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Weekend Discussion: Have you ever been worried about the effect gaming has on you, or your life?
The biggest change for me has been the way I play compared to 5-10 years ago. I used to engage in a way that was probably unhealthy. I wanted to play whatever my friends were playing, and whatever was popular. I wanted to play the way you’re “supposed” to play. Oftentimes this meant playing games I didn’t actually enjoy, or getting far too sweaty and frustrated at a competitive game. I didn’t have a good time playing those games, but I played them to be a “real gamer” or to connect with people. These days I’m playing what I want, when I feel like playing. If I feel like playing some COD, I’m going to do that even if everyone and their grandma talks about how bad of a game it is, because what matters is that I’m enjoying myself. I still play games with friends often, but I’m more careful to step away if I find myself getting salty. All of that said, I think the tide may be shifting a little, and more people seem to have a casual approach lately. There’s less “you gotta play on EXTREME NIGHTMARE IMPOSSIBLE difficulty, or you’re not really playing the game” than I remember in the communities. Enjoy the games you play. It’s an art form, not a torture method.