GW2 (MMORPG's in general) & Mental Health

[Skotlex.7580]

> @"Cyninja.2954" said:

> > @"Skotlex.7580" said:

> > > @"Cyninja.2954" said:

> > > > @"Skotlex.7580" said:

> > > > The world has become a pretty dark place, some societies are riddled with stress (some more than others), and in a perhaps tragic twist, people are increasingly looking towards entertainment as a way to escape from it.

> > >

> > > I'm sorry, but I just can't agree to this if you are living in a first world country. People are looking towards entertainment because THEY CAN.

> > >

> > > Do you really want to go down the rabbit hole and compare our times now with ANY period of time before in human history? What is the time frame? How many years have to be "better" in succession? 10 years? 20 years?

> >

> > Honest question: how interested are you in human psychology? In a previous comment I explained that mental health does not correlates as much with standards of living as it does with having a sense of purpose in life.

> >

> > If you have an issue with the content of the first comment, then at least consider the follow up before objecting.

>

> I would put the stress of starvation, loss, hunger, poverty, disease, subjugation to a lord, etc. over any type of stress caused through increase of living standards.

 

maybe you would. What of kids from rich families who have it all, yet are still depressed as heck, often turning to drugs?

 

Mental health doesn't quite work that way. Because YOU have a healthier mind you can make such observations and statements. Those who don't, see in reality a much bleaker existence.

 

Whether the world is better, or worse, or whatever, really depends on the measuring data to be used. As such, it's just a subjective call in the end.

 

Edit: and thus I decided to edit the original comment to clarify a bit better this and avoid unnecessary discussion.

[Cyninja.2954]

> @"Skotlex.7580" said:

> > @"Cyninja.2954" said:

> > > @"Skotlex.7580" said:

> > > > @"Cyninja.2954" said:

> > > > > @"Skotlex.7580" said:

> > > > > The world has become a pretty dark place, some societies are riddled with stress (some more than others), and in a perhaps tragic twist, people are increasingly looking towards entertainment as a way to escape from it.

> > > >

> > > > I'm sorry, but I just can't agree to this if you are living in a first world country. People are looking towards entertainment because THEY CAN.

> > > >

> > > > Do you really want to go down the rabbit hole and compare our times now with ANY period of time before in human history? What is the time frame? How many years have to be "better" in succession? 10 years? 20 years?

> > >

> > > Honest question: how interested are you in human psychology? In a previous comment I explained that mental health does not correlates as much with standards of living as it does with having a sense of purpose in life.

> > >

> > > If you have an issue with the content of the first comment, then at least consider the follow up before objecting.

> >

> > I would put the stress of starvation, loss, hunger, poverty, disease, subjugation to a lord, etc. over any type of stress caused through increase of living standards.

>

> maybe you would. What of kids from rich families who have it all, yet are still depressed as heck, often turning to drugs?

>

> Mental health doesn't quite work that way. Because YOU have a healthier mind you can make such observations and statements. Those who don't see in reality a much bleaker existence.

>

> Whether the world is better, or worse, or whatever, really depends on the measuring data to be used. As such, it's just a subjective call in the end.

 

Do what I recommended: visit a country of extreme poverty. I guarantee you, most of your issues will resolve themselves.

 

I am not debunking or disagreeing with the fact that there is new disorders, new challenges or problems we face (I did mention that). I just disagree that we are facing dark times compared to any period of history so far. We are facing new challenges which come as negative perks of extreme wealth (in all areas).

 

There is a very nice analogy to obesity here by the way:

Obesity is a growing problem in first world countries as a direct result of our life styles and over abundance of food. Now who is worse off? A person in a first world country having to tackle his obesity? Or someone starving in a third world country? One of both can tackle his problem, the other is often subject to other circumstances outside of his control.

[Neural.1824]

> @"Cyninja.2954" said:

 

> Do what I recommended: visit a country of extreme poverty. I guarantee you, most of your issues will resolve themselves.

>

I would advise further educating yourself on human psychology. Having dealt with such conditions for the 48 years of my life, my self defense early in high school was to start studying disorders. It is a fallacy that "seeing how good you really have it" is a magical cure all for depression or other ailments.

