Ήμουν Εθισμένος Για 10 Χρόνια (Η Ιστορία Μου)

iotakos

30 Sept 202406:52

Summary

TLDRThe speaker reflects on the profound impact video games had on their life, particularly 'League of Legends' (LoL), which they played for over 10 years. Initially a source of joy and competition, LoL became an obsession, consuming their time and affecting their social life. Despite reaching a high rank, the toxic gaming community and personal dissatisfaction led to a realization: they were chasing virtual success while neglecting real-life potential. Through self-reflection, reading, and personal growth, the speaker gradually shifted focus from gaming to more meaningful pursuits, encouraging others to find balance and purpose.

Takeaways

🎮 The individual grew up playing video games with his father, which significantly influenced his life.
👨‍👦 He started playing games like Tetris with his father and later moved on to online games and consoles.
📈 At the age of five, he began using game controllers and consoles, such as the PlayStation 1.
🏆 His identity was largely tied to his gaming skills during his childhood.
📅 In 2011, he was introduced to 'League of Legends' (LoL) by classmates, which became a major part of his life.
🎯 LoL is a competitive online game where two teams of five players battle against each other to achieve the highest score.
🕒 He dedicated over 10,000 hours to playing LoL over a period of 10 years.
😔 The gaming community was toxic, leading to stress, anxiety, and a negative impact on his mental health.
🔄 Despite deleting LoL multiple times due to its negative effects, he would reinstall it, reflecting a cycle of addiction.
📚 Reading and studying became crucial in his journey towards self-improvement and breaking the gaming addiction.
🌟 He achieved top 5% status in LoL after 8 years of hard work, but realized that it was an empty pursuit.
🔄 He struggled with the fear of losing himself again if he started playing games, even after quitting LoL.

Q & A

What was the first video game the narrator played with their father?
-The narrator started playing Tetris with their father.
At what age did the narrator first sit in front of a computer?
-The narrator was less than two years old when they first sat in front of a computer.
What was the first gaming console the narrator used?
-The first gaming console the narrator used was the PlayStation 1.
What video game had a significant impact on the narrator's life in 2011?
-The video game that had a significant impact on the narrator's life in 2011 was League of Legends.
How does the game League of Legends work according to the narrator?
-In League of Legends, 10 players are divided into two teams of five, and they battle in an arena with the goal of defeating the opposing team. The winners gain points and rise in the rankings.
How many hours did the narrator dedicate to playing League of Legends over the years?
-The narrator dedicated over 10,000 hours to playing League of Legends.
What was the role of the League of Legends community in the narrator's experience?
-The community of League of Legends played a significant role, being described as one of the most toxic in gaming history, which contributed to the narrator's negative experiences.
What were the negative effects of the narrator's gaming habit on their mental health?
-The narrator experienced intense stress, many nerves, and a paranoid look when they lost or when someone didn't play well in their team.
How many times did the narrator delete and reinstall League of Legends over the 10 years of playing?
-The narrator deleted and reinstalled League of Legends more than five times over the 10 years.
What was the turning point for the narrator to stop playing League of Legends?
-The turning point for the narrator was a long journey of self-discovery and about 3 years of serious effort, including reading and studying, which helped them realize that life is much bigger than a game ranking.
What is the narrator's current relationship with video games after their self-improvement journey?
-The narrator stopped playing video games 2.5 years ago and is afraid to start playing again, fearing they might lose themselves once more.
What advice does the narrator have for others who are trying to overcome a bad habit?
-The narrator suggests looking at their journey as an example, and recommends reading and studying as a way to replace video games with something productive and beneficial for life.

Outlines

00:00

🎮 Impact of Video Games

The speaker reflects on the profound influence of video games in their life, starting from an early age playing Tetris with their father and progressing to online games and consoles. They describe how their identity was tied to their gaming skills, which initially seemed like a blessing but became a curse. In 2011, they were introduced to 'League of Legends' (LoL), which quickly consumed their life. They played for over 10 years, dedicating over 10,000 hours to the game. The speaker's social life revolved around LoL, and the community was toxic, causing stress and self-hatred. Despite the negative impact, they reached the top 5% of players after 8 years, but realized the futility of chasing a virtual ranking over real-life achievements.

