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Riot doesn't want veterans with PTSD to play their game

Vishan·6/16/2017, 12:22:47 AM·4 votes·957 views

I got medically discharged from the military with PTSD after ten years. I have outbursts caused by stress among other things. I'm trying to learn how to deal with it and part of that is immersing yourself into stressful situations so that you can learn to cope with the feelings and re learn how to process them in a constructive manner. In games I have outbursts when people are being toxic or even when I make a bad play. ALMOST always I regain my composure and apologize in game for it, even stating that I have PTSD. I'm trying not to be a victim of this, but a survivor and I wont' be shamed or stygmatized for having it.

And now my account is perma banned. Where is the compassion? Where is the human element that can actually read the chat logs and be like wow this guy had about 3 minutes of toxicity but was still trying, stopped being toxic, and actually apologized for it? I'm really losing the urge to even want to play this game that I have loved and supported since it was literally in beta. This automatic ban system is brutally harsh on people trying to better themselves.

Just at a loss. I want to be pissed, but I feel like i'm being targeted and punished for having a mental disability that I did not ask for and developed later on in life.

26 Comments

Deep Terror Nami6/16/2017, 12:30:36 AM9 votes

These other people didn't sign up for harassment to help treat you, it's extremely unfair to expect them to just put up with it because you're dealing with these problems. I feel for you, but this isn't the right way to work through your PTSD. If you reach out to the VA they will have programs for this, and suggestions for outlets that aren't harmful to other people.

If you're having issues with toxic players please just mute them as soon as you can; you can turn off /all chat in your settings, and you can use /mute all to mute everyone at the start of your match, or you can even move the chat window off the screen. If you want to see the chat but not be able to respond, you may also consider a gaming hotkey program that allows you to change your Enter key so it's unusable during a match.

MysterQ6/16/2017, 12:31:34 AM6 votes

I am sorry you were banned.

At the same time maybe it is for the best. If the game causes you that much distress it is good to put it away. Another user made a plea saying he used LoL as his coping mechanism for PTSD, but LoL is not an approved method. It is best to avoid it if it causes problwms.

Marshbouy6/16/2017, 12:27:36 AM2 votes

you aren't going to like hearing this but it's true. There is no excuse for toxicity. If you are ruining games, then you are ruining games and should be punished for that.

Kneelbeforezoth6/16/2017, 12:29:53 AM2 votes

First off thank you for your service [slayer-pantheon-thumbs] !

Second im sorry that this has happened to you and i really wish i could help but i do agree that this automatic ban system is flawed and i wish riot had a appeal system in place for this where it lets you play with no chat privs till the hammer is past or maybe not let you que in pvp till the case result is decided.

Sir Fuzzi6/16/2017, 12:25:48 AM2 votes

There's a lot going on here at once and I think A) you need a ticket, not a boards post and B) to do everything you can to see this from their point of view.

I'm not going to say you're lying. I'm not going to say you're wrong, or unjustified.

But a lot of people who get banned don't like it and don't have qualms about getting unbanned by whatever means work for them. You're going to be swimming upstream on this one and you need to realize that's not an attack on you, it's a necessary evil to deal with the actual toxicity that plagues the game.

Bronze Demon6/16/2017, 1:28:49 AM1 votes

yes, go abroad to kill people your government tells you to because "democracy" and "freedom"

Pandemic Punch6/16/2017, 1:35:43 AM1 votes

I have PTSD too. It isn't a good excuse. "/fullmute all" every game or don't play it.

LightIsMyPath6/16/2017, 2:38:36 AM1 votes

Sorry for being indelicate but.. What is PTSD? (I'm not American or English)

ZapMyHeart6/16/2017, 2:55:41 AM1 votes

If you were permabanned, that meant you had a few warnings before. Yet you didn't learn from them.

The players on your team are not your personal punching bags. If anything, if you feel like you need to simulate a stressful situation and activate your PTSD, play CoD.

