How Gaming Saved My Life
You may think gaming saving someone's life is excessive and unheard of, but it has truly saved my life and given me a purpose I never thought I would have.
If you haven't met me yet, then hello. My name is Angel Ruzicka, and I'm an editor and writer here at Gaming World UK. Now, reading the title, you're probably thinking this is going to be some piece about how I learned about gaming and made friends online, and you'd be partially correct. My lore with video gaming goes much, much deeper, though, so let's get into it.
When I started gaming at 13 on the Wii, I never would've thought that almost a decade and a half later, gaming would change my life. I started playing games like Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games and Call of Duty 3, finding an escape through gaming. And yes, I did play Call of Duty on the Wii. It was an interesting experience that I would never want to go back to, trust me.
Fast forward to college, I started attending Indiana University. Two classes particularly caught my attention: Esports Journalism and Esports Marketing and Management. I was intrigued because, at the time, pre-COVID, I was a Sports Media major, and these classes would count towards my degree. I ended up taking them and fell in love with competitive gaming.
I immediately downloaded League of Legends and Overwatch, and I was genuinely so intrigued by both. I was used to playing games just for fun, but learning about ranked modes drew me in instantly. I made it a goal to get better at these games, and I fell deeper in love with video gaming.
Then, the coronavirus pandemic happened, and it felt like my world came crashing down. My major was essentially cancelled, as we couldn't get into the studio to film or do any sportscasting. I finished the semester, then switched to a general Communications degree because it had the most transferable credits.
I started struggling with loneliness throughout the pandemic, as many of us did. Instead of turning to gaming, though, I actually ended up joining the Army. I unfortunately got long COVID, which led to other chronic illnesses, creating a drastic turn in my life. I got diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS), which literally turned my life upside down.
With the chronic pain, fatigue, and heart issues that I now had to learn to live with, I struggled to cope with the new life that was thrust upon me. It felt like I could no longer live the life I once did: working out every day, maintaining a normal job, and not worrying about how my actions one day could affect my energy levels for the next week. It was a hard switch, but I learned to cope with the fact that my life would never be the same again.
That's when I returned to gaming. My senior year, I joined the Esports team at IU East and made it to the North America Collegiate Esports (NACE) Finals for Fortnite, becoming the first in our school to go to Nationals. After graduating, I kept leaning into gaming and the online communities I could join.
I got into a very small game called Foxhole and met someone from a gaming Discord server who played it. It turns out they actually wanted someone to stream Minecraft to, which intrigued me, as I had never played the game before, which was honestly a crime in itself in the year 2024.
Fast forward a couple of weeks, and that person, Lexi, became my partner. A couple of years later, we are happily married now, all because of a little video game. Lexi also reconnected with her middle school friends (yes, middle school), and we all play games together now, despite being spread across the United States.
Not only has gaming given me my beautiful wife and a great friend group, but it has also severely helped me cope with my chronic illnesses. It's not easy being constantly exhausted, but gaming gives me a low-energy activity I can focus on without worrying about overexerting myself, which I can't say for most activities.
While I would be lying if I said I didn't miss how I felt before getting sick, I am grateful for everything video games have given me. I have a job that I absolutely love, where I get to playtest and write about a variety of games. I have an amazing wife who games with me every night. I have a friend group who makes me laugh and keeps me on my toes, always.
I wouldn't have any of this without gaming. I used to be so depressed and lonely, and now I can truly say that I am grateful for and in love with my life, despite the drawbacks of being chronically ill and exhausted most of the time. My life has gotten exponentially better, and I can thank video games for it all.
I'm so grateful to have Gaming World to write and edit about indie games, and my friends, wife, and I would be absolutely bored out of our minds without gaming. It's something that connects us despite having hundreds of miles separating us. I know my favourite people are just a Discord call away whenever I need.
So next time you hear someone say that video games changed their life, ask them about it. I guarantee they may just have a story that surprises you.
Image: GW Image Creator