Do you believe that gaming is pathetic and has no use in life?

[Anonymous]

[stepje92]

First, noncognitive-based video gaming can be used in all age categories as a means to improve the brain. However, effects on children remain unclear. Second, noncognitive-based video gaming affects both structural and functional aspects of the brain. Third, video gaming effects were observed after a minimum of 16 h of training. Fourth, some methodology criteria must be improved for better methodological quality. However, video gaming effects on the brain area vary depending on the video game type.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6826942/

Cognitive challenges induced by gaming may act along universally encountered hormetic principles, in order to invoke the neuronal stress response. This, as a consequence, upregulates neuronal health and it is likely to result in cognitive health improvement in older people.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5796895/

The results show that previous video-gaming experience improved the baseline performance in laparoscopic simulator skills used for surgery.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28733118/

Three articles that prove on multiple levels that gaming is beneficial in life. But the type of game and the time spent has influence on the degree of effectiveness. Also, I found it interesting that there's a correlation found with a job like surgery.

Please take into account that I didn't mention any cons.

[Mishan97]

Well yeah tbh I don’t get the point of it. You’re wasting away hours of your life in an artificial reality when you could be enjoying the real world. But I guess the same could be said for watching tv/movies or even reading books. So I don’t judge but I don’t really get the point. To me reading makes sense because it still stimulates your mind and helps you increase your knowledge. & movies people only watch once in a while and they’re only a couple hours. But spending 3+ hours a day on gaming is crazy. Fine in moderation but in excess your basically wasting away your life and your youth.

[Sparda20xx]

Gaming csn stimulate your mind as well and knowledge. It all depends on the type of game you're playing

[Mishan97]

@Sparda20xx oh honestly I don’t have a lot of knowledge about gaming so I didn’t know that! That’s cool to know though

[Sparda20xx]

True. But I do agree with you said overall. Just wanted to throw my two cents in there

[devilman666]

Unless you read history, books are just as much artificial as video games. Video games stimulate the mind, I play harder/competitive team focused games and it stimulates the mind better than a book because it is interactive. It also helps me to improve my teamwork and quick thinking skills. Tbh I usually game for like 4-5 hours per day minimum but I also have no local friends and no other hobbies, so I have nothing better to do. If I want social interaction then I need to continue gaming.

Spending 3+ hours a day on reading is crazy. Fine in moderation but in exces your basically wasting your life and your youth.

[devilman666]

It's almost like playing a sport where everything constantly changes and you need to adapt as things happen.
www.sciencedaily.com/.../170622103824.htm

[Aethereal]

A hobby does not have to have a use in life. It is something one enjoys doing. A distraction from the pressures/stress of the world. Perhaps this function (enjoyment and stress reliever) can be called it's "use in life".

Some hobbies are useful. That doesn't make them better, nor imply that people should be forced to only engage in those types of hobbies. For something to be a hobby, it's role as an enjoyable and stress-relieving activity takes precedence over any usefulness it has. When that is no longer the case, it is simply work. That is why so many hobbies have their paid work equivalent e. g. gardener, fishing, fitness instructor, writer, video game tester, etc. that come with all the stresses and annoyances of "regular" work.

People who call certain hobbies pathetic, are short-sighted, and not worth taking seriously. The funny thing is that they probably also have a hobby that has no "use". I've seen many people who call gaming pathetic and useless, but proudly proclaim activities like binging netflix as their hobby.

[LesterJester]

It's no more pathetic than movies, TV shows, books and music.

They're all forms of art and entertainment. A means to break up the day and unwind. To distract yourself from BS in life and have a little rest and recharge.

And yes, games are a form of art. Story, plot, character and world creation, voice acting, sound and music editing, animation, programming. The closest comparison would be an interactive movie.

Movies and shows are linear and a one way medium, where the story and entertainment are fed to you on rails until the credits roll.

Games are the same but require the viewer to have input in how the story develops. Some games also allow for multiple endings, depending on the actions and choices you made as the player.

But if you want to dismiss all this, then again, I hope you don't waste your time with books, music, shows and movies, because they're all equally useless and waste your time and life when you could be constantly be doing something productive.

[NyceGuyFinishingLast]

I believe it can become a hindrance in life when you have more than you do anything else. As long as you have a healthy balanced life gaming is beneficial.

If you are working at Taco Bell have no girlfriend and the only conversation you can partake in only involves gaming then yes, completely useless.

If you have a great job, girlfriend or wife, house, or kids and you still get in some game time then it is beneficial. Gaming improves hand to eye coordination, response thinking, speed of thinking, reaction time, and it can be very therapeutic.

I am a gamer, I play when I can but I don't neglect my other responsibilities like my kids, work, the house, my health or anything. Gaming is never first on the list unless there is nothing that can be done right away. I buy a new game I download and install it and then take care of the important things while it downloads. It is about making every minute count. I put something in the microwave to cook for two minutes and I was able to load the dishwasher and start it before the two minutes were up. Most people would have stood around watching the microwave or glued to their phones getting nothing accomplished.

