Playing RPGs when you're sick

I often hear stories of people who play RPGs when they're sick. One famous example is Shigesato Itoi who played Dragon Quest when he wasn't well and it helped inspired the creation of the Earthbound/Mother series.

Just what is up with people playing RPGs when they're sick? Well when I was sick recently I was playing Mother 3. I'm not sure what it is but it is kind of therapeutic playing RPGs when you're feeling under the weather. There's something comfortable about playing them. Another thing I can imagine is that they're good distraction therapy.

I suppose most people know about it already though. People who've done this always felt a special bond with the game they played too, even if they never really want to play it again.

It's just a very interesting concept to me, RPGs being like chicken soup.