5 practical ways of dealing with gamer rage

As much as we love videogames, they really know how to get our blood boiling.

Swearing. Shouting. Broken controllers. Anyone who plays games regularly has been there, and it's not pretty.

So, how can we deal with our gamer rage in a practical, calm manner? We trawled the web and found some sensible suggestions from science-y types.


Turn down the difficulty

According to a joint study by Oxford and Rochester University, the primary causes of gamer aggression are failure and frustration – two emotions sparked by difficulty.

So, dealing with failure and frustration is the obvious way to cure your gamer rage. There are couple of ways to do this:

  • Get good at the game. Spend hours mastering it. Become one with the game.
  • Turn down the difficulty. We won't judge you for it, promise.
  • Accept failure as part of the gaming experience. They're designed to make you lose sometimes.

Or, you could just get rid of the offending game entirely. You can sell games with musicMagpie, so we'd be more than happy to take it off your hands.


Go for a run

Sorry, couch potatoes: science has proven that exercise is one of the most effective outlets for anger. When you feel the red mist descending, strap on your trainers and jog away the rage. You could even download a running app to make it feel more like a game.


Laugh

Laughter is, apparently, actually the best medicine for anger. Having a good old chuckle at your favourite comedy, or even just laughing at the absurdity of getting angry at video games, can reduce your stress and anger.

That's because laughing activates then cools down your stress response, as well as soothing tension and stimulating your organs. So, learn to laugh at your mistakes!


Realise when you're not enjoying a game

Amongst all the levelling up and online competitions, its easy to forget that games are supposed to be fun. If a certain game is putting you in a bad mood constantly, don't be afraid to switch to something else – you don't have to complete or be the best at everything!


Use a dog shock collar (don't try this at home!)

This chap cured his FIFA 15 rage by putting on a dog collar that administered a shock whenever he shouted too loud. Whatever you do, please do not try this at home!


Share your game rage cures with us in the comments! Or, click below to sell the games that are giving you a hard time!

Image credit: Jason Devaun on Flickr, used under Creative Commons license.