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Panic attacks just from being in lane.

Cale017·12/13/2014, 12:06:43 AM·3 votes·4,345 views

Howdy summoners, recently I've been finding that I have an odd reaction to laning. In the past half year or so, partially because the team a bunch of my friends were on needed a jungler, I picked the role up. Pretty quickly found that it was absolutely perfect for me, and I haven't looked back since. That being said, sometimes I want to play a champion who isn't a jungler, sometimes the urge to not have to respond to three lanes begging for banks at once, just takes over and I try to lane.

But lately it been affecting me physically. I know it sounds stupid, but for some odd reason being in lane makes my heart rate skyrocket. I can feel it pounding in my head, hear it in my ears. I start getting shaky, my breath starts getting short.

It's almost as if I somehow feel more pressure in a lane now after becoming a jungle main than I do with handling whining laners as a jungler. I get paranoid about getting yanked, I start getting disheartened when I lose a CS advantage, and I have issues trading damage or handling the more oppressive lane opponents like Darius or Renekton. I feel like I have to do good so my jungler isn't having to save me, and that's if I even feel I can count on a random jungler at all. More often than not I'm distrustful, seeing opportunities that from personal experience I know would net a solid kill that a jungler just completely ignores. I try to win my lane as soon as I can so I can start roaming and helping other lanes, worried that at some point something may go wrong that, had I been there to help, might have been avoided or even turned around. Like at any moment someone could all in me, and I wouldn't be able to do anything to stop them. I'll lose my lane, possibly contribute directly to losing the game because of it. Every minion I miss chips away at my psyche, every kill I give up, whether by misplays, by getting ganked, or just plain unable to get away from an all in puts me farther down a hole. I get scared to go further than my turret, even scared while under one.

It's similar to what I feel when counterjungling, but the risk is so much greater there. I'm careful as I proceed, and if someone hops over a wall and on top of me I feel like I can still get away if I'm careful about doing so. There's a small rush and then it's over and I'm safe back in my own jungle.

I've gotten so used to a jungling mindset that I can't drop it. From the jungle I can calmly assess how a match is going, keeping track of enemy positions, CS, seeing who has the gold advantage and where. In lane I feel that I'm in constant danger, and that if I do badly I'm nothing but a shut down burden or a feeder. In the jungle, by comparison, I'm in control. It's safer, more secure. I'm free to go where I feel I should be, and even if I'm having a bad match I can still get my laners fed. I can still threaten with my presence.I have strategic oversight, and I have a better grasp of the bigger picture.

This can't be normal, or even healthy, to feel so much stress just from playing a Gnar against a Yasuo. How do you go back to being a laner once you've made it your job to pay attention to the entire map at one time and are used to the freedom granted by the jungle? And why do I feel like I'm about to have a heart attack just waiting for minions to spawn under my turret in the first minute of the match?

36 Comments

llamasx12/13/2014, 5:04:56 AM3 votes

Just learn to let go and not care so much about the game, or the outcome, but rather focus on having fun. Losing lane isn't the end of the world, nor is losing the game. What are your goals and focuses as you play? How can you change them to reduce your anxiety?

In game anxiety can only really be overcome by playing more and changing your mindset. How's your mmr in teambuilder? Try laning some more in normal games where winning/losing absolutely don't matter and tell yourself whatever your new antianxiety focused goals are.

fdissht12/14/2014, 2:20:16 PM3 votes

I'm no psychiatrist so I can't be sure, but it sounds like it's either OCD or something along those lines. If I had to guess I'd say that it's due to you being both controlling and competitive. You feel safe in the jungle and can observe the "battlefield" thus satiating your desire to be in control. You feel comfortable choosing your battle and knowing where to go, with minimal risks.

On the other hand laning is more restricting in that your opponent is chosen, there are many risks, it's a constant battle, and requires (arguably) more concentration. There is also the added pressure of being a jungler, in that you feel that you shouldn't be over reliant on them. If your jungler is doing bad; you know why and feel stress from it and if your jungler is doing good; then, you may feel that you shouldn't be reliant on the jungler because you know that the jungler shouldn't move to your whims. It's a no win situation.

While I can't say much about your need to be jungler; on the competitive side I feel like we have something in common. I too, used to (and still kinda am) be a competitive player. When I first started playing league, I used to have elevated heart rate, although not to the point of it pounding in my ears (I have experienced this but not in gaming). Although opposite of you I was excited in my prospect of squaring off against another player, frankly I love pvp; FPS, strategy, MOBA, MMORPG, boardgames, card games, sports, even arguing I enjoy. However, like you I was also scared of letting my team down, almost every game has that one guy and I don't ever want to be him. On another account I skipped 2 full seasons (joined mid/late first season) just because I didn't want to noob anyone down in ranked. Suffice to say season 4 I ended with gold 1 98LP and season 5 I stopped playing after I got plat.

I think your mindset is, however, wrong. You shouldn't go into a game thinking it's a waste of 40min if you lose. As long as you get something out of it, it's not a complete loss. Should you have had better map awareness, was your warding bad, could you last hit better, did you trade badly, etc. Nobody is perfect and you can't expect to win the game with you alone. You shouldn't be burdened with other lanes, yes dominating your lane to help other lane is useful BUT your one priority is to win your lane or not feed. You don't need to be the winning factor in every game, it'd be nice, but not always feasible. In the end it's a game, you're bound to lose alot and vice versa, if losing makes the game feel it is a waste, you shouldn't be playing it. You lose roughly (guestimation) 35-60%; lets assume you lose 30% and you play 200 games, thats 60 games lost times that by 30, that's 1800 min lost; and you probably played & lost more.