[AdithyaR]

I agree completely. Other than the girlfriend part, this is how my gaming works. I give first priority to my studies and helping out at home, then comes gaming but also I have other hobbies like writing poetry and cooking.
As long as there's a balance, it's perfect.

[Smoke-n-Growls]

No, I think gaming is pretty cool. Plus there's some neat innovations originating in gaming that have led to effective tools to improve lives: for example, exposure therapy VR tools to help veterans process trauma and recover.

Gaming addiction, however, is not so good.

Enjoying a game you like on occasion is fine. Binging games like Netflix shows is not (and neither is binging Netflix shows).

That said there is a big part of biological predisposition to addiction. So it's also not entirely the addict's fault - but it is their responsibility to improve their lives.

[ZackBan]

Well only true gamers know the truth.

I am of a dying breed someone who still appreciates a good single player game and I've played nearly all of them.

The stuff I learned are hard to put into a single answer. Gaming taught me every subject that school failed to teach, which is all of them.

I learned history, geography, politics, science, cultrues, languages, phydics, geometry, cartography, storytelling...

Now I do have a life outside of games, freinds, studied, parties (until last year that is) but in society people see me and ask: how are you so intellectual for your age? And I don't really tell because when I do they laugh and think I'm joking.

[anonChineseMale]

Yeah, games can be amazing tools to learn because it can engage, entertain, and open us to possibilities that we may never be able to experience in our own or even in our life time.

[ZackBan]

Plus some people think that games are made by like 3 people and a computer. Some are but the majority especially the big titles are productions even bigger than movies and no one has a problem with movies.

[devilman666]

Why does everyone always assume obsession with video games? I swear it's like watching tv for 8-12 hours straight on a Saturday is prefectly fine, but you game for more than 4 hours in a day you're autoaticly a pathetic loser with no life who deserves to die. NIIICE! I swear, I should just become a meth addicted alcoholic, I'll have more friends, people won't think of me as a weirdo, and I'll have a real life for once. That's slightly sarcastic but people actually push me near that point sometimes, like how should I fix my life? Someone just needs to tell me the fucking answer because I'm so sick and tired of being told I'm doing it wrong, but then no one can tell me how to do it right. I swear, I just want to disappear from the world and be forgotten.

[hellionthesagereborn]

99% of your existence has no use, but you do it anyway. I mean the seasoning on your food has no use, you don't need it to live, it doesn't create increased survivability, but you like it anyway. Gaming on the other hand, well it actually increases brain function, stimulates the various parts of the brain helping with retaining functionality (as all puzzles and games do). So yeah, it serves a purpose (statistically gamers are better at analyzing and acquiring information faster then non gamers (due to them training their brains to look at huds that give massive amounts of information all while having to stay focused on what ever task they have in game).

[WindAtMyBack]

A small amount for entertainment is OK. But mostly it's a time waster. It's also an addiction for a lot of people and ruins lives. Games are the only thing that "addictive" is considered a good thing.

People used to say the same things about television. But video games are far worse than TV ever was.

You could argue that educational games have a use other than entertainment, and be right. But that can be an entry drug and go beyond education. You could also argue that some types of games use a lot of critical thinking. I've played Heroes of Might and Magic for 20 years. A lot of people compare the game to chess. There are a lot of high level chess players who play that game.

But mostly, gaming is a time waster that rots the brain.

[ShadezMcgee]

No, I don't think it is pathetic and it has use in life as a form of escape and entertainment. It really depends on the individual and their playing habits. I used to play them religiously when I was a kid, but now I rarely play since I am busy with other things. Every rare chance I get, you bet I will play an old game as a way to unwind and relive my childhood for a bit.

I would argue gaming has suffered with quality because of PC culture and people who truly don't play games getting way to much credit and attention for their journal entries and have only harmed game developing in the long run to not have any good games come out in God knows when.

[Anon621]

No. Believe it or not a game about football or as some people call it soccer taught me about geography and about different universities indirectly lol. In fact, one of my favorite games to play is Portal 2 because it challenges your problem solving skills on many different levels. There are plenty of games that can push your problem solving and even practical skills. I would say games like Assassin's creed test practical skills because you have to know who to kill first, where to position your character for the next kill or to hide yourself from being caught, and then if you should be stealthy or loud depending on the situation. I think this argument for games having no use is more related to games like GTA V, Red Dead Redemption, Starwhal, etc. It just depends what you use the games for. I like playing GTA V cause it is super fun. I have never played Red Dead Redemption but some people say that the challenges are fun and it is the same idea for Starwhal.

[BeenThereLovedIt]

I game, but not obsessively, maybe once a week for a couple of hours.

