Distraction, in any form, is great for pain relief and to just pass the time.

I play Words With Friends. I try to avoid some of the video games as I get TOO involved and forget that there is a house to clean, dinner to make, etc. Then again, sometimes, it's good to forget those things! LOL

Just missed the edit window by minutes...

Endorphins are another huge factor, and laughter—among other things—stimulates endorphin production.

laughter stimulates endorphins

So I seek out distractions that (can) make me laugh. Movies and games of any genre are good for that, but I think social games (vs. computer/video games) are better for the social interaction. I know people say videogames can be social, but the player's attention is primarily on the machine—not on the other players and their reactions. I get a bigger bang/kick out of playing hairy eyeball to hairy eyeball. YMMV.

Doc

I know that we are an exceptionally nerdy family but in addition to having adult children who argue about grammar and syntax in several languages we also play video games as a spectator sport. The Mario games are endlessly creative and several of us will watch and comment while one plays. My daughter makes fun of me because I will actually get so tense watching her navigate the perils that my feet go into muscle spasms. A distraction for sure.

That's funny, we watch movies as a spectator sport—the home version of MST-3K...

I can relate though. We can get laughing so hard playing parlor games that we can't catch our breath, the tears roll down cheeks, our facial muscles ache, we get stomach cramps....

.. and then the "laugh magnet" (Ol' Furface) gets into the act. He has no clue what's going on, but every dog we've had has been the same way—the harder we laugh, the harder the tails wag, and they're all over us, making us laugh even harder...

Doc

This is precisely what happens to us too. Our dog is a big puppy (1yr old) and it's halarious how he has to get involved in the laughing action. And that makes us laugh all the more.

Thank you all for sharing your gaming stories. It helps me to know I'm not the only big kid around here. lol.

Ohhh, and Dr Smith & Suzanne, it's funny you both mention chess. I teach junior chess, part time. When I used to play, and study it, my mind would be immersed for hours. It was a wonderful distraction. Problem is, I find since taking medications my chess is rubbish! The theory is in my head, but I can't make the tactics play out over the board. Strange!

So glad that others have discovered how games and movies can distract our brains and bring fun to our lives.

Huh? Not me—I'm with Byron (Henry James Byron—not the other one)... "Life's too short for chess."

Doc

Sorry, my mistake. It was this....

I used to be a consummate gamer—board, video, RP, skill & action...

Being a chess player means that when I see the words board game, I immediately assume chess.