LEC pros discuss the mental costs of an LoL esports career, including depression, burnout, and insomnia

The next big thing in LoL esports career in North America, Evil Geniuses’ 19-year-old ADC Kyle “Danny” Sakamaki of Evil Geniuses, quit the LCS on February 28, 2023, citing the immense pressure of being a professional player. Danny claimed he had reached his breaking point less than three years after making his debut, but he is not the only player who has had to deal with this since he was a teen.

Danny is not alone in feeling the pressure, as professionals in all esports, including those in the LEC, all too frequently do. If you need more information about LEC pros discuss the mental costs of an LoL esports career, including depression, burnout, and insomnia, then read carefully and don’t forget to share with your friends.

LEC pros discuss the mental costs of an LoL esports career, including depression, burnout, and insomnia:

The official rules of the 2023 competition state that a player must be 17 years old to compete at the highest level in the EMEA League. But turning a passion for playing video games into a career frequently comes at the expense of young people’s mental health.

Read More When does LoL ranked 2023 Split 2 start? and all information about it

Professionals are retiring more frequently due to health issues or mental burdens, but little is known about what they go through in private. These young people struggle with depression, burnout, insomnia, addictions, and isolation as they pursue their dreams, problems that are all too frequently disregarded because of the naive belief that these athletes are merely playing video games.

All interviewed 16 current and former LEC players about their personal experiences in LoL esports career with the teams they’ve played for throughout their careers and how living the pro-player lifestyle has affected their mental health. To protect their identities, some names have been changed. A-League professional’s life is an emotional roller coaster of highs and lows. Players can feel like the world is ending when they lose, but they can also feel ecstatic when they win. Since a split in the current LEC format lasts just over a month, pros have little time to devote to activities other than League.

Finn Wiestl, the current top laner for Astralis, told us that once the split begins, players don’t have “a lot of room for mental stability” because they must give their all or lose. Losses only deepen uneasy feelings as professionals begin to doubt themselves. The current mid laner for Mad Lions, Yasin “Nisqy” Dinçer, told us: “You are supposed to be good, but you’re not for some reason.” Being mentally strong and self-assured again is very difficult. You might ask yourself at the conclusion, “What good is this job I’m doing if I’m just losing?'”

Following a tough loss at MSI 2023, the mid laner received criticism from the League community. This uproar led his organization to take action against online harassment. Nisqy had previously told Dot Esports that it is challenging to understand the true struggles of professional players from the outside. Professional athletes are under much more pressure to win than they would be if they had weeks to demonstrate their talent because they have only nine games to make a good impression on the people who have the power to bench them, which increases the likelihood of performance anxiety. Even though organizations and players had approved of this hectic schedule for the new LEC format, some still think it was detrimental to the health of the players.

Daniel, a seasoned player whose name has been changed to preserve his anonymity, said, “[The new format] is fucking shit, not going to lie.” The “honeymoon” period, during which teammates get to know one another and their playing styles, is eliminated by the format change, he continued, calling it “just a business conveyor.” He claims that this can cause careers to collapse under the pressure early in the season, possibly ruining their chance at a successful long career in the top leagues of League of Legends.

The majority of the players who were interviewed claimed that the pros’ lifestyle is not the most stressful. Since their future was in the hands of the team they had a contract with, most felt at their worst during the off-season throughout their careers. The prospect of working in a competitive field comes with the risk of being replaced if better players emerge, but professionals are aware of this.

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