain behind you. The friendly curiosity of girls walking by on their way to class. Maybe the encouragement of a few spectators gathered around your board to watch.
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_5 on 2013-01-21. Score: 6
  
  Friends I really had an ill-fated childhood as one of my close relative was acute alcoholic and I had severe mental disorders like OCD and Social Anxiety. However with the help of caring people like parents and treatment in a international Bangalore based Deemed University today I walk free from the shackles of mental illness. I play chess for earning and I play it in India. No I am not that much successful and my ELO Rating is below 1800 but I enjoy playing the game . Though initially I had some problems regarding the physical aspect of competitive chess today with proper diet and exercise I have overcome that. Thankfully my chess coach is understanding and due to my exposure to life, chess has given me a new view to life. High level competitive chess is helping me to do my other works nicely as it is helping me to have a definite goal and structured thinking pattern. Obviously I do not practice for hours as that can be detrimental but I do practice for about 7-8 hours weekly. I know that to do well I should practice a little more, say about 15-16 hours per week but not more than that as everyone's brain has its limitations. Chess has really empowered me and due to the fact that I can count my blessings(that at least I am winning some games) I am happy with my life. Thank you chess.
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_6 on 2017-05-28. Score: 3
  
  There is a professional chess therapist out there.
  
  <http://web.archive.org/web/20170105171446/http://szachoterapia.pl/kontakt.html>
  
  NOTE: the [original link](http://chess-therapy.org) is dead, and the website is only available on the Wayback Machine in Polish.
  
  Let me quote the overview of her ideas from her website:
  
  * chess is the bridge between the therapist and the world of the kid
  * action on the board serves as an ice-breaker and stimulates the conversation
  * initially the therapist plays passively and observes the child
  * only much later the therapist raises the stress level by more active play
  * this kind of interaction at the chessboard serves as a diagnostic tool
  * the core of the method: new behaviors learned in chess transfer to the kid's real life
  * chess therapy ignores correct chess from the competitive point of view
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_7**: +1. But, study/evidence of effectiveness would be cool.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_7 on 2023-10-19. Score: 1
  
  **I recommend to consult the book "[Chess Therapy](https://books.google.co.in/books?hl=en&lr=&id=9cEGAgAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PR5&dq=chess%20therapy&ots=4dTyof8tZN&sig=rabrG10wxH4IKk8TYPbggX-DJr0&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=chess%20therapy&f=false)" by Fadul and Canlas. The book seems comprehensive to me** (in a first look). The [wikipediea article](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess_therapy) looks good enough as a starting point (which seems to be largely based on the writings of the above two authors).
  
  There are more recent articles, such as these two.
  
  * "[Efficacy of chess training for the treatment of ADHD: A prospective, open label study](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rpsmen.2016.01.003)" (a pilot study of efficacy of chess in ADHD treatment).
  * [Effects of chess-based cognitive remediation training as therapy add-on in alcohol and tobacco use disorders: protocol of a randomised, controlled clinical fMRI trial](https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/bmjopen/12/9/e057707.full.pdf)
  
  The articles on chess and psychoanalysis seems irrelevant for this question.
  
  PS: Seeing the [answer](https://chess.stackexchange.com/a/17671/14678) of username_6, I searched for journal articles that discuss it, and found one in Asian Journal of Psychiatry immediately, to my surprise: Chess therapy: A new approach to curing panic attack. But, it is a letter to the editor and is only anecdotal "evidence" (there are plenty of such resources).
  
  
  ---
  
  