> I am not debunking or disagreeing with the fact that there is new disorders, new challenges or problems we face (I did mention that). I just disagree that we are facing dark times compared to any period of history so far. We are facing new challenges which come as negative perks of extreme wealth (in all areas).

>

You did not address his statement regarding the documented circumstances in which people who enough money and time to purchase everything they could possibly want, are just as prone to suicide and depression as others.

 

> There is a very nice analogy to obesity here by the way:

Obesity is most certainly not because of an abundance of food. Differences in lifestyle? Absolutely. Sitting at a computer all day crunching numbers is not going to burn as many calories as playing a professional or semi-professional sport. Additionally, many people ignore the direct connection between emotional stress and eating.

 

For the record, and directed at the thread participants:

The information regarding how I got into my situation is the lead in to the actual message here. This is not about "woe is me", it's about how I, as one person among 7.5billion people wound up at the bottom of a pit, pulled myself out of that pit by seeking help (people seem to gloss right over my statement about this part), and over the time I spent away from the game chose to analyze how and why I got to where I was, and then looked for a viable solution that does not take special training, does not take much effort, and is easy enough for everyone to understand.

 

Yes, people in those situations need help, that is a given, but if we are to maintain some shred of decency as a society, people need to step up. The primary point of the post was that other than sending a tip to a commander, it costs *nothing* to be kind.

 

Saying "hey bro, that champ is a beast to solo, do you want some help with it?" has a 100% higher chance of leading to the other person admitting they are in danger and need help for real, than just running by and assuming that when their character corpse disappears that they just ported.

 

That said, the original message is quite clearly not getting through to very many people.

 

 

[Skotlex.7580]

> @"Cyninja.2954" said:

> I am not debunking or disagreeing with the fact that there is new disorders, new challenges or problems we face (I did mention that). I just disagree that we are facing dark times compared to any period of history so far. We are facing new challenges which come as negative perks of extreme wealth (in all areas).

 

actually, all I had in mind when writing that piece of my comment was mental health. We have had crazy all throughout human history, but we've had quite a lot of new conditions and just... plain crazy that we didn't historically had. Perhaps its an issue of not having better interest in recording it as such (mental health wasn't an area of study until a century or two ago), but the information we have today doesn't show that humanity's mental health has actually improved all that much.

 

> There is a very nice analogy to obesity here by the way:

> Obesity is a growing problem in first world countries as a direct result of our life styles and over abundance of food. Now who is worse off? A person in a first world country having to tackle his obesity? Or someone starving in a third world country? One of both can tackle his problem, the other is often subject to other circumstances outside of his control.

 

I am not sure we can really compare the subjective suffering of each person and state who has it better. Little good it does to tell the teenager thinking of suicide that had he been born in ancient Greek he'd be raped by his mentors.

 

People who have mental issues are generally suffering a large deal, and trying to minimize the impact of their suffering (by discussing how the world ain't that bad) doesn't address their needs.

 

> Do what I recommended: visit a country of extreme poverty. I guarantee you, most of your issues will resolve themselves.

Disclaimer: I live in a third world country and we do have starving people out in the streets here, lots of refugees from Venezuela as of late. Not sure I understand your point?

[OutOfOrder.3719]

the only way to achieve happiness is buying Black Lion keys

[Cyninja.2954]

> @"Skotlex.7580" said:

> > @"Cyninja.2954" said:

> > I am not debunking or disagreeing with the fact that there is new disorders, new challenges or problems we face (I did mention that). I just disagree that we are facing dark times compared to any period of history so far. We are facing new challenges which come as negative perks of extreme wealth (in all areas).

>

> actually, all I had in mind when writing that piece of my comment was mental health. We have had crazy all throughout human history, but we've had quite a lot of new conditions and just... plain crazy that we didn't historically had. Perhaps its an issue of not having better interest in recording it as such (mental health wasn't an area of study until a century or two ago), but the information we have today doesn't show that humanity's mental health has actually improved all that much.

>

 

No. What you've had is a lot of more media coverage of certain conditions. Unless you assume that the human psyche changed drastically within the last few years (it did not), the only reasonable explanation is that you are better informed today on negative situations.

 

The other is that we are a lot better at identifying conditions and diseases and mental disabilities today. That does not make them non existent in the past though, simply not diagnosed.

