“Virtually everyone in esports struggles with depression.” Shocking words of the players

Depression is a civilization disease of our times. People talk about it more and more for good reason. This is no exaggeration of the problem. Millions of people face it. Appearances can be deceiving – often these are people who seem happy and fulfilled, in fact, they are struggling inside with huge problems and complexes that overwhelm them. This topic is also very topical in esports. Playing games professionally is not an idyll, but diligent work combined with a lot of sacrifices. The ubiquitous stress goes hand in hand with these.

Mental problems of the Polish player

The subject of mental problems was raised by one of the leading Polish esports players last weekend. Aleksander “zeek” Zygmunt, the Acend player in Valoranta, openly admitted about his mental problems that had lasted for a long time. The latest results of the team were filled with bitterness and the Pole decided to share his confession with the community.

Zygmunt remarked that he should have done it much earlier. For this reason, Acend did not play in the last game. Perhaps he will decide to take a longer break, although nothing more specific about it is known. Internet users and fans showed him great support, understanding his decision. The consistent message is simple and blunt – there is nothing more important than your own health and comfort, which probably everyone can subscribe to without hesitation. The organization also favorably considered the decision of its ward:

Mental health is a very important issue and we hope that anyone who needs help will find it. Let’s be strong together.

“zeek” not so long ago became the first ever world champion in Valorant. Together with Acend, they wrote history by winning the VALORANT Champions 2021, held in Berlin. It would seem, then, that everything is going well for the 20-year-old Pole. Exactly – it would seem. What is happening with the human psyche cannot be noticed at first glance. Nothing can be assumed in advance, and problems or signals can not be underestimated. This decision “zeek” deserves approval and praise. For this reason, it is also worthwhile to put the topic of depression on the candlestick again – this is never too much.

Let’s not be afraid to talk about depression

Unfortunately, there are more and more similar cases in esports. Their causes cannot be generalized, but the profession itself is not as idyllic as it might seem to an average observer. Esport means many hours spent training each day. During the season, there are also frequent trips all over the world. It means long separations with family and loved ones. Not to mention the expectations of viewers themselves. More than one player posted to the network the entries he received after losing a match. Disgusting, primitive insults and empty threats do not flow over a man like on a duck. Everyone has their limits, even if they seem to be exceptionally resistant to such acts.

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Another Polish player, Mateusz “mantuu” Wilczewski, also commented a few months ago on the mental burden faced by esports players. The OG Esports competitor wrote:

Virtually everyone I have met in esports has faced, or continues to struggle with, mental health issues. This also applies to me. Depression is the worst of them. I know there will always be a lot of trolls writing offensive content on social media to others. Just remember that there is a human sitting on the other side of the screen.

The Danish Nikolai “device” Reedtz, widely regarded as one of the best CS: GO players in history, also decided to take a long break from the game. In December, the Ninjas in Pajamas player opened up to the community, revealing what had happened to him in the last few months. Apart from the career itself, which did not follow his thoughts, there were also complications in his private life. Reedtz has separated from his long-term partner. As they are both media people, it did not escape the attention of the environment. On top of that, there was tremendous pressure from the fans. “device” had to hit the pause button.

For three months now, Danczyk has been strongly withdrawn from public life. In January he admitted that he was working hard on himself and that he hoped to come back as soon as possible. His employer expressed his full support and understanding, for which Reedtz himself also strongly thanked.

Depression in esports – what can you do with it?

For several years now, I have been working harder and harder on the psyche and mentality. Most teams use the support of special psychologists. This often brings results, but it is only one element of a multi-segmental plane.

The intensity of the schedule doesn’t help either. In order to squeeze the maximum of their abilities, players additionally travel to preparatory camps, often leaving not only the borders of their countries, but even continents. Currently, a lot of esports scenes are concentrated in Europe, to which American and Asian players have to adapt.

Due to the topic, we would also like to remind you of the helpline number:

• 116 111 – telephone for children and teenagers
• 116 123 – telephone for adults

Reports on these lines are already in the millions. Let us not be afraid to talk about our problems. Everyone has their limits and boundaries. It is not worth checking them on your psyche.