I suggest playing with friends more and add people you liked playing with. Personally I find it less pressuring (albeit a bit more embarrassing) to mess up with understanding friends than to mess up with strangers; especially if you don't like being judged/labelled. Or just gunning through it and playing tons of laning games. I see you only have 243 wins, play enough and you'll realize how real the term,"can't win every game" is and how you'll get carried, you'll carry, and just completely lose. Unless you aim to become a pro, understand that you're just another player and you can't be the main factor of every game. Unless you want to become pro, inwhich case it's always a good idea to think it's your fault, that you're supposed to be special, and that you can win games. I have too little motivation for that though.

TL;DR -Get used to not being in control -Concentrate on your own game, not on your other lanes/jungler -Don't be scared to take risks -Play with more friends (using VOIP preferred) -Play more in general -Enjoy it or stop playing

SticklerMac12/13/2014, 7:44:33 PM2 votes

I get the exact same thing, and it's one of the reasons I hardly ever play anymore. It's gotten so bad (particularly in top lane trades I've noticed) that sometimes it literally feels like I'm going to have a heart attack. Like 200 beats per second hard as hell, shaking, sweating, freaking the hell out. It's very uncomfortable. I often have to take a b and go get a glass of water and take deep breaths for a few minutes.

It's not even worth it. I've moved on to less stressful games. I don't know what caused this, I never used to get it, but I just can't play LoL any more because of it. It's a major bummer.

Edit: The major difference between your case and mine is that I didn't develop this from switching to jungle for a while, like you did. I just developed it slowly over time.

On the up side, since I quit playing League so much (I've played about three games in the last two months) I've noticed that I have much less anxiety in my everyday life. I used to be a panicky ball of stress almost all of the time, even when not playing. Now I feel like a zen master.

Raptamei12/14/2014, 4:06:21 PM2 votes

Pick a champion that can't possibly lose the lane, even if you're not going to win it.

Morgana mid for instance is 100% impossible to shut down. Blitzcrank support carries the expectation that you'll land hooks, but squishies are so afraid of him that you can take control of the lane and aim hooks at your leisure. In top lane, pick some ranged bastard like Kennen, Jayce or Quinn.

Then just go 0/0/0 in lane and keep up with cs without any effort until the teamfight phase.

FantasySniper12/13/2014, 2:48:37 AM2 votes

Play the simpler/easier champs when learning roles.

Avoid making mistakes, and simply focus on surviving.

You're not the only one that feels the pressures behind learning a new play style. It is a normal reaction to feel discouraged and anxietic.

Leti the Yeti12/13/2014, 1:47:34 AM2 votes

play safe champs

Urglord 42012/14/2014, 8:14:27 PM1 votes

I felt exactly the same way when I was a noob. It is because you lack self confidence. The more you play this game the more you will learn about lane match ups and how to respond in different scenarios. Just keep playing and you will eventually get over it.

Sachabot12/16/2014, 4:56:19 PM1 votes

Hmmm. I had the same problem with mid for a while, but I got over it by playing champions with simple, powerful kits. Like Viktor and Annie.

In your case, I would just play Irelia top.

Earl Eulrich12/13/2014, 1:53:44 AM1 votes

horribly feed in one game and from the 2nd on things usually go smooth. Or just play a Champ you totally feel like playing without htinking about if it´s the right (strong) choice or not.

Hirok012/13/2014, 7:36:07 AM1 votes

Imh, if you can't practice the roles till your comfortable in people-games... practice the role with people vs bots. Resist the urge to carry and just be 100% true to your role. This includes trinket usage/sightstone/wards. Pick uncommon characters for said roles and stick to the role. Handicap yourself by going nunu supp or jinx jungle or mundo mid. And don't play 1 role so often that you are afraid to play other roles. I almost alway call "fill" when I play ANY match. With the exception that I will ask not to be adc in ranked because I am a really weak adc.

The Chin12/13/2014, 11:02:23 AM1 votes

you should probably play lanes more to get more comfortable

MeesterMoo12/13/2014, 7:34:56 PM1 votes

You should get a fast heartbeat when you outplay the opponent, but not really when you just die and lose the game

M4nTiCoR312/14/2014, 3:28:59 AM1 votes

Your feelings of anxiety are misplaced. If you are really competent with a perticular champion it's fairly easy to keep a bad start from being the sole factor that snowballs a game out of your control. There are so many opportunities to come back if you play smart and focus on what your champion is good at. Teams throw all the time late game, even when they have the win in the bag and the other team on the ropes.

I feel way more anxiety late game at 40+ mins, especially when my team has the lead. That's when I know one bad eagage, one bad player caught out warding, one bad tower fuve, one bad baron call, can send a win spiraling out of my grasp.

Early game there is always a chance to catch up if someone, including me, fucks up in lane. Decisions and holding your own in lane are important, but they in themselves don't win games. It's making the right decisions late game and leading your team to do the same that puts wins in ice...and pulls amazing comebacks out if thin air.

Try taking a deep breath and remember that it'd a marthon, not a sprint. Anything can and will happen. As a jungler you know better than most how to set up and see and take advantage of opportunities, which snowball into objectives, which win games. Every lane has their moment to impact that game in that way, whether it's counter jungling, dragon control, roaming ganks, split pushing, ect. Keep your eyes on your moments and make the best of them.