Mental health is top of mind for 36% gamers in META region

A survey, commissioned by Kaspersky, revealed good mental health is one of the biggest factors affecting professional gamers, with eSport pros (36% in the Middle East, Turkiye, Africa region) most worried about their mental condition than other gamers. Pro gamers pay strong attention to healthy habits and lifestyle – 35% take care of proper mental preparation and 26% don’t forget to get enough sleep. Only 48% of eSport pros would rather keep playing to improve performance than take more breaks for sleep or eat healthier food.

According to a recent study by the University of Winchester on the factors that predict mental illness in eSport participants, it is quite common among eSports athletes and is on par with other professional sports, including football. Additionally, the findings indicate that professional gamers may experience sleep problems, fatigue, and social anxiety.

The survey by Kaspersky shows that professional gamers worry about mental health among whom 88% of pros in esports agree that well-being is an essential part of top performance in gaming. This can be seen in the actions and habits taken by these very esports pros where 26% think about getting enough sleep, 35% don’t forget about their mental preparation, and 26% take breaks to move around when possible. 

Another thing to note is that about 48% of the eSport pros don’t see themselves keeping playing, but rather taking more breaks for sleep or eating healthier food to improve their performance while 64% of top gaming influencers believe in continuing to play than having healthy breaks.

Marina Titova, Vice-President, Consumer Product Marketing at Kaspersky said “The competition level in gaming championships is extremely high, and sometimes is even like a real sport. To fight for leading positions, professional gamers spend a lot of time thoroughly preparing. In addition to the hard skills within specific games, soft skills play a big role in winning. Our survey research shows 82% of pro gamers agree that for them it’s mental well-being.”