 

> @"Skotlex.7580" said:

> > @"Cyninja.2954" said:

> > There is a very nice analogy to obesity here by the way:

> > Obesity is a growing problem in first world countries as a direct result of our life styles and over abundance of food. Now who is worse off? A person in a first world country having to tackle his obesity? Or someone starving in a third world country? One of both can tackle his problem, the other is often subject to other circumstances outside of his control.

>

> I am not sure we can really compare the subjective suffering of each person and state who has it better. Little good it does to tell the teenager thinking of suicide that had he been born in ancient Greek he'd be kitten by his mentors.

>

> People who have mental issues are generally suffering a large deal, and trying to minimize the impact of their suffering (by discussing how the world ain't that bad) doesn't address their needs.

 

So you are essentially disagreeing with TC that some good words and fluffy feel goods in a video game are of much use but instead professional help is most advised. I agree.

 

As to obesity, one of both individuals has a choice and can out of their own action (which especially with depression or other similar mental state altering diseases can also prove impossible) to seek help or fix their situation. The others are at the mercy of their surrounding society and economic situation. Being able to affect your own fate is always better than being at the mercy of others.

 

> @"Skotlex.7580" said:

> > @"Cyninja.2954" said:

> > Do what I recommended: visit a country of extreme poverty. I guarantee you, most of your issues will resolve themselves.

> Disclaimer: I live in a third world country and we do have starving people out in the streets here, lots of refugees from Venezuela as of late. Not sure I understand your point?

 

I was referring to the "rich people without goals" you were talking about making an incorrect assumption (on my part) that you were talking about first world country privileged rich. As far as people who are to wealthy in developing countries, yeah sorry but if you can't find purpose with those harsh conditions surrounding you then you definitely need to seek help. There is nothing preventing anyone from finding employment or work no matter how wealthy.

[Skotlex.7580]

I am in agreement with most of the comment, so I'll just reply to this bit:

 

> @"Cyninja.2954" said:

> > @"Skotlex.7580" said:

> > > @"Cyninja.2954" said:

> > > Do what I recommended: visit a country of extreme poverty. I guarantee you, most of your issues will resolve themselves.

> > Disclaimer: I live in a third world country and we do have starving people out in the streets here, lots of refugees from Venezuela as of late. Not sure I understand your point?

>

> I was referring to the "rich people without goals" you were talking about making an incorrect assumption (on my part) that you were talking about first world country privileged rich. As far as people who are to wealthy in developing countries, yeah sorry but if you can't find purpose with those harsh conditions surrounding you then you definitely need to seek help. There is nothing preventing anyone from finding employment or work no matter how wealthy.

 

employment is not necessarily what provides purpose in life. In fact, sometimes you get the opposite effect: people depressed because they have no reason to exist beyond being another gear in society's machinery.

 

wealthy kids usually suffer depression due to a sense of abandonment, they often lacked more emotional bonding with their parents (love): they had all resources they wanted, but no sense of self worth.

 

Finding purpose in life may seem easy when you are struggling to survive (that's a reason to exist, though far from an ideal situation), and that might even be a factor to the lack of known mental illnesses in the past. Nowadays that many more people have their basic needs fulfilled, they can afford to face the bigger questions of life, and that may be where much of the issues today stem from.

 

Anyway, perhaps it's better to just mention that there's much to be desired from the way society currently works regarding the mental health of its members, and that we can do better, without having to compare to the past.

[Neural.1824]

> @"Cyninja.2954" said:

 

> You are on a video game message board. If you want decency in society, there is a ton of places you can start on first. People can tip or not tip. That is up to them, but please don't take a serious issue like mental health and presume that some feel good vibes will clear everything up.

 

This says everything that someone might want to know about you. Your intent is not to help, but to hinder. Every single comment you have made has been a direct challenge to the validity of the original message, or an attempt to convince others that they shouldn't care or look to be part of the solution.

 

Internet game forum indeed.

 

 

[Naxos.2503]

I find my purpose and my solace in the care of others. Spending time with fresh new players allows me to bask in their sense of wonder and positivity, and accompanying them and giving them advice, pointers and opinions let me feel useful. It's small, but it seems to be my way of feeling good about myself in any game I play, guild wars 2 is no exception. I spend about 80% of my time online in each of the racial starting area, often as a healer or buffer character. I also enjoy helping in first dungeon parties, and help them naviguate the instances. One thing I probably regret more is how little players ask for company on the story missions, but I suppose that's not necessarily a bad thing.

