{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1771363,
        "msgid": "not-just-for-kids-adults-also-need-to-play-1780019707",
        "date": "2026-05-29 08:00:00",
        "title": "Not Just for Kids: Adults Also Need to Play",
        "author": "Lusia Kus Anna",
        "source": "KOMPAS",
        "tags": "",
        "topic": "Social Policy",
        "summary": "Play is crucial for adults to manage stress, build relationships, and maintain mental flexibility, contrary to the notion it's only for children. Experts highlight that prioritising enjoyment over results in play activities can alleviate chronic anxiety and emotional exhaustion, fostering empathy and neurocognitive flexibility.",
        "content": "<p>Productivity demands in adulthood often make play feel like a waste\nof time. However, play plays a crucial role in managing stress, building\nrelationships, and maintaining mental flexibility. Adults are strongly\nadvised to continue making time for fun to preserve mental and emotional\nwell-being amid daily responsibilities that often lead to chronic\nfatigue. Art therapist and owner of NeuroArts Therapy and Consulting,\nMegan Collins, MA, LMFT, explains that play encompasses any activity\nwhere the process is far more important than the end result. \u201cYou do it\nbecause it\u2019s enjoyable, not to produce something or impress anyone,\u201d she\nsaid, citing Real Simple on Thursday, 28 May 2026. In adulthood, forms\nof play can vary widely. The mindset of prioritising enjoyment is more\nimportant than the activity itself. \u201cFor adults, play might look like\ndaydreaming, picking up a paintbrush without a plan, or tending a garden\nwithout worrying about perfection,\u201d Collins said. Even singing\nwholeheartedly in the shower or dancing while waiting for food to cook\ncounts as adult play. Licensed therapist Alyssa Kushner states that play\ncan halt the survival mode triggered by perceived threats. \u201cMany adults\nlive in a state of chronic anxiety, urgency, stress, and emotional\nexhaustion. Play helps us step out of tension mode,\u201d she said. \u201cEmpathy\ncontinues to develop and shape throughout adulthood. Through play,\npeople gain and expand their capacity to understand others\u2019 perspectives\nand experiences,\u201d explained Meera Khan, clinical director and clinical\npsychologist at LifeStance Health. Play greatly enhances neurocognitive\nflexibility. These moments of fun also create space to experiment with\nnew identities or emotional experiences.<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/not-just-for-kids-adults-also-need-to-play-1780019707",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}