Existing literature and clinical practice largely emphasize the importance of play in children’s development or in the context of child therapy. However, play in adulthood remains underexplored, despite growing evidence of its psychological benefits. This article draws on insights from neuroscience and psychoanalytic theory to examine the role of play in adult mental health and well-being.

A sense of control can be described as a feeling of mastery, having the autonomy to choose one’s actions. Adulthood, in contrast to childhood, is structured by responsibilities and the demands of reality. This often means trading spontaneity for obligation. Over time, this can result in a diminished capacity for playfulness.

Yet, the human drive to play is evolutionarily hardwired. Neuroscientist Jaak Panksepp (Panksepp and Biven, 2012) identified a Play system located in the subcortical regions of the brain, an emotional system shared by mammals. He argued that play is essential for emotional development and resilience. As play evolves into more complex and........

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