Like anything else, it's a form of entertainment, not much different than watching a tv show or movie.

That being said, Video games and Porn were the driving forces of the early internet, and are both multi-billion dollar industries, but yeah - I do think video games become toxic after a certain amount of time per-week. No different than facebook, youtube, instagram, etc.. in that regard. It's all brain rot anymore.

[Cherokeehp]

Depends how much you do it. I think gaming is fun and everyone enjoys a little release from reality now and then. Some people like books, some people like movies, and some people like video games. But if you start neglecting your real life in favor of playing video games then yeah it’s pretty fucking pathetic. Moderation is key.

[Tamera952]

Not entirely, but almost. There are nominal skills that one may gain that might come in handy in random niche situations later in life, but in GENERAL, ...(big picture overview) it has (almost) no use in the greater areas of life.
In my opinion, the overall outcome seems to indicate a negative impact, especially pertaining to social skills development, that are proportionally linked to overall time spent gaming.

[oddwaffle]

Like watching sports? Reading the newspaper? Watching a play? listen to music, enjoy a movie, paint a picture, play chess, grow flowers, eat delicious food, read a novel, write some poems, stare at the sky, enjoy life, go fishing... Oh my.

Yeah, the useful things in life are stuff you don't want to live with.

[WhiteSteve]

It’s whatever. It’s a sedentary recreational activity. No worse than watching non-educational TV. I’d rather see people go to the gym or go for a hike, do something active, but if you want to make some time in your day for gaming, there’s a lot worse you could be doing.

[TheUniqueOne96]

No.

You could say the same for anything else that's fun and not productive either.

Live a life you enjoy.

It can be a good distraction if someone's going through something hard at the time too and some have even got careers out of it.

[Soremain]

Gaming itself is no more or less pathetic than playing pool or chess, and I don't think there is anything pathetic about those games. But if you avoid your responsibilities or try to gain some kind of self worth by doing any of those activities, then it's pathetic.

[devilman666]

Is self worth a bad thing? Or is it only bad when it comes from the wrong thing? What is good source of self worth?

[Soremain]

Good source of self worth is when you bring value to the world. Being better than others in a video game is very meaningless and doesn't bring any value to anyone else. In other words you are being worthless for the rest of the world. In fact you are depending on others being worse than you. That's very pathetic source of self worth.

[devilman666]

How do you bring value into a world that is inherently worthless? As far as I can tell, in 100 trillion years humans will be extinct and everything we've ever accomplished will be forgotten. Therefore there is no such as inherent value.

How am I depending on others being worse than myself?

Should I just kill myself then? I don't believe I have value to bring to this world, everything I do I fuck up on, I can't even hold down a job, even if I do nothing wrong the world fucks me. What do I take value from if I am worthless?

[Soremain]

@devilman666 Well that's completely different topic. First of all in reality I'm not talking about anyone else except myself. Looking back at my own sweaty nerd days when I played 16 hours a day obsessed getting high ranks and feeling good only when I won and felt bad when I lost, I was being pathetic. I didn't play because I genuinely enjoyed it, I was obsessed kicking ass of other sweaty nerds, I was at war with myself.

And what I mean by depending on others being worse than you is when you feel good and worthy only when you win, your opponent must lose. So it's only positive experience for you personally and negative for your opponent. If that's what your self worth is based on, then that's pathetic.

To be honest I think the whole self worth idea is an illusion anyway and can be discarded. But if we subscribe to that illusion then I say the healthy way to improve that is to be worthy for others, not to compete against others.

I don't know what you should do, but what you give is what you get. If life only kicks your ass, are you sure you didn't kick first. I mean your nickname is devilman666, maybe start by changing that. Just throwing in some suggestions.

[devilman666]

Sorry my name irl is Devlin and my nickname as a kid was Devil. I think I'm just gunna give up, I've never done any ass kicking and I just want my ass to stop hurting. Never know though, maybe at 3, I made a deal with Satan and I just don't remember it anymore, cause not long after that my dad walked out, then at 8 sexual abuse, lmfao I don't know what I did to deserve my life but it must've been bad, was I hitler in a previous life or something?

[devilman666]

And I mostly dont even play competitve games like that anymore, recently I've been playing destiny 2 and I don't like the pvp much so I'm just doing teamwork based shit.

[devilman666]

Also, by that standard you should not be proud when you get a promotion because when you feel good and worthy someone else feels upset and disappointed because they wanted it too. Literally anytime anything good happens to you, you can find a way to show how that hurt someone else by taking an opportunity away from them.

[Soremain]

@devilman666 I see. Well of course bad things can also happen to innocent people and they can leave traumas. I'd suggest to somehow go through those negative feelings of the past. For example when they arise, instead of distracting yourself from them, let them play out and in time they'll wash away from the system. I don't think there is anything we can't get over and heal from emotionally. It just requires some courage and openness. And like I said I don't think there is anything wrong with playing a lot of video games, just trying to get some kind of ego boost from them is what I think is pathetic. It doesn't sound like you are doing that though.