05:01

📚 Journey to Self-Discovery

After realizing the negative impact of excessive gaming, the speaker embarked on a journey of self-discovery and personal growth. They stopped playing games for 2.5 years, fearing the loss of self that could come with it. The speaker acknowledges the void left by gaming and the desire to heal and regain balance. They share their path to change, which included reading and studying, becoming the most significant habit and a gateway to a new world of ideas. They emphasize the importance of listening to one's mind, which tries to show one's worth, and acting accordingly. The speaker encourages others to replace unproductive habits with productive ones and shares their own transformation from a gamer to a content creator, offering hope to others struggling with similar issues.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Video Games

Video games are interactive electronic games that users play on computers, consoles, or mobile devices. In the video, the speaker describes how video games, particularly playing Tetris with his father and games on websites like miniclip, were a significant part of his life from a young age. They influenced his identity and how he spent his time.

💡League of Legends (LoL)

League of Legends is a popular multiplayer online battle arena video game. The speaker recounts his experience with LoL, which became an obsession and consumed a large portion of his life. It's highlighted as the game that significantly impacted his social life and personal identity.

💡Gaming Community

The gaming community refers to the collective group of players and enthusiasts of a particular game. The video discusses the toxic nature of the League of Legends community, which the speaker experienced firsthand and which contributed to his negative feelings towards the game.

💡Addiction

Addiction is a complex condition where a person engages in rewarding stimuli, leading to a compulsive behavior despite adverse consequences. The speaker's narrative illustrates his struggle with gaming addiction, detailing the intense emotions and time investment associated with his gaming habit.

💡Identity

Identity refers to the characteristics determining who or what a person or thing is. The video script shows how the speaker's identity was tied to his gaming skills, which led to both pride and a sense of being cursed, depending on his performance.

💡Toxicity

Toxicity in the context of the video refers to the harmful effects of the gaming environment on the speaker's mental health. It's used to describe the negative impact of the gaming community's behavior and the stress it caused him.

💡Escapism

Escapism is the tendency to seek distraction and relief from unpleasant realities, especially by seeking entertainment or engaging in imaginative experiences. The speaker mentions using gaming as a means to escape from the pressures and challenges of real life.

💡Self-worth

Self-worth is the value or esteem that a person places on themselves. In the video, the speaker's self-worth was heavily influenced by his gaming performance, which led to a distorted sense of self when his gaming skills were not sufficient.

💡Productivity

Productivity refers to the effectiveness of producing a particular result or achieving a goal. The speaker contrasts his unproductive gaming habit with his desire to engage in more productive activities that could add value to his life.

💡Self-improvement

Self-improvement involves personal development activities designed to improve one's life and well-being. The video script describes the speaker's journey towards self-improvement, which included reading and eventually creating content, as a way to overcome his gaming addiction.

💡Habit Formation

Habit formation is the process by which behaviors become automatic through frequent repetition. The speaker discusses how his gaming habit became ingrained, and the challenges he faced in trying to break free from this pattern of behavior.

Highlights

Video games had a profound impact on the speaker's life from childhood.

The speaker started playing Tetris with their father and games on websites like Miniclip at a very young age.

At around five years old, the speaker began using game consoles, starting with the PlayStation 1.

The speaker's identity was closely tied to their skill in games during their childhood.

In 2011, the speaker was introduced to League of Legends (LoL) by classmates.

LoL is a game where two teams of five players battle in an arena to destroy the enemy base.

The speaker became obsessively dedicated to LoL, playing for over 10 years and dedicating over 10,000 hours to the game.

The speaker's social life revolved around LoL, and they experienced a loss of self through the game.

The toxic community of LoL contributed to the speaker's negative experiences and mental health issues.

The speaker would spend days and months playing the game, neglecting other aspects of life.

There were moments of reflection where the speaker considered what they could achieve if they applied themselves seriously in life.

Despite deleting LoL multiple times, the speaker would reinstall it, unable to let go of the game.

The speaker reached the top 5% of players in LoL after 8 years of hard work.

The speaker realized that they were playing not for enjoyment but to reach high rankings in a meaningless virtual hierarchy.

The speaker began to seek a more meaningful direction in life, moving away from gaming.

Reading and studying became the speaker's new passion, leading to personal growth and a new identity.

The speaker emphasizes that video games are not inherently bad, but their relationship with them became unhealthy due to a lack of purpose in life.

The speaker shares their journey of self-discovery and the importance of finding balance in life.

The speaker encourages others to listen to their inner voice and take action to overcome bad habits.

The speaker invites others to share their stories of overcoming addiction and finding balance in the comments.