It’s important to realise when you’ve lost the game. I’m falling through parts of my life that are simply not working or where I have absolutely no control. One thing for sure it that I’m no good at managing my own personal crisis.
Managing others, no problem.
When there’s that much poison in your blood, the only thing left to do — is shoot yourself.
(SAW 2004)
For me, running away sometimes means diving into my favourite second life. Some people drink, some people smoke, I play games.
Most females I know pretty much see video games as something for children or men with nothing better to do.
In reality, it’s a place I run to escape my realities, it stops me from going “postal’ and wiping out everything and everyone near me.
Life escape routes – gaming or watching
| Type | PS4 time | Life traits |
| Occasional gaming | Less than 1 hour a day | Away from home base |
| Casual gaming | up to 3 hours a day | At the end of the work day |
| Serious gaming | More than 3 hours a day | During times of high anxiety or crisis |
| Pro gaming | More than 6 hours a day | During times of intense isolation |
The brutal honesty of gaming is essentially a middle finger to your physical life as well as serving as a single solution to feeling bad about yourself.
Some of the emotional drivers
Escapism – a place to safely vent or get rid of destructive emotions
Fantasy – a place to feel successful or good about yourself
Love – a place to feel appreciated and needed
According to a recent survey, only 11% of IT Security Professionals are women, goodness knows what the statistics are like for female gamers. download full report