[Soremain]

@devilman666 Sure. But I think that's different, because the person getting promoted is probably better at bringing value to the company and assuming the company is bringing value to the world, that promotion servers the greater good. So if you get upset that you didn't get the promotion, you are seeing it from selfish point of view, and not caring about the greater good. If you only care about the greater good, you'd be happy about your coworker being promoted. I think person who can do that will inherently have better self esteem than someone who only cares about his own status.

[devilman666]

What if the greater good means that you should die? If someone doesn't have enough value to succeed then the best good they can do is to not be a burden? So killing myself would serve the greater good, right?

[devilman666]

If bad things can happen to good people, why do you assume I must be bad? When I indulge negative feelings they become overwhelming so I try to avoid it. The last thing I want is to have a break down and lose control of my emotions, and I think I've repressed for too long so now when I open up it's like opening a soda that someone shook, everything starts coming out at once.

How do you get over things? Courage and openness? So you have to open up to others about your trauma? What if they reject you as a result? What if "they" are your parents/best friends?

I don't think I have much ego rn. Sometimes I'm kinda delusional about my intelligence or how successful I could be, but it's just daydreams about starting a business of becoming a politician, being successful and having a positive influence on others and the world. I get a slight ego boost from it but I know it's just delusional.

[Soremain]

@devilman666 I haven't assumed anything, I asked are you sure you didn't kick first. And by courage I mean courage to face those difficult feelings. Because as long as you don't, they are subconsciously controlling your life. Talking to someone else can help some, but I don't believe it's necessary for everyone.

I do believe in some kind of reincarnation, so I don't think suicide is a good solution. It would be too easy way out to be true. In fact I believe it would make things worse. Not only is it an act to escape your problems instead of facing them, but it's also very negative experience for others around you.

[Inexpensivefurniture]

If it becomes detrimental to other parts of your life then it's a problem. Spending money or time that you don't have on games is something than needs to be resolved. But if you are responsible and just enjoy unwinding sometimes by playing video games I don't see anything wrong with it.

[Not_Average]

Nope. The old stereotype is becoming a thing of the past. With people increasingly staying at home and meeting friends online, the gaming industry is experiencing exponential growth that’s not going to stop anytime soon. Nothing wrong with video games. I still play WoW every once in a while with an old high school friend. The nostalgia appeals to me more than the content tbh.

[AdithyaR]

It's just a hobby. So just like any other hobby, it's a good thing to have as long as you don't let it consume your whole life.
But nowadays games are a great way to bust stress, make friends and chill.
Good game streamers even earn pretty good from it.

[Juxtapose]

Only killjoys think so.

And what did these killjoys usually do? Sit on their ass and watch TV..

Video games take skill, such as Tekken 7. It's as valid as chess, only you have to make snap decisions predicting your opponent's behavior while taking into account various game mechanics.

But sure.. watching TV or looking at tits on your smartphone is ssssoooo much more productive *rolls eyes*.

[samael_kmarty]

No, actually it's a way to escape to my stress sometimes, or to refresh my mind.
I mostly play valorant for its deathmatch. It's exactly 10 mins one or 2 games and I am ready to do whatever work is given.
It also make me feel less useless 😂, as I can play sage or omen.
Other one to escape all the shit of love ( I do believe in love but now it's like where the f*** it is ,) or does it even exists.

[BCA6010]

It's entertainment, and just like every other form of entertainment, it can be taken too far to the point of self-destruction, and ultimately shouldn't be very high on someone's priorities in relation to what is objectively needed for survival.

[ragequeen]

It has its benefits. And it's a hobby for many, including me. Gaming is no different from other hobbies, but obsession in any sense is never good. Balance is key and having other interests outside of it.

[shanshu]

And what is use for life really, working all the time? Paying bills, buying food, training. Sports.

If you don't have an outlet such as gaming, tv or anything that doesn't have to be meaning towards life then you will go bonkers or be so uptight.

I watch TV shows and it helps to escape reality for awhile and enjoy something other worldly type and I don't care if people think I'm pathetic, it's just something to do

[NamerOfStars]

I know for a fact that it isn't. Above and beyond the benefits of hand/eye coordination and multitasking, I have literally saved lives with knowledge I've gained from playing video games. If it has no use, you're playing the wrong games.

[TheLittleInnocent]

Like everything else it becomes problematic if you do it too much. But also if you go pro u can earn a lot of money.

[CometoMee]

As with everything, too much of anything is bad for your health. In this photo, it looks like the guy is gaming so much that he doesn't even make time to care for his health.

[Anonymous]

Just another stress relief. Maybe not the best, but one of many. Christ promises True Peace, but short term peace can be found in games, conversation, sports, movies, etc. The natural forms of stress relief never truly satisfy, but delay. Christ' Peace satisfies all who find it.