I'm sympathetic, but at the same time, this game is not meant to be your personal therapy session.

Seek help on the outside. The VA provides great mental care.

Çhåryzård6/16/2017, 3:00:17 AM1 votes

It has nothing to do with PTSD and Riot holds everyone to the same standards, the system itself is run by a program.

If you are making the game hell for people, over, and over, and over again, you will be permabanned :/ . It does it automatically. I understand why you may be acting toxic in games, but if you're reported enough then it bans you.

You may be able to message the Support team and explain your situation and they can unban your account if they see fit, but if they do so you REALLY need to be careful in games.

Explain your situation at the start of the game, say you're muting everyone and tell them not to take it personally if you act a certain way. I don't have PTSD, I cant imagine what it's like or how hard it is to deal with, and I thank you for your service.

I'd message the support team, they have nothing personal against vets or people with PTSD, it's an automated system and I'm sure if you contact someone they can do something about it.

ModKnightsKemplar6/16/2017, 3:04:00 AM1 votes

Hey Vishan,

I'm going to lock the comments for this thread, as it really doesn't relate very much to playing the game. I don't intend this to be a judgement on you or this thread, but I think it would be better to have this discussion in the Player Behavior Forums. Please feel free to visit our Discord server if you have any further questions about this.

--KempyreanPirate Gameplay Warden

Hallbuster6/16/2017, 12:26:14 AM1 votes

You think Riot cares about the community? No they don't, they care about the success of the company. People that flame in game give Riot a bad name, it makes the game less user friendly and discourages children from accessing the game which means they'll sell less skins.

Psyrix6/16/2017, 12:49:36 AM1 votes

First, thanks for ur service. Secondly, I'm sorry to say this but the reporting system generally isn't manned by actual people, it is a program, eventually a person may get to see it if enough reports stack in (can't really remember). Thirdly... While you may have PTSD it doesn't necessarily exempt you from the punishments of being toxic. The game wasn't designed to have a toxic environment, that is why punishments exist and eventually u'll get removed from the game if enough infractions occur. You have to remember that very few, if any, people signed up and joined league to be in a toxic environment.

If ur in cases where you feel you have to respond to toxicity with toxicity, remember you can always mute the player and mute the ping noises, if you can't hold urself back, remember you may be held accountable for your actions. On your topic about money..... The only money Riot really makes from the game makes from skins/icons and other RP items, of which none of them are necessary to enjoy the game, they only provide cosmetic effects. Riot has explicitly stated that they in no way expect you to buy/use RP and that nothing sold for RP provides an unfair advantage that can't be obtained by people without RP. Of course they are going to make skins for popular champions, they need to pay their employees

Paquay6/16/2017, 1:08:55 AM1 votes

Sorry to hear the struggles you're going through man. Thank you so much for your service and commitment to this country.

With that being said, being diagnosed with PTSD (or any other disability) does not make one immune to laws/rules and consequences. I highly doubt your clickbait title has even the slightest bit of truth. They have a game to run, and because you haven't learned to cope with this yet does not entitle you to break the rules they have set.

If you were still in the military, punched your CO in the face, then said it was because of your PTSD, would you not expect to be punished accordingly?

Aptest6/16/2017, 1:19:24 AM1 votes

Firstly, Thank you for your service.

Secondly,

I am assuming you are banned because you were reported. I understand there is a valid reason to you being a douche towards other people, and that it is at least partially outside your control. If I read correctly, part of why you play league is to regain control over it, and to be honest with you you chose to make the other players unwitting tools in your recovery plan.

I think it is within the other player's right to not forgive you and report you post game. I mean probably they should grow a skin a little bit and forgiveness is the greater part of being with other people, but you've wronged them. You knew you'll wrong them and you chose to wrong them anyway. And you made that choice not when you were out of control and stressed but when you were thinking about it prior. So it's up to them to forgive you or not.