Jane McConigal had concussion which was not getting better and she started playing ‘Jane the concussion slayer’ which helped, which then led to creating Super Better (see video below).
One of the aspects of the games that appealed to me was that it builds resilience in four areas: mental, emotional, physical and social.
Jane says in her short video intro to the Super Better game “Study after study shows that resilience is the single most important personal skill you can develop — if you want to be happier, healthier and more successful in whatever you do.”
In the beginning of the ‘game’ you are given a choice what challenge you want to work on.
Examples are: depression, physical injury, concussion, anxiety, chronic pain, will power, sleeping better, lowering stress, loosing weight, more energy, eating healthier, workout, or ‘I am just getting better’. You can change your challenge at any time.
The free Game consists of Power packs from which you can choose quests, power ups, bad guys, future boosts.
Some other Power packs are: Absurdly grateful, Stress buster, simply connected, realistic optimism, will power and weight loss.
The Power pack I just started is called Mood Elevator Ground Floor and can help with depression, migraines, post traumatic stress, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue sympdrome, irritable bowel syndrome and much more.
“The Power Packs are backed by science and developed with our partners and advisors, including doctors and researchers at Stanford University, UC Berkeley, Ohio State University Medical Center, and Ardmore Institute of Health.”
The game provides a SuperBetter science lab with lots of Information about the science behind it all and trackers of progress with charts and a section for your own notes.
Connected to the game is a Super Better Forum/community. This provides more information as well as meeting other people playing the game.
Having an Ally in the game is encouraged (Read the science behind this here) and you can either invite your friends or find allies via the forum.
The game that can give you 10 extra years of life
by Jane McConigal
Find the SuperBetter game here. It is also available at itunes as an SuperBetter iTunes App and SuperBetter App on Google Play.
Below is a tweet with the exciting news of funding for clinical trial.
It’s official! @SuperBetter has an NIH grant for a clinical trial to treat mild Traumatic Brain Injury, w/partner OSU Medical Research Ctr.
— Jane McGonigal (@avantgame) September 11, 2013
More information about this The study started in September 2013 and is estimated to finish in October 2014
In one of the introduction 1:11 min videos, Jane says that even though we maybe going to the gym an hour a day we need tiny amounts of exercise every hour to have physical resilience!
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Empower Yourself through Awareness 
Yorinda
I never play to many games but this makes you look at a lot of things differently .
You always hear the saying “The game of life” well this is truly the new game of life.
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Hi Yorinda,
How interesting is this? I watched the video and it seems to me that this game is one of great growth.
I’m not a gamer, but this gal has some great scientific background. I enjoyed this very much and thank you for sharing it.
-Donna
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Fascinating Yorinda – of course considering I write about resilience nobody need sell me on the benefits, it’s just nice seeing others recognize it. I have to agree with some of the other comments that I’ve never been a gamer but this is really interesting and definitely gets the mind going. Thanks!
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Yorinda, Love this! It is clever using the game idea, thanks for sharing 🙂
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Hi Yorinda, Sounds very interesting. Thank you for sharing. Have a great evening. Monna
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Yorinda,
We could have missed this and never would have benefited. I also, like Allen do not have time to play games. I never like it based on just two. Cards and Chess are the only two I love. Now, I took a look at the game you have presented. Yet, this is like a continuous game of life. I love the concept and will have to take a Saturday and get started.
This is one of the best shares to help us personally. I love the personal growth aspect it has.
Thank you for giving another amazing worthy activity.
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Yorinda,
I love the idea of taking real-life problems and helping people to overcome them by playing a “game.” Some people cannot bring themselves to go for therapy or to attend a therapeutic group. The idea of that can be so threatening and some people feel so much shame about whatever their unique problem is.
So inviting them to join a game, something that we associate with fun and skill development, takes away the seriousness and the stigma. And yet each person is truly focusing on their issues that they want and need to get a handle on and overcome.
Warmly,
Dr. Erica
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LOVED this! TY for sharing … going to check it out
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My first visit to your blog…looks great. My son had a mild concussion a couple of years ago. It’s only now with all the medical studies do we know how concussion can affect people even years after.
This GAME looks similar to Lumosity Brain Training. I don’t suppose it matters which GAME you play as long as it suits the individual and it works for them after all it’s all about GETTING BETTER.
Great blog post,
Martin
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Hello Yorinda! Now this is a fantastic idea, I am so busy yet I am being pulled into this game of yours. Yeppers I am on my way to sign up now. I am looking forward to this.. Thanks for sharing.. Chery :))
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That Ted Talk was great! Thanks for sharing. Our boys are gamers, so I like seeing positive reviews of such activities and for our one fairly shy son, it is a social outreach for him. I don’t see the game for an Android – only Apple users. I hope there is and Android version soon!
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Yorinda, this game seems like such an awesome game 🙂 I think creating such a message through a game is a great way to teach others and assist them in becoming successful.
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I had to buy this game as soon as I read about it even though the only games I have on my iPad are word games plus Lumosity (Brain Games) which I bought to for my son to use on the recommendation of his literacy tutor.
To try and help my disabled son learn I have been studying brain plasticity and how the brain can continue to develop by forming new pathways. I imagine Superbetter is based on this idea, especially for brain injury, and being presented in game format will make it fun to use. Even if it is too advanced for him to use, I am giving a go myself. As my age advances I want to keep the grey matter active on the principle of “Use it or Lose It”.
I used to buy him all sorts of educational PC based games but he was not interested. On an iPad he is engrossed by them.
Thank you for introducing us to Superbetter Yorinda.
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That’s a pretty awesome thought Yorinda!
But I really echo the sentiments Dr.Erica pointed out! People are probably 10 times more likely
to actively and willing participate in some type of game.
Especially one they enjoy and gets lots of satisfaction from, as opposed to feeling either stress or
shameful for seeking out professional help for a real recurring problem of some kind!
And if this lady has found a way to help people through participating in a game of some type!
I say bravo and more power to her!
The video is awesome! I’m going to try and find a subject that I can write about in order to share it as well! Thanks1
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