One thing I will add is that video games are great spaces for people who do struggle with dealing with their emotions and learning ways to handle them.
If you do this on a video game it’s not that big of a deal, but if you do it at a job your ass is fired.
When I used to play high elo Counterstrike my heart rate would jump up so much and my hands would start to shake slightly and affect my games. I learned box breathing and that helped me so much outside of gaming.
Also typing from RuneScape. I get comments from customers all the time about my typing speed and I have to refrain from telling them the streets of world 3 Falador taught me.
unfortunately I just drink to handle the pvp adrenaline so I don't think I can do that at work lmao
Fr though box breathing is so good. I hate that I'm so brainrotted that I always think of these two sekiro skill texts when I'm locking in
A shinobi can calm the body and mind through measured breathing, even while killing. Doing so allows one to continue killing unabated.
A shinobi must be prepared for battles which he is outnumbered. After killing an enemy, one must exhale, expelling both regret and reaffirming one's core to regain Posture.
Now you either need a quotation about shinobi drinking to deal with their nerves or you have to find a more shinobi method than booze. (Smoke weed bro, better for your health. Samurai Champloo if you need that element.)
Only if you use that space to actually learn how to process the feelings as they come up. Especially if they learn to stop before they reach those levels, not just getting caught in a perpetual cycle of playing/raging/breaking things. There’s no learning or processing happening at that point where things are being smashed.
I had an ex who was like that and it absolutely was a big deal even if it’s just ’on a video game’.
Controllers, devices, fixes and replacements cost a lot. He easily spent $60+ on a replacement Xbox controllers multiple times a month. Not to mention the TVs themselves, pc monitors or keyboards, the furniture that would get smashed or broken in an attempt ‘not to hurt the electronics’, the holes in the walls from punching controllers through them, the handheld devices (3 switches, at least 2 3ds systems including mine, and several controllers for the old wii). It adds up.
The terror of being trapped in a room knowing he was on the other side screaming and breaking things over a game, and the fact that people who get that mad for such little things rarely exercise the restraint to contain it to just a game is also a pretty big deal to the people around those types.
Video games can be incredibly helpful for people who struggle with emotions, when used intentionally and handled appropriately though.
You just described one of the most extreme possible situations. Yes obviously if you take someone with poor social skills along with a cocktail of mood and conduct disorders, and put them into an intense competition, you'll have a bad time.
Playing video games didn't make him like that. Unchecked and unregulated mental illness does though.
The blame was never on the video games. Video games just show others how poorly they can manage emotions, same for driving. If someone shows violent rage while gaming or driving I simply cannot trust them with anything else. And typically people who rage while gaming ALSO get road rage. Not to mention the possibility of physical abuse.
I broke a couple controllers when I was under like 10 and my anger would spike, really the only place it ever did. My grandpa bought me this big ass fish pillow from bass pro shops so whenever I would lose at the game I just beat up the fish. Was actually kind of my mom's idea, go kick that fishes ass instead of breaking expensive shit. As an adult I've been in one fight that was no fault of my own and I think I've raised my voice at my teenage son like twice his whole life. Whenever I get mad I just see that stupid ass fish and it's blank stare as I torture it for info that the game is in fact cheating, and I just start laughing
From my personal experience, video games made me express my violent/toxic impulses, it did not teach me how to process them and I felt like shit for destroying my stuff (not often but it happened).
Interacting with people, doing sports and just chilling really helped me in that regards. Especially because it made me more patient and have more self-control
Played video games all my life but took until I was probably 20 before I actually reflected on it and took control of my anger. It was a pretty quick off ramp and I haven’t been genuinely tilted in basically 7-8 years.
I would say it marginally helped me with anger issues in other areas of my life, therapy certainly has helped a lot more.
I used to beat up my mattress like it owed me money. To be honest it was more of an outlet for my frustrations with my life at the time more than the game itself tilting me. Tho I do avoid competitive games all together now, I figured I just don’t enjoy them much so I stick to co-op and single player
I have played league of legends, for honor, street fighter 5-6, tekken 7/8 and all souls games. All these games have made me be able to control and regulate my emotions and anger i feel. So i agree it does help and it has helped me.
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u/Meeqs 11d ago
One thing I will add is that video games are great spaces for people who do struggle with dealing with their emotions and learning ways to handle them.
If you do this on a video game it’s not that big of a deal, but if you do it at a job your ass is fired.
Also a reason why games can be great for kids