 

It's true though, occasionally, there'll come a point where stuff just piles on, sometime not necessarily out of the game's fault, but Simply because an aspect of the game becomes tedious (work) to the player, and thus does not provide the adequate relief the game is meant to provide from that stressful day. That's why it's good to Always keep at hand one activity that is almost guaranteed to cheer you up, Something that doesn't require a lot of effort or focus, but will still be enjoyable. For me, it's roaming in the starting areas, and playing guardian angel. I think it becomes to anyone to find their own way to do that, but in my experience, giving your time to positive people often result in getting some positivity right back.

[OutOfOrder.3719]

The only thing that makes me happy is opening Black Lion Chests.

 

If you are feeling lonely, nothing makes me feel more successful than hitting the Rare category. Jackpot!

[Cyninja.2954]

> @"Neural.1824" said:

> > @"Cyninja.2954" said:

>

> > You are on a video game message board. If you want decency in society, there is a ton of places you can start on first. People can tip or not tip. That is up to them, but please don't take a serious issue like mental health and presume that some feel good vibes will clear everything up.

>

> This says everything that someone might want to know about you. Your intent is not to help, but to hinder. Every single comment you have made has been a direct challenge to the validity of the original message, or an attempt to convince others that they shouldn't care or look to be part of the solution.

>

> Internet game forum indeed.

 

No, that is what you took from my message, which by the way was originally only directed at you with the recommendation of seeking professional help. The remainder was aimed at a comment which I disagreed with not by you.

 

Everything beyond that is you either reading something into what I wrote, and/or being annoyed that someone voiced their opinion and/or disagrees with you. I can't change how you deal with differing opinions, but I certainly will not sugar coat mine or change it only to accommodate you.

 

Again, I don't take mental health issues lightly and having wise suggestions of fluffy cushions and feel goods on a video game message board is no replacement for professional help that people might require. As such I will call this out because it is a very serious issue. Everything else is either bad advice, or people talking about way different or way less severe mental conditions than being refereed to here.

[Aediph.2873]

This is one of the reasons I haven't completed a single Legendary weapon despite having played off and on since Guild Wars 2 first came out, I'm extremely casual. I like to just run around and do open-world events or fight monsters wherever. Going through the process of making a legendary is more stress than I want to put on my life. I give respect to the folks that can make Legendaries, because I would probably go nuts trying to make just one.

 

I'm bullied a lot in real life, I can relate to being in a dark place. I'm glad you got help man. I wish you and your wife the best!

The casual PvE in this game for me is a light in the darkness.

We all need at least a little light in our lives.

[Skotlex.7580]

> @"Cyninja.2954" said:

> Again, I don't take mental health issues lightly and having wise suggestions of fluffy cushions and feel goods on a video game message board is no replacement for professional help that people might require. As such I will call this out because it is a very serious issue. Everything else is either bad advice, or people talking about way different or way less severe mental conditions than being refereed to here.

 

my take away on this topic is: being kind to each other can help many people feel better about life and give them a bit more of a glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel, but that kind of support does not replace what professional help can do for these issues, but that doesn't invalidates the former either.

 

Really, they aren't incompatible recommendations.

[Cyninja.2954]

> @"Skotlex.7580" said:

> > @"Cyninja.2954" said:

> > Again, I don't take mental health issues lightly and having wise suggestions of fluffy cushions and feel goods on a video game message board is no replacement for professional help that people might require. As such I will call this out because it is a very serious issue. Everything else is either bad advice, or people talking about way different or way less severe mental conditions than being refereed to here.

>

> my take away on this topic is: being kind to each other can help many people feel better about life and give them a bit more of a glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel, but that kind of support does not replace what professional help can do for these issues, but that doesn't invalidates the former either.

>

> Really, they aren't incompatible recommendations.

 

Oh absolutely. If possible one should always strive to be kind to his fellow man/women (even if out of selfish reasons for some people, since cooperation and kindness will most often be to ones own benefit). Maybe even more in a highly connected world where negative news and sensationalism dominate the headlines.