[JEndigoBleue]

Nothing wrong with gaming. Like nothing wrong with shopping, working out, collecting things, pray, etc. We all need something to do to escape from the cares of life. Do what makes you relax.

[PinkSands04]

In healthy amounts, it can be a distraction and a good way to wind down from the stress of the day/life.

[angelgirl7]

No. Gaming can be fun, it brings people joy and entertainment, and sometimes people even form friendships through it.
Gaming in moderation is fine in my opinion.

[WesBrewer]

Interestingly, when playing FPS games you are training your awareness as well as your response time, so as long as you are gaming in moderation it is totally ok, and is useful to some extent.

[Koalamate]

Gaming can be fun and a great hobby. But games make you grind to get you hooked.
unless you are dying of loughter or going pro it's a waist of time and yes I waist a lot of time.
100% of game completion is not an achievement.

[Anonymous]

"Life is what you do while you're waiting to die"

That came from a song. Nothing could be more true. No one can answer that question, except you.

[LemiaOfTheCodes]

Gaming as much of a job as being a race car driver. Esports have really taken off since thier early years. Pokemon World championship winners get what most simple jobs earn a year

[Trooper205]

Gaming can be a stress relief, and a way to enjoy time.

Playing Video Games has it's ups and downs, but too much of it is certainly a problem. Excess gaming has many disadvantages and health issues.

[lightbulb27]

no, it has a use... waste peoples time, like GAG.
It can teach kids things.
It can train people how to be soldiers in the upcoming robot wars.

[sheikalana]

It can be useful when you're bored and want to keep yourself busy.

[jshm2]

Nope. It's just entertainment.

I mean, golf, is pathetic. The whole aim of golf is to play as little golf, with the fewest shots possible.

[_no_one_]

Fuck no, it my only escape these daysand helps me stay mentally sane, plus i met some awesome people so that ain't useless and gaming industry is a billion dollar industry now, so...

[Unit1]

With the right games gaming can be a blast of an experience!

There are plenty of benefits of gaming and there are plenty of articles online elaborating those.

[thatgirl24l24]

Depends
They can be really good for concentration, reflexes, creativity, thinking etc
Also, not everything you do has to have use, sometimes you should just relax and enjoy
BUT it is pathetic if it's only thing you do.

[devilman666]

What's your favorite hobby/what do you do in most of your free time?

[thatgirl24l24]

I don't have much free time, but I'm playing games, watching youtube videos and movies, read books sometimes, go out with friends when they're free, I was travelling before but I can't really because of restrictions, trying to workout etc

[devilman666]

So what do you do that makes your lif not pathetic? I assume you must have a fulfilling job? Maybe you work hard for charity? What is it that makes you better than me? Is it really just because I enjoy video games and have no irl friends? Should I just give up and die?

[thatgirl24l24]

I have a job, I'm going to driving school, I do things around the house, clean, cook and I'll probably go to college this year.
There's nothing wrong with you playing games, but you should also do something else.
Do you have a job, school, girlfriend, money?
What you don't like about yourself? Try to change it. Meet some people, if you have anxiety watch some videos about that, they helped me to be more communicative and less weird. Ask your gamer friends to meet. Go out just to walk and look at the things around you. Travel somewhere, even alone. Giving up is not an option.

[devilman666]

I had a job, just got laid off. It's tiring, I just want something steady so I can get shit together but instead the world fucks me over and drags me through the mud. I kinda dropped out of highschool, depression and isolation caused a lot of problems and now I just want to move on with my life and get a job. Guess that's impossible tho, I fucked up my life and don't deserve it anymore. I've been single for a few years, trying to get myself sorted out before I start dating again, besides with what a mess my life is I doubt any sane woman would date me. I'm in debt and living with my parents rn.

Everything. I'm lazy, I'm lonely, I'm depressed, I'm tired, I'm weak, I'm scared, I'm angry, I'm a misake, what is there not to hate? How do I change myself? I do meet people, I just only meet them online because of anxiety, fear, and the fact that I haven't made any friends since highschool and I have no idea what to do. I was isolated all through school because I was kinda weird and I'm probably either autistic or adhd. My gamer friends all live far away, my closest friends are currently 5 hours away, we were roommates for a while but even then we barely talked to each other. People dont like me and they never will, even my own parents avoid me. I never should have been born.

[devilman666]

Giving up has felt like my only option for a long time, if I'm honest. I gave up on highschool and was waiting for things to go bad so I'd have an excuse to end it, but then I was too much of a coward.

[thatgirl24l24]

Ohh man I feel bad for you. At least you understand what's the problem, why don't you go to therapist? I don't think my advice can help you much.

