Depression, Gaming & Escapism
This was a hard post to write. Waking up this morning to the tragic news that Chester Bennington, the lead singer of Linkin Park took his own life last night, has hit me hard. Linking Park’s music has helped a lot of us in our lives. For me growing up, I turned to them and their music when times got rough in my teenage years. In recent times, gaming and MMOs have been my go to activity to escape all the negative BS in life. And that’s not just me.
Gaming is a form of escapism for many people. In this case, I look for the simple pleasures when I’m playing my MMOs. Friendships, camaraderie and fun. Whatever form of escapism you employ to avoid your troubles, the root cause of doing so is a serious issue that must be addressed. Depression, isolation, loneliness – these are real things even if you’ve never experienced them first hand. So it kills me to see gamers spew hateful and insensitive garbage like “go kill yourself” in MMOs where people play to escape that kind of crap in the first place. We’ve got to stop that and help those that are suffering.
And there are times when even the simplest of needs is enough to help. Some find solace in gaming communities, being part of a family away from family. We find comfort in the company of others who share a common love, or passion, for the games we play. So to all gaming communities, stay strong, help one another, because there’s nothing we can’t overcome if we stay together in love and friendship.
If you know someone IRL or online who’s suffering, please, help them in whatever way you can. Befrienders.org.