 

At some point though, especially with disorders which affect one's perception, other help is required.

[Ashantara.8731]

> @"Neural.1824" said:

> [...] I think I was at one point changed, and became driven to continue using female characters not because of any questionable objectification or desire, but because it forced me to remain sensitive to how women are often treated in games.

 

Not all men are like the way I described, of course. Most of my real-life friends throughout my life have been male, and none of them is a misogynist. Thank you for sharing your experience and for taking a look at the matter from a different angle. :)

 

> I am not a huge fan of some things the womens rights movement today is doing, **but I know very very well exactly *why* the movement is so strong.** There needs to be a balance struck, and I am confident it eventually will, but wow.. men brought this on themselves.

 

No truer words have been spoken. I grew up in a household where gender did not matter in terms of what your role and place was in life. That's probably why it still shocks me even twice as hard when I come across misogynist behavior. I just don't understand it. I have gone through life judging a person by their character; I couldn't care less about their gender identity or color of skin etc.

 

> If a woman has that sort of experience commonly in games, etc., it is a given that some of them are going to get depressed and get into a dark space.

 

What I described earlier was just the prelude into the verbal and in-game abuse (I am not going to quote any of what was said later on in such situations, but you can imagine, especially from your own experience).

 

It makes me mad beyond words when even the players who wouldn't go that far as to rudely attack me would give me lines like, "No offense, but a woman can never play as good as a guy." Really? Why not? This isn't a weightlifting contest, it's something that requires brains, reflexes and aim. And that does not depend on gender. The pro scene in CS:GO, at least the one recognized by the public, is all male. The women's league does not get as good a professional training as the men, nor do they get pampered by living in villas with all the comfort they need to practice. They will never get as good as the men as long as there is a divide of genders (I would love to live and see the day when mixed teams have become the norm). Yet the status quo plays into the hands of those bullying women in the game. They don't see the connection between how women are being treated and their performance issues (I would always immediately play worse when being bullied, because it would affect me strongly on a mental and emotional level).

 

I'd like to point out that there is also a lot of other discrimination going on in that community: homophobia (I am certain there are gay pros as well, but no one would dare to officially admit that), bashing of young players (no wonder they grow up to behave like their "role models"), racism and what not. **I am super glad you rarely come across such mindsets in GW2**. Still, even elitism displayed by some GW2 players can be described as discriminatory; instead of offering "noobs" help to become better, they are being excluded or even verbally attacked (again, the latter is an extremely rare thing in GW2 as the community is pretty awesome).

 

Anyway, I am glad the OP brought this up. It is important to re-learn the fact, that - even when it is online - it is still a human being you are dealing with.

 

> A lot won't admit it, but it is not something that only one gender is susceptible to either.

 

Exactly.

 

> My experience in game in GW2 has been absolutely stellar in this regard. I've seen "toxic masculinity" in map chats, etc., but in my personal interactions with individuals that don't know I'm not female in RL, I have not dealt with any of the poor behavior I've come across in other places. In fact, the majority of the issues I have run into has been more from people who do not like the fact that people can choose the opposite of their RL gender for a character here.

 

I have never been attacked for playing mostly male characters either, heh. On the contrary, most react nicely (or don't react at all, because they don't care, which is how it should be) when they find out I am female. I recall only one incident where someone would ask me in chat how I could be female when my character is clearly male, to which they received an immediate response by a dozen people laughing and saying that _that's_ why games like these are called _role-playing_ games. It was rather sweet.

 

So... let me finish this lengthy post by saying that I am very happy that this is a good and safe community to be in. And though some might complain about "censorship" on here or in-game (through reports), it is important to understand why it exists. Just like you said about the feminist movement: out of the sheer necessity (due to how desensitized many have become in dealing with others online).

[Gehenna.3625]

> @"Cyninja.2954" said:

> Do what I recommended: visit a country of extreme poverty. I guarantee you, most of your issues will resolve themselves.

This comment alone clearly demonstrates that you are clueless about mental illness

> Obesity is a growing problem in first world countries as a direct result of our life styles and over abundance of food. Now who is worse off? A person in a first world country having to tackle his obesity? Or someone starving in a third world country? One of both can tackle his problem, the other is often subject to other circumstances outside of his control.

And this is another part where you show a gross lack of understanding of the subject matter.