[devilman666]

Fear. It probably isn't easy to understand but at this point opening up irl is scary, I don't want to waste the therapists time if I am fine and I also don't want to ruin my own life by finding out I'm autistic or fucked in some other way. How will I ever have a normal life or get married if I'm mentally handicapped? Men might be willing to support a broken woman, but there is no woman who wants a broken man. I just want to live my life and pretend like nothing is wrong with me. My mum always used to tell me she didn't want me medicated, and she'd say, "fake it till you make it" (not in relation to this but just in general, especially with jobs). I just want to act normal until eventually I just become normal, talking to a therapist won't make me normal.

[devilman666]

It's different online, if I fuck up and you think I'm retarded, I can block you and you will never have any impact on my life, you can't spread rumors about me and tell people I'm a freak, so it doesn't matter what you think. It's different in person, when I can feel them judging me, and anonymity is removed, it's terrifying, like if I say the wrong thing everything then everyone will avoid me and judge me. I relate very heavily to the first half of "I'm sorry" by Joyner Lucas. "Cause I've never been happy with myself
And I don't need no one feeling bad for me
Tryna to offer me pity and throw jabs at me
Wanna give me advice and then laugh at me
Behind closed doors, just close the door
Let me be by myself—just me and myself"

[devilman666]

"Go ahead and call me a coward
Say that I'm not strong because I'm not like you
Go ahead and call me crazy
'Cause I live in a maze, tell me how about you?
I think I live in my head
Sometimes I think that I'm dead, I hide behind my youth
Know I been losing my mind
And I'm a little behind, step inside my shoes"

"I hear it's easy to die, I wanna see for myself
And I know that sounds crazy to everyone else
But I'm depressed as fuck, stressed as fuck
Ain't no medicine that could cure what's the test as drugs
I mean, I need extra love
And that ain't even enough, said that ain't even enough
And where the fuck is God? (God, God)
Damn, maybe I ain't believing enough
But today we gonna see if he's real
And if He is, then I guess I'm prolly going to hell
Look, I ain't wanna die like this
I ain't picture my life like this
They don't know what it's like like this
Pretending I'm happy so I can smile like this, and laugh like you
Sometimes I wonder if I ever act like you
Could I finally fit in and maybe relax like, "Woo!"
Or would you feel lost without me?
'Cause honestly, I think the world is better off without me
And my mind's spinning, this is the line finish
Truth is I don't care how they feel about my feelings
I made up my mind, I'm going out like Robin Williams
I guess I'm not the Ordinary People of John Legend
And I've been suicidal since the day I was nine, shit
Okay, the day I was nine
I've been tired of being bullied, couldn't stay out the fire
Grandma told me I should take it one day at a time
And dammit, look at me now, fuck
Fuck, pen runnin' out, shit, fu—, ugh
Look, just know it's a new day
But if you reading this, then it's prolly too late, blaow!"

[thatgirl24l24]

I understand you and if you don't want to go to therapist that's fine, but then you have to work on yourself alone which is harder.
"Fake it till you make it" is good idea, but you don't look like you are trying to fake anything.
Also, there will always be rumours and you need to accept it.
Wanna know something funny? People think that I slept with like 6 guys and I'm a virgin.
I was getting mentally bullied in elementary school until I fought back. Meanwhile I tried to kill myself, standing in the kitchen with knife in my hand pointing towards me.
I was depressed for couple of years, I couldn't find any meaning in life, then I met my ex. He was the most positive person I ever met. I never told him, but he ended my depression and even after the break up I never went back.
We'll go back to rumours.
Don't think about that much, most people spread them just for fun, you'll never be liked by everyone, but if you are too scared of that you'll never find ones that like you.
I'll assume that you don't look best, so there are some things that can improve your life without talking to anyone:
Start working out, that will make you feel and look good
Try new haircuts and bear styles
Eat healthier food
Read some articles that could help you
Go out and sit in sun
Try to change your mind to be more positive

[devilman666]

I know, I've been trying to be my own therapist for a while and trying to get over my fears but I've lost a lot of motivation recently.

Thank you for sharing, I appreciate that, I just don't see it being likely to work out like that for me, most of my relationships in the past have ended in me being cheated on so I'm a little pessimistic now and I find it hard to trust in relationships, which is something I really need to fix before I try to date again.

I mean, I don't like the way I look but admittedly when I try to work on my appearance I can be above average, most people rate me around a 6 or 7 (there is a picture of me in an old question on my profile if you're curious). Right now I look like trash but I kinda just stopped caring.

I get that rumors will always be a thing and that I'll never be liked by everyone but it goes deeper than that. I often feel like people talk about me behind my back and make fun of me, and I always feel like I'm one misstep away from being abandoned by everyone, like if I say or do something wrong then I'll be alone again, it's something I've come to accept but I've never really dealt with it. It's constantly reinforced too, it feels like I push people away when I open up, not like I'm being rude but like others find it overwhelming, so I often retreat back and try to play it off as a joke or change the subject and go back to ignoring it. I'm pretty sure it stems from abandonment issues with my real dad.

