Mana Restore: new resources for gamer wellbeing

Mental distress related to social media and gaming is new but very real phenomenon in mental health and suicide prevention. The Harmful Digital Communications Act 2015 was passed in New Zealand to prevent and lessen harmful online behaviour and has included inciting suicide online within its parameters. The World Health Organisation confirmed in 2018 a newly classified mental illness diagnosis of Gaming Disorder.

Dr Monique Faleafa, CEO of Le Va has led this innovative work and states:

“for Generation ‘Screenagers’, the online world and the relationships they have with other people in it, cannot be separated from the relationships they have with people in the real world. That’s why Le Va have ensured that our mental health literacy programme, The Mental Wealth Project is relevant in cyberspace, and in this case, for gamers”.

Le Va has teamed up with Netsafe, Homecare Medical, Headspace Australia and Riot Games (who produce League of Legends) to develop resources for the New Zealand gaming community to level up their mental health, and to get the right support if they need it. 
Co-designed with gamers, clinicians, parents, and cultural knowledge holders, Le Va has launched Mana Restore – a place for gamers to go when they Mana is running low. In addition, webchat is available 24/7 via the website, which is a huge access point for young people to get the help they need.

Resources include information and factsheets on topics such as healthy gaming, tips for friends and whanau, improving one’s sleep, depression, anxiety and digital detoxing.

Le Va launched the Mana Restore website in tandem with the League of Legends e-sports tournament Oceanic Pro League event run by Riot Games across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific. Riot Games made mental health the theme for the pro-league, and Le Va was given the honour of naming the e-sports tournament: ‘Recall and Restore’. Gamers from all over Oceania tweeted photos of healthy ways to keep them in a good headspace.

Additional support for New Zealand gamers via the Mana Restore page is the easy access to a trained counsellor via live web-chat, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Discover more free help options in New Zealand to ensure you get the help you need.