Say No to Comp: a PSA

TF2 is currently plagued by an addiction; a drug being sold to players; causing destructive habits that harm themselves and those around them. That drug is competition. Winning against other players triggers a dopamine rush in the brain that causes immense pleasure and satisfaction. However, this rush, while strong, is short-lived, and weakens the amount of dopamine regularly being supplied to the brain, causing people to become dependent on the rush. This results in them playing the same maps using the same loadouts and strategies over and over again to get their fix as much as possible. This fixation on satisfying their win dependency is called comp addiction, and while it may seem fun at first, it's anything but; with a pool of deadly toxins lying underneath the inviting surface.

Comp addiction has many symptoms, all equally harmful. The first symptom is repetition: they'll play the same maps, they'll try to maintain the same class composition for their team, they'll play the same meta over and over in order to "git gud" at playing the same meta over and over and over. It becomes instinctual; a habit they compulsively do without thinking.

The second symptom of Comp Addiction is frustration. Addicts become more hostile to their teammates and other players in general. They yell at players for not following the meta, or not playing the objective, or isn't doing good enough for their standards. They quickly become frustrated playing against people using non-meta weapons effectively or losing due to RNG mechanics put in to limit the skill advantage of experienced players over inexperienced ones, because they have become mentally conditioned to expect an environment where everyone conforms to the same loadouts and techniques.

If you or someone you know suffers from comp addictions, please, seek us out. Remember, CARE to have fun!