[devilman666]

I've been trying to work out recently because I think that's my main problem physically, I'm skinny af, like 6'1" 130lbs. Haven't been very motivated with it tho, I tried working out a few days and then I kinda just stopped. I need a haircut but I've been lazy af and struggling with money so I've been putting it off. Yeah, I need to eat more in general I think, I've just not been feeling motivated to eat, like sometimes I'll know im hungry but it's too much work so I don't bother since it only hurts me. Othertimes it's like I just don't want to eat, I think my depression has been fucking with my appetite. I kind of just eat one meal a day most days, like a burger from mcdonalds or subway footlong or something.
Yeah, I guess reading articles might help.
I live in Canada, we don't get much sun and it's snowy outside rn. To be fair though I'm kinda making excuses, even in summer I don't go out much, I just don't see much point in it most of the time.

[devilman666]

I'm trying to be more positive, but it's hard to change things that are so deeply ingrained in me. It's like if all you've seen is hell, will you believe that heaven exists? Or will you think it's a lie designed to get your hopes up just so they can be torn back down? That's an overexxageration obviously but it's kinda how it feels. I know I've had good things so maybe I just focus on the bad too much but it feels like my life has been overwhelmingly negative, so I don't know how I can genuinely be positive. It's been a problem for a while and it probably stems from real dad popping in and out of my life with promises he would never keep, then it continued as I felt shoved to the side by others, my parents would promise to do something (typically my mother, and without me asking for it, she just liked to make promises to try to be a good parent but then she was too busy to keep them), then they would go back on that and if I brought it up I would get yelled at (by my step dad) for being spoiled, then my best friend dated my sister and that just continued it, he'd show up and pretend like he wanted to hang out with me, then they'd go fuck. When I was younger I tried to stop hoping for things because I didn't want to be let down anymore.

[thatgirl24l24]

You look nice, I thought you're a lot worse
Put your hair up, let your facial hair grow and you'll look much better
We all have trust issues when it comes to relationship, so yeah give yourself some time to figure it out and don't forget that everyone is different, don't expect that a new girl will cheat on you just because old one did
You have to be contraventional sometimes, don't always agree with people
Some of my friends told me that they like how I'm honest with them
I don't put "sugar" in my sentences
just so they'll like me
Don't open up too quickly, wait some time and when you start feeling like it annoys them, just stop and keep talking next time

Don't let these stupid things to ruin your life, please I know you can be better

[devilman666]

I don't know maybe I just have anxiety or chronic depression or something then, I just always feel like I'm going to fuck up and seem weird unless I try to be like other people. When I was young I was very energetic and inquisitive and all my elementary school teachers wanted me doped out on Adderall or something because I was too much to handle. Eventually I picked up on this (well... that and I was sexually abused at age 9 which was probably the main thing that started my isolation, I had a therapy appointment or two after but it was an hour long drive and my parents were both busy and didn't have a lot of money so that stopped quick) and just tried to hide from everyone in my late years of elementary and early years of highschool, then I learned to just fake myself and pretend to be someone I'm not. Hide the depression, hide the anxiety, take it out on yourself when you're alone but never let anyone else see. Now I can't cry unless I'm alone, if other people are around I repress before I even start to feel. I just put on a fake smile and tell everyone "I'm okay", never go into detail on feelings, never go to much into detail about hobbies or political views unless the other person has similar tastes and will agree. I have terrible insomnia that's only been getting worse since my cat died back in August, she was basically my only emotional/moral support beam, she was always there for me and I could always tell how much she loved me. I miss her so much but I don't want it to affect the way people view me so I repress it, I can't remember the look of her without looking at pictures now. It makes me feel aweful because I don't want to forget her but I don't want to be a burden on others by talking about my feelings so I just close it up and only think about her when I'm alone.

[thatgirl24l24]

I didn't see your last 2 comments when I was writing mine

I can see that you're scared, but it can be better trust me

[devilman666]

Yeah I didn't see your last comment, sorry I had to break it up, gag only lets you type so much and I kinda started ranting.

[thatgirl24l24]

I understand you and I hope you feel better after telling me all of this
Read my comments again and see what you can do
I wish you all the best and I believe in you

[devilman666]

Thanks, I can't really grow facial hair but I really should put my hair up again after I get it cut. I kinda look like a hobo right now haha.

Thanks, I know not everyone is the same, I just dont like getting hurt, so aftee I feel pain I put up mental walls to prevent it happening again.

You're probably right on that, I just learned that it was easier to sweeten a sentence then risk fighting with family. I don't like being yelled at and my step dad likes yelling at anything that upsets him or my mother even slightly. I'm a bit more open with my friends, especially cause we shit talk each other as a joke when we talk, but even then I'm usually overly careful not to seriously offend anyone.