 

You really need to stop talking about this sort of topic because it's actually dangerous what you're doing here.

 

[serialkicker.5274]

Recently I have gone through heavy three day WvW grind for some skins (I hate PvP in this game), so I feel your pain, even though I didn't react so strongly as you. I did however almost quit the game. These 3 days made me hate the game so much, it's hard to describe. Between balancing issues, toxic people, insults, getting killed, getting downed in less than a second, before even realizing you are in combat, respawning and running all the way back again and again and doing nothing but capturing points and killing npc guards to keep participation up... It's simply not healthy. And now they announced this WvW exclusive mount. I'm not getting back there, simple as that. But it makes me very disappointed and if they keep adding exclusive stuff that they know PvE people will want to get, I'll just quit the game. There is no point if putting yourself through such pain for any game.

 

[Gehenna.3625]

> @"serialkicker.5274" said:

> Recently I have gone through heavy three day WvW grind for some skins (I hate PvP in this game), so I feel your pain, even though I didn't react so strongly as you. I did however almost quit the game. These 3 days made me hate the game so much, it's hard to describe. Between balancing issues, toxic people, insults, getting killed, getting downed in less than a second, before even realizing you are in combat, respawning and running all the way back again and again and doing nothing but capturing points and killing npc guards to keep participation up... It's simply not healthy. And now they announced this WvW exclusive mount. I'm not getting back there, simple as that. But it makes me very disappointed and if they keep adding exclusive stuff that they know PvE people will want to get, I'll just quit the game. There is no point if putting yourself through such pain for any game.

I do feel it's also about setting realistic goals like the Gift of Battle or whichever track. When you do the dailies you get boosts that raise your total. All you need to do is get your participation to rank 6 which means tagging along for a little while with some group. Then just complete 2-3 WvW dailies every day. Killing the veteran monster, the big spender one, capping two camps, gaining land, disrupting dolyak supplies...those are the staple ones that are easy. Because of the potions that boost your track you can easily gain enough for 2-3 levels in the track. There are 40 levels in a track. So give it a couple of weeks of just doing some of these dailies and you're done. Also by leaving WvW instantly after, your participation level stays. So really you only have to spend 30 minutes a day give or take to complete those dailies. I think doing that for 2-3 weeks is relatively painless.

 

Part of the problem with things like this is unrealistic expectations. Who cares if other people can get the GoB in one or two days? You need to do it the way it works for you. And if you really don't like WvW my explanation here is how to best deal with that. It's important to understand your limitations, accept them and then see how you can manage your goals with those limitations. Comparing yourself to other people really doesn't help much in that. Now that can be hard to do because we do have a tendency to compare ourselves to others and you can really feel that push to keep going, but that's the real battle.

 

If it's too much for you to do WvW at all, then you're right, you shouldn't go there. And I will say this. I've been doing WvW for a couple of months now. I do it solo (they don't want my guardian in their groups anyway) and I really haven't gotten any insults thrown at me. If I had really hated it then I would've stopped also. So far though, I'm just starting to get bored because it's a lot the same things. So I play less of it at a time. It'll be nice to have a mount there though cause all that walking is part of why it's so boring.

[serialkicker.5274]

> @"Gehenna.3625" said:

> > @"serialkicker.5274" said:

> > Recently I have gone through heavy three day WvW grind for some skins (I hate PvP in this game), so I feel your pain, even though I didn't react so strongly as you. I did however almost quit the game. These 3 days made me hate the game so much, it's hard to describe. Between balancing issues, toxic people, insults, getting killed, getting downed in less than a second, before even realizing you are in combat, respawning and running all the way back again and again and doing nothing but capturing points and killing npc guards to keep participation up... It's simply not healthy. And now they announced this WvW exclusive mount. I'm not getting back there, simple as that. But it makes me very disappointed and if they keep adding exclusive stuff that they know PvE people will want to get, I'll just quit the game. There is no point if putting yourself through such pain for any game.

