The Game That Saves Lives: Dungeons and Dragons

Shane Hewitt and The Nightshift · Jul 3, 2026 · 9m

Dungeons and Dragons started in 1974 with no budget and a simple idea, and Ryan O'Donnell makes the case that it has been saving lives ever since. If you've never rolled a die, this is the episode that explains why people who have can't stop talking about it.

For neurodivergent kids especially, the game builds social skills that don't come easily anywhere else. A CBC story on a D&D group and a TED talk called Saving Your Brain with D&D back that up, and the story of Storm King at summer camp makes it impossible to dismiss.

A professional Dungeon Master joins to explain what the role actually…