Escaping Reality

There are many things I do that are outside of work. 3D modeling. Writing. Wood working. Even hobby chemistry like brewing alcohol. Not even limiting myself from the occasional metal working or what I like to call “man knitting”. Which in itself is just threading steel wire into chainmail. LARPing, D&D, as well as other nerd things try to cut their way into my time frame. But nothing holds a candle to how cathartic video games are to me.

Out of all the things I have to do in my day nothing helps satisfy my desire to produce without causing a strain or stress on my mind or body. With the added ability to stream it even has for me as so many others become a way to also make a living.

Video games have been there for me since the beginning and have always been there for me and my development. Giving me endless puzzles and challenges to overcome. Some were not made to be beaten but made for someone to make a paycheck. While I did my best to overcome every challenge that I purchased for me to do. I could never get enough as a child. Never having enough money to buy new ones and could think of nothing else for weeks when I did get a new game or two.

In my early high school era games started to gain more cognitive stories and give me something more worth doing other than just challenging myself for the sake of completing a challenge. It was the first time I cared about what something had to tell me. I had control over whether or not the character could reach his goals and I was rewarded with a catharsis of a completed story.

As gaming has developed my need for them has developed as well. I have had relationships and friends come in and out of life. Family pass. The one thing I can always count on is that I will always have a way to play a video game and be able to escape the responsibilities of the real world for a little while and not have to deal with the emotional burden completely on my own. Though still doing most of the emotional burden on my own without pushing that burden onto others.

Video games more recently have become a strong connection like social media has. In the sense that people like myself can form actual bonds with people they have never met in real life, with common games. I have had some relationships blossom so well recently that not only have I moved states away to be closer to a friend I made online. I am also going to be starting a business where we sell merch and alcohol together. Mead more specifically.

There have been times in my life where I could barely make time to play video games. Like when I was a truck driver. I could easily tell that my job and my social life was causing such a drain and that one or two hours of video games a week was not enough. My mood was terrible and I did whatever I could to shirk responsibilities and or social obligations just to get away. I even started to reduce sleep just to play a couple of extra hours of some games and noticed an immediate change in my mood.

I have had video games as part of my life so much now that I don’t think I could have what would be considered a fulfilling day without playing some sort of video game throughout. Whether it is streaming. Finding games on sale or discounts. Playing a solid hour or so into the night so I can relax. Video games have been one of the most fulfilling and wonderful experiences in my life. Almost a ritualistic of me to unravel from my day or a hard week.

By Stephen Donnelly