Somewhere between “be productive” and “be respectable,” many adults quietly lost play and replaced it with entertainment.
Streaming. Scrolling. Spending. Drinking.
Not because we’re shallow, but because we were taught that play was childish, inefficient, or something you earn after everything else is done.
In this episode of Rebranding Mental Health, Iman and Kurt dismantle that cultural script and rebuild play as a biological, neurological, and relational necessity.
Drawing from neuroscience, affective science, and creativity research, we explore why the adult brain is wired for play across the lifespan, how confusing entertainment with play numbs rather than restores us, and why low-stakes creativity is one of the most overlooked tools for nervous-system regulation.
You’ll learn:
• Why play is a primary emotional system in mammals, not a luxury
• How entertainment and play activate very different brain circuits
• Why creativity isn’t random inspiration, but trained flexibility
• How brief, judgment-free creative play measurably reduces stress hormones
• Practical ways to rebuild play without money, performance, or productivity pressure
Play isn’t a reward for finishing life. It’s how the nervous system metabolizes life. And without it, aliveness quietly erodes.
#RebrandingMentalHealth #TotalHealth #AdultPlay #PlayIsHealth #Aliveness
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"Rebranding Mental Health: A Movement, Not a Label."