I'll try not to open up too quickly, and expressing myself despite how others react, but I'm pretty much going to have to give up on any kind of relationship with my parents then.

Thank you, I hope I can do better, I just don't know how. I kind of want to do something big with my life, I have daydreams of being successful and being a positive influence on the world, but I never share them because it's delusional. Part of me wants to become a politician and fix the problems I've seen ignored, it's like I go inbetween phases of feeling worthless, hopeless, and powerless and then dreaming about changing the world and/or being successful. Sorry, I just wanted to share that because I've never opened up about it before.

[devilman666]

Thank you. Have a nice day. Sorry I ranted so much.

[V12NI]

Nope, games are good way to relax, to push your mind off work problems. It's fun, boosts my mood. But everything has its limits, if someone gets obsessed with games, skips school or work just to play than it's pathetic

[JosyJosy]

Nah gaming's nice. Especially now. Covid keeping us locked inside our homes. Some people be bored or going crazy, meanwhile gamers are just chilling

[pigoat]

This came from somewhere why you feel this way or know of someone who feel this way


Don't ask this question and just leave

ANONYMOUS

[AmandaJenny]

Gaming is good for young adults to children but not above 30 unless your a software developer.

[devilman666]

Yeah, after you become an adult, partying, alcoholism, and drugs are the only hobbies you're allowed to have because everything else is childish!!!

[devilman666]

Everyone judgmental for no reason

[LesterJester]

Frig almighty, seriously?

My grandfather regularly played his old NES and Super Mario Bros & Bugs Bunny Birthday Blowout right up until he passed away in his mid 80s.

My mom is currently into No Man's Sky and her Boyfriend is into Witcher 3. Both are in their 60s.

My dad plays combat and flight simulator type games. My older brother is a collector and has pretty much every console that ever existed and most of the games that came with each.

The Atari was king back when I was a kid.

Statistically, the current average age of a gamer is still in the 30s (33 to 37, depending on where you look)

And yes, they/we all have more going on in our lives than just video games. The point being is that there's no such thing as being too old for video games.

You might be too young to recall, but back when the Wii first came out, there were retirement homes buying them and the seniors were not only playing games like Wii Sports for helping with physical activity, but also for improving their social skills as they played together. They also had fun and nobody is too old to have a little fun and entertainment from time to time.

I suppose I'm also too old to watch and enjoy Teen Titans Go with my son?

[devilman666]

@LesterJester yeah dude you're wayyyy too old. Go grab a beer and watch some football or something because drinking is the only activity mature enough for adults like us!

[devilman666]

Drinking and sports, sorry.

[LesterJester]

@devilman666 nah, my only activity as an old fart is to yell at clouds like Abe Simpson... Oh and to complain to cashiers about not accepting my coupons for an inflatable doughnut for my bum to alleviate my Haemorrhoids while describing how my ass looks like cottage cheese in a bag.

Nah, seriously, I don't have Haemorrhoids and my ass is fine.

[Anonymous]

No, but just like any other hobby, too much of it is unhealthy

[chHaynes]

I don't believe in gaming is pathetic but I also believe that gaining does Nelly have or give you any real life skills unless you happen to find a job where gaming is the thing

[DiscomfortZone]

*pulls out years of academic research proving the distinct advantages and contributions of gaming*
*points and laughs at the losers who are actually stupid enough to believe it's a useless hobby*

[Anonymous]

Yeah. No doubt about that. Instead of leveling up a character in a video game. Why not use the same time spent leveling up your own, real self in the more tangible game of life.

[locutus9999]

no, I am not a gamer itself... but for me its not diferent than going to the bar and consume alcohol. With the exception that the bar is in a way more social.

[Bismarck_96]

It's mostly unhealthy but you gain the strategies if you were in a real situation but still won't call it a benefit as it is to unhealthy loss of eyesight may come diabetes etc

[ManHater]

I have contemplated just selling everything renting an apartment buying a really good computer and just playing video games non stop. Unfortunately I can't do that because I own a house now.

[Davidstarboy]

Gaming is not pathetic and not really useful tbh... I barely play games and if I don't be a production I hate myself so I tend to be more production over just sitting in my ass and play game.

[UnicornU]

Gaming is good for passing time and for helping you move on from many things

[TeeBar]

Well, it does keep people who don't have a life off the streets...

[hi_it_is_me123]

Even though i dont like it, I think it is ok as long as you are not addicted to it

[KillianK]

Absolutely not. Some games can actually increase skills like typing, rapid problem solving, creative thinking, etc.

[Skankhunt]

No, gaming can be healthy, unless it's not obsessively. Everything is healthy if you do it in moderate.

[Meatunnel69]

Whatever brings you pleasure is what matters just know life requires balance to live optimally so get off the damn couch once in awhile

[Fromdusktilldawn]

Tell that the chinese, they even have gaming colleges where you can learn to become a professional gamer and make it your job