> I do feel it's also about setting realistic goals like the Gift of Battle or whichever track. When you do the dailies you get boosts that raise your total. All you need to do is get your participation to rank 6 which means tagging along for a little while with some group. Then just complete 2-3 WvW dailies every day. Killing the veteran monster, the big spender one, capping two camps, gaining land, disrupting dolyak supplies...those are the staple ones that are easy. Because of the potions that boost your track you can easily gain enough for 2-3 levels in the track. There are 40 levels in a track. So give it a couple of weeks of just doing some of these dailies and you're done. Also by leaving WvW instantly after, your participation level stays. So really you only have to spend 30 minutes a day give or take to complete those dailies. I think doing that for 2-3 weeks is relatively painless.

>

> Part of the problem with things like this is unrealistic expectations. Who cares if other people can get the GoB in one or two days? You need to do it the way it works for you. And if you really don't like WvW my explanation here is how to best deal with that. It's important to understand your limitations, accept them and then see how you can manage your goals with those limitations. Comparing yourself to other people really doesn't help much in that. Now that can be hard to do because we do have a tendency to compare ourselves to others and you can really feel that push to keep going, but that's the real battle.

>

> If it's too much for you to do WvW at all, then you're right, you shouldn't go there. And I will say this. I've been doing WvW for a couple of months now. I do it solo (they don't want my guardian in their groups anyway) and I really haven't gotten any insults thrown at me. If I had really hated it then I would've stopped also. So far though, I'm just starting to get bored because it's a lot the same things. So I play less of it at a time. It'll be nice to have a mount there though cause all that walking is part of why it's so boring.

 

Thanks for the tips, but I don't think you quite understand how that feels unless you experience this yourself, which I guess you never will, since you don't hate pvp as much as I do. Just those 30 minutes it's like 2 hours for me. Two hours of something I really, really don't enjoy. Locking GoB behing WvW is truly pathetic attempt to bring more players to WvW, just like this new mount is (in case that mount is the major surprise thing they had to announce about WvW and they don't plan to actually fix the mode, but we'll see soon enough).

Anyhow, I wasn't actually farming gift of battle, I was farming skirmish tickets. 700 of these bastards. And I concluded that there is no way I could do bit by bit every day for weeks. I knew if I want to do it, it has to be by forcing myself to do it all at once. I was delaying it for two weeks and then one day just went for it and didn't stop until I got what I wanted and promised myself I'm returning there ever again.

 

I don't hate pvp for no reason. I have played many pvp games (pure pvp games, not mmorpgs). In that time I realized how pvp can drain your energy and can make you toxic. I was never a guy to insult others in chat for killing me or turning on cheats to have my revenge ans silly stuff like that, but I did get upset at certain situations (p2w, unbalanced matchmaking, lag, poor server performances, griefers, cheaters and so on. If I got mad, I simply let it out by throwing some F bombs out loud in my apartment, rather than insulting others in chat. But you're still in that environment and see how people treat each other. Even here in gw2, where they say we got nice community, I always had to giggle. Sure, they are nice in open world, because game is designed in such way, that we don't have to compete, still kills and loot... But as soon as you step into instanced content or pvp, that's another story. If you give people a reason to be assholes, they will be assholes, simple as that. This game is no exception.

 

Anyway, I decided to avoid pvp in games altogether and I'm far from happy what they are doing with this WvW and locking content behind it.

[Cyninja.2954]

> @"Gehenna.3625" said:

> > @"Cyninja.2954" said:

> > Do what I recommended: visit a country of extreme poverty. I guarantee you, most of your issues will resolve themselves.

> This comment alone clearly demonstrates that you are clueless about mental illness

 

Depends on the cause of the mental dis-function doesn't it? For anything with root causes in over indulging in entertainment, mild depression, lack of purpose, etc. a new perspective and readjusting of ones priorities can already help. A lot more than some feel goods in a video game.

 

For everything more serious, yes clinical and professional help is required. As I have been saying all the time. My comment was in direct context of this thread.

 

> @"Gehenna.3625" said:

> > @"Cyninja.2954" said:

> > Obesity is a growing problem in first world countries as a direct result of our life styles and over abundance of food. Now who is worse off? A person in a first world country having to tackle his obesity? Or someone starving in a third world country? One of both can tackle his problem, the other is often subject to other circumstances outside of his control.

> And this is another part where you show a gross lack of understanding of the subject matter.

>

> You really need to stop talking about this sort of topic because it's actually dangerous what you're doing here.

>

 

The comparison obviously is related to life style induced psychological problems. Not serious mental illnesses.

