Adult Play: A Neuroscientific and Psychoanalytic Perspective

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.

Play Includes Engaging Activities That Provide a Sense of Control

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 symbolic forms, especially those involving language, it also engages the neocortex.

Notably, Panksepp and Biven (2012) demonstrated that increased play activity in rat models reduced mood-related symptoms and ADHD-like behaviors, suggesting broader mental health benefits. These findings support the idea that play remains neurologically and psychologically relevant across the lifespan.

Learning to Play: Neuroscience and Psychoanalytic Insights

Understandably, adult play is neither automatic nor simple. Two challenges emerge: how to initiate play and how to sustain it (Panksepp and Biven, 2012). The literature suggests that adult play is a developmental achievement requiring emotional regulation, self-awareness, and the ability to experience joy without guilt or inhibition.

Freud (1960) remarked that adults often reject play as “meaningless or actually absurd.” He believed play becomes possible when one can “lift the critical inhibition.” Similarly, psychoanalyst Mark Solms (2021) emphasized the importance of emotional balance in sustaining the play drive. For example, if one person dominates play, it loses its collaborative nature, and in the worst-case scenario, it can lead to violence or abuse. If a player loses a sense of autonomy, the activity may shift into compulsion, addiction, or misbehavior. Panksepp and Biven (2012) also noted that stimulant-induced dopamine surges can suppress genuine playfulness by creating a numbing or freezing effect, lacking the engagement required for true play.

In psychotherapy, adult patients sometimes ask, “It’s just talking, how does it work?” A possible answer is that therapeutic spaces offer qualities that facilitate adult play: curiosity, flexibility, emotional balance, and safe experimentation. These conditions can awaken the dormant play drive and support personal growth.

Expecting Pleasure, Joy, and Laughter

Fundamentally, play should result in pleasure, joy, or fun, and often, laughter. If an activity is not enjoyable, it cannot truly be considered play. Positive affect, including laughter, serves as a key indicator that play is occurring and that psychological defenses may be loosening.

Panksepp (Panksepp and Biven, 2012) considered laughter the sound of play and a measurable marker of positive affect. Freud (1960), in Jokes and Their Relation to the Unconscious, also emphasized that laughter represents the psyche shifting from inhibition to emotional release. Importantly, the capacity to laugh authentically in adulthood reflects emotional maturity and integration. In psychotherapy, laughter is often a meaningful sign of engagement. When used appropriately, it can indicate that a person is open, connected, and actively participating in the therapeutic process.

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Conclusion

Incorporating play into adult life is as vital for psychological well-being as it is in childhood. This article represents an effort to bridge existing knowledge across disciplines and to support a deeper understanding of the value of play in enriching adult life.