CSPPA has partnered with Danish mental health provider, We.Care for a program dedicated to esports professionals. Players can get access to specialized therapists within 24 hours.
The Counter-Strike Professional Players Association has partnered with We.Care to launch a dedicated mental health program for professional CS:GO players. Players can talk to a clinical therapist and strengthen their mental resilience as part of this program.
Competing in CS:GO at a professional level takes a toll on players’ mental health and resilience. While CS:GO is a game of skill, a player’s mental strength plays a crucial role in his approach to the game. The CSPPA has launched the first mental health program for CS:GO players in collaboration with Danish mental health provider, We.Care.
CSPPA Partners with We.Care
With this program CSPPA provides clinical psychologist treatment outside the scope of the team. The program does not seek to replace the sports psychology treatment often provided by teams. Instead it can be an additional resource for players looking for help on a more personal level.
When developing this program several players mentioned the need to have someone to talk to who is not employed by the team. This makes a huge difference for players and potentially allows them to open up on issues they otherwise would not have felt comfortable to discus
CSPPA says the program is curated to treat immediate mental health problems as well as long-term ones. A series of mental exercises and educational videos will help players develop long-term preventive capacity. Therapists are specialized in the treatment of gaming-related issues and have a background in working with elite athletes from various top-level sports.
Burnout and Mental stress in esports
There are many reasons why players experience issues like burnout and mental stress. Esports is a global industry and players have to constantly travel across the world to compete in international events. While the pandemic has allowed tournaments to run online, things are slowly returning to LAN.
The hectic schedule and time away from loved ones takes a toll on a player’s mental health. Other issues could range from increased exposure to social media and negative comments as well as internal problems within the team. Players also experience stress due to issues not related to gaming, for which they can also approach CSPPA’s partnered mental health provider.
This is a positive step towards ensuring the health and mental strength of CS:GO players. Several players have taken breaks in their careers to deal with burnout and mental health related issues. This new program will be useful for professional players to get any help that they need and in a timely manner.
Stay tuned to esports.gg for the latest CS:GO news and updates.