 

I would argue that telling people that getting treated well in a video game can cure them of their illness is far more dangerous instead of seeking professional help. On the contrary, if there is indeed a serious underlying problem, not seeking help will in all likelihood result in the problem becoming far worse. Then again, who knows, maybe I am wrong.

[Algreg.3629]

> @"Gehenna.3625" said:

 

> You really need to stop talking about this sort of topic because it's actually dangerous what you're doing here.

 

It is not your place to tell anyone anything.

 

anyway, OP, you let these things get to you because you are ill, you are not ill because these things get to you. But I suppose you know that already.

 

Also, any good therapist will early tell you that the only person you can change is yourself. I personally don`t understand the need of so many people to turn into complete jackasses in a pvp environment (but let's be clear, this is happening everywhere in the game, all games, just stand around in LA for 5 minutes and watch chat or partake in any meta event), but that is just the way people are. They will very probably stay like that. You either have to develop a healthy personality (yes, I know, that is very easily said) or disengage completely from an environment that is to your detriment. Cursing the darkness has absolutely no effect, just as appealing to strangers' code of morality or "humanity" hasn't. Your problem can only be solved within yourself, sucks, I know. From my experience, giving up that somewhat proud grim self-identification as a "social outcast" would be a good start. A part of you is clearly reveling in "being different".

 

 

[Vayne.8563]

> @"MoriMoriMori.5349" said:

> > @"Skotlex.7580" said:

> > The world has become a pretty dark place, some societies are riddled with stress (some more than others), and in a perhaps tragic twist, people are increasingly looking towards entertainment as a way to escape from it.

>

> That makes me laugh every time I hear it. During the last 100 years world has become so immensely better, that it does look like a pure miracle. A typical average citizen of the developed part of the world has quality of life kings of the past couldn't even imagine, when it comes to the most parts of their everyday life. Never ever they have been living in such secure and comfort environment. If anything really has changed is that people become less and less psychologically stable and resilient, capable of facing reality without breaking into tears - what again is direct consequences of (comparatively) extremely high life standards and super-secure environment.

>

> Yes, even with all those terror attacks, everyday murders and jet crashes, school shootings etc it can't be compared even remotely to what a regular people would face on everyday basis a few hundreds years ago, or even to what the previous generation, including those who had to fight in the WWII, had to live through.

>

> If anything really changed lately, it's access to information. World became much better and secure place, but at the same time every internet user now can get access to all its filth and horrors with a few mouse clicks - something that never was possible until last few decades. That contributes greatly to that false feeling the world "is getting worse rapidly". Nah, you just have learned how the world has been for thousands of years (and will stay like this for a while), nothing really changed that much since Roman Empire, only the scale got bigger.

 

This is true to a point, and untrue to another point. I don't think people are necessarily weaker now. I think weaker people in the past just had to shut up and take it. To that point, I was born in the 60s and we had it harder then than kids I know do now. I was born in a tough tough neighborhood. Cats with tails were considered tourists. There were gang fights. There was all sorts of violence. Neighborhood kids used to collect and trade my teeth. I didn't dare display weakness because if you displayed weakness you were done for. But that doesn't mean the stuff that happened to me didn't deeply affect me or destroy my quality of life. I just wasn't going to tell anyone about it.

 

I don't think I'd be going out on a limb to say that the shut up and don't say anything mentality of decades past doesn't mean that people didn't suffer in silence more, nor does it indicate they were better adjusted. Back then if someone hit a kid or a wife, they shut and took it because there was nowhere a lot of people could turn. But if you don't think the people at the receiving end of those beatings suffered, or had emtional reactions, I'm not sure what to tell you. We used to call them nervous breakdowns, but they were around.

 

Today we get to hear more people complaining about the things they suffer because there's both more freedom to express themselves and there's more access to communication as you pointed out. So I don't think that we're necessarily weaker today. We just have more opportunity to express how we feel without knowing we're instantly going to be ridiculed. Frankly I like these days better. Physical life has become better, but people are still abused and still bullied and still suffer. And their suffering isn't any better or worse today than it was 100 years ago...in my opinion of course.

[Forum Moderator.5907]

Going to go ahead and lock this, as the thread has gone off-topic from its original intent.