Online games = Anxiety? Read

[AAA007]

Okay so I have been trying to find out what has caused my anxiety and skewed thoughts of course. You may all know of the game World of Warcraft. Yes, that one. Anyways, I used to play it ALOT and just recently quit because anxiety started coming. I still had a social life, a girlfriend, etc. It did take alot of my time and alot of my mind though. In the game I ran a "guild" and was responsible for peoples feelings actions etc. all over a game. I felt like a damn CEO. I was very stimulated by it. Anyways, You may have read a post of mine earlier but my main anxiety is thinking about my body, my insides, organs etc. Not sure why but it sets off anxiety for me but it does ever since I took a damn Biology class. I am wondering if stimulating games like this may cause anxiety? Could the amount of time I put in the game possibly convinced myself I am a pixelated toon and my real body freak me out? Obviously this is a laughable matter but I am curious because we all want to know what has set off our anxiety, I am just spitballing. I had asked my therapist and she said of course not, but she also doesnt know what exactly the game entitles. Does anyone out there have similar experiences or thoughts on this subject? I know it seems bizarre but I am just trying to retrace my patterns before this all hit me a few months ago.

[pauly j]

If the game is causing you anxiety, QUIT playing it!  Of coure these violent games can bring on anxiety!  I tell my kids not to play these type of games for that same reason!  Anything can set off anxiety!  Simple solution, Focus on anything and everything that makes you feel good, and avoid anything and everything that makes you feel bad (anxious)!  Your subconscious mind stores all of this stuff and it doesn't know the difference between whats real and not! 

pauly j

[rhiz27]

It all depends what kind of anxiety it breeds. I used to play WoW and play all kinds of online games for fun. Like, if you have anxiety setting up a raid because you're nervous wondering if you'll do alright and then feel disappointed if you don't, that's all natural anxiety to any potentially nerve-wracking situation. That doesn't mean you should stop it if it's still a source of enjoyment. My heart could beat like a jackhammer back in some tense games of Counter-Strike and I'd curse and snarl if I lost, but it was all fun in the end and it didn't mean anything off-screen. This is good anxiety, the kind that makes life interesting.

However, some people can invest themselves far too much in an online game to where it becomes an obsession and managing their character or guild really does become as important as life itself. Only you can answer honestly if that's you, and people around you whom you trust can give an outside perspective. You don't sound like one of these people judging from how you talk about the game, but I don't know the full you.

[stateofemergency]

Im starting to think that all the cause of my anxiety is rooted to my addiction of online gaming too! I mean, I was addicted to playing online games mostly MMPORG game and i would get frustrated/anxious/all mixed emotions when playing it. I dont play as much now..i got a job..go to the gym.school. etc.. but i still have anxiety.. I don't know maybe im too late to undo it

[Delorian]

I can agree with this, and have been thinking the same thing. Yesterday I was playing an online game that requires quick reaction time...so there's almost no resting when playing. I also find the game extremely frustrating for the most part (but i still play it, figure that one out) and I noticed that when I stopped for the night...i actually had an anxiety attack. My heart was beating fast and I felt sick. Couple this with the fact that I didn't sleep much the night before and yeah....I think i'm retiring that game.

[jimmy2shoes]

It's unlikely the game is the cause of your anxiety. I have played dota and cs for ages - before and after anxiety. I can play comp games/ xbox (i just got off CoD n its 3am) for ages, without any real concern (apart from not doing my uni work).
To me games can provide an escape, because they completely distract me from reality - the game consumes me and i don't have to think about anything else. And for a while when 0103 with my ex gf was going bad, i would play to get my mind off things - and i would play way too much (which in turn, gave me anxiety/depression)
So its only an issue if you are playing to escape something. My bro plays wow and can play for ages, he has no anxiety whatsoever (just a normal wow player) and sc2 as well.
Realistically it's just a game and prioritising it above real life matters is an issue, which is common.
Just stuff u gotta think about

[Delorian]

I have to disagree. While I don't necessarily think it's an underlying issue, I think games can definitely contribute anxiety to people who already suffer from it. It does depend on the game...an like I said if I'm playing a game and my fingers never stop and I'm running and shooting and it's stressful, it does contribute to my anxiety

[SeriX]

I play wow myself, and at times of anxiety or feeling like a panic attack it actually helps take my mind off it because Im concentrating on the game and not on myself and making things worse. Its different for everyone I guess but I love playing my games, dont play them all the time but at times when theres nothing to do and Im bored or teying to get my mind off things it definatly works for me x

[Kevinnj25]

AAA,
This is a great thread and I am glad you started it.  I myself was a big WoW fan/player as well.  Four years strong.  One month ago, I had a terrible anxiety attack while I was driving to my girlfriends house and I really just was overcome with emotion.  After finally arriving to my girlfrineds house I sat with her and just talked to her about what I was feeling at the time.  One thought of mine stuck out like a sore thumb and it was the fact she repeatedly told me I was being a bad boyfreind.  How I thought?  Here I am, a 23 year old guy driving out to Long Island, from Queens everyweek end to see my girlfriend, what can I be doing wrong?  dude, the game is bad.  You all may think I'm a bit nutty but I really resorted to it when I felt anxious.  I could go on this game, get away from everything and just waste time.  The problem was I wasn't seeing it like that.  I was seeing it as just something to do to waste time.  I was gaining weight, ignoring my girlfrined, slacking in school, and other negative things all because this video game calmed my anxiety cause it forced me to NOT DEAL WITH MY PROBLEMS.  I firmly believe the anxiety attack I had was because  I had boteled up all the problems I was having and it reached a limit.  Since then, I have quit the game, started excersisng more, eating healthier, getting more rest, and being more PRESENT in my OWN life.  I call it the "new me".  The game is not good man, it is addictive.  I haven found I understand so much more recently and I am FEELING better.  Hope this helps

[AAA007]

Kevvin,

Yea I dont think everyone knows what WoW truely is, and how you literally, and I mean literally live a 2nd life. It is the most stimulating entertainment on the market. Anyways, its great that you bring up how you can escape from your emotions through the game. I have heard that from many people, that WoW is just an escape. I never thought of it like that, ever. I just thought it was a badass video game. But now I am realizing that over 5 years of playing it continuously, I could have been escaping emotions and issues that I was not aware of, which could have bottled it all up without me even thinking about it. Thanks for the post!

[sacredstar]

I think that the issue that hasn't been addressed here is the possibility that excessive gaming could exacerbate the type of body anxiety you describe. I don't think it is outside the window of reason that a game that becomes a reality every bit as real as the world we are born into could be influencing confusion and anxiety about your body. I think most of us are able to switch between realities without this sort of confusion, but it doesn't mean you are immune from a bit of influence from it.