00:00You are literally in the zone, like, all your essence is put into the game.
00:11It's very addictive.
00:14I used to play for, like, 12 to 14 hours a day.
00:17Couldn't stop gaming.
00:19Because if it wasn't for gaming, I wouldn't be here.
00:23Gaming basically saved my life.
00:30Video game addiction describes the compulsive use of video games.
00:39It is officially recognized as a behavioral addiction.
00:43My name is Adam. I'm 26 years old. I'm a professional gamer.
00:58Gaming provided that escape for me since I was a kid.
01:05I struggled with mental health at a young age.
01:07Because I remember just waking up and always having that dark cloud.
01:12Like a very heavy feeling on your chest.
01:18I didn't like school.
01:19What the teachers care about is only if you're book smart.
01:24And it also added to my sad feelings and depression.
01:29So gaming actually gave me the leeway to at least put my mind somewhere else.
01:33It's one of the best feelings.
01:35Whatever happens around you doesn't really matter.
01:37Video games can improve mental health by breaking negative thought cycles
01:41and shifting your focus from worries to engaging challenges.
01:46But turning to gaming as an escape can be risky.
01:49Increasing the chance of it turning into an addiction.
01:52Usually after school, I will run straight to the gaming cafes and spend all my time there.
01:57Since I used to come home very late at night, I was also starting to fail in school.
02:03My mom worried about me.
02:06Behavioral addictions can be linked to low feelings of self-esteem.
02:09In online games, success often feels more achievable.
02:15I will make sure my mom is asleep.
02:17And then I will sneak out again and go to the sitting room and play on mute so that she can't hear me.
02:22And I'll play the whole night.
02:25Immersive storytelling, skill and character progression, rewards and leaderboards are all designed to get you hooked.
02:33Multiplayer games are especially addictive.
02:35Typically, gamers are considered addicted when they play at least 8 to 10 hours a day.
02:40This one time, it was in the morning.
02:42I just saw like a figure beside me while playing the game and I looked up and I saw, oh, it's my mom.
02:49I was busted and she decided to take me to boarding school almost immediately after.
02:55It was a very tough time for me because literally my only escape was the console and now it's taken away from me.
03:05Being in a depressive state for me, you literally have no motivation to even get out of bed, just cry.
03:12And so uni was also adding more to my depression as well.
03:17All I used to do in uni was just go to the student center, play games.
03:21Gaming triggers dopamine production in the brain.
03:24That's a neurotransmitter that boosts pleasure.
03:26But over time, overstimulation can actually lower natural dopamine levels, contributing to anxiety or depression.
03:33One time after I was done gaming and taking a break, all these sad feelings came back.
03:41I was actually coming to find a way and, you know, try to end my life.
03:46I was thinking maybe if I cut, maybe an Atari, maybe if I hang myself.
03:50Those were the things that were playing on my mind.
03:56My PC was still on.
03:58So I was like, ah, you know what, let me just play for a bit.
04:00I played, played, played until around midnight and it just dawned on me.
04:06Gaming basically saved my life.
04:08And I think that also justified my time put into gaming.
04:12I didn't even see it as an addiction.
04:14I became good, I became bad, I became better than most people.
04:19Everything changed when I met the beast.
04:21I think that was now the beginning of the turning point when I'd start to limit my gaming hours
04:26and start to also work on myself as well as a person.
04:30Every time I would call him, he was always in a game and he was missing out on a lot of things in life.
04:37I found my new passion in teaching.
04:41I am happy to see the steps that Adam has made in life.
04:45I mean, he's one of the most unbeatable fighting game players, not just in the country, but in the region.
04:52And that is because he took an initiative to consume gaming in a more productive and safe way.
05:00There was a skill gap between our local community and the players I play with online and I tried to bridge that gap.
05:09It's also about creating that unity, creating communities be there for you when you need us and we'll enjoy that year.
05:27Who's that mean I know hey I am
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