Players Are Prone to Addiction
When playing fantasy football starts competing with your day-to-day activities, work, studies, and other duties requiring your attention, you may fall into addiction. In extreme cases, the habit may affect family members, spouses, and co-workers.
Most fantasy football leagues also have money on them, which is a risk factor for players suffering from problem gambling. Not only is the financial aspect addictive, but it also causes additional stress, especially with the unpredictable nature of fantasy football.
Aside from being constantly glued to your device, the following are signs that you may be addicted to fantasy football:
- Anxiety
- Mood Swings
- Irritability
- Depression
- Feelings of guilt
We see it all the time: players feel an urge constantly check the latest sports, betting and gambling news, and they are often unable to stop thinking about their fantasy teams and their performance, causing insomnia, unwanted weight gain or loss, and headaches, amongst other side effects.
We must acknowledge that fantasy football was intended to help people unplug. Playing is fine, provided you intentionally devote a set amount of energy and time to it.
The Effect on Real-life Players
Fantasy football has allowed fans to interact closely with a sport they love. Many fans are also invested in the financial side of things, where they win and lose cash weekly as a result of betting. Fans can now stay on top of changes on and off the field that may necessitate tweaking their fantasy teams.
On the flip side is the dehumanization of players by all the economic and technological components. Fantasy football ultimately distances the fan from the athletes they initially admired for their abilities, accomplishments, and talent on and off the field.
A typical example is how football fans view an injury to a player. Fantasy football players often worry about the impact of an injury on their fantasy football team rather than its actual impact on the hurt human being.
Players are paid a lot of money and understand the risks of playing football, but it’s only fair that fans do not forget that these players have lives and families outside of sports.
Fantasy football puts performances under a microscope. Despite this being good for players with excellent performance, fantasy football easily creates hatred from heavily invested fans.
Negative Toll on Mental Health
Studies have shown that people who play fantasy football are susceptible to a decline in mental health. The more time spent playing, the more significant the decline in mental health gets. For a vast majority of players, fantasy football is unwinnable, and the more invested a person is, the greater the negative mental toll suffered should they lose.
Despite all the positives of fantasy football, players must be cautious about the amount of time and emotional investment they give to the game.
Your physical and mental health are intertwined. Tend to your mental health by implementing healthy habits when playing fantasy football. If you feel like it’s still taking a toll on you, consider taking a break for up to a year and observing how you feel. Try replacing the time spent with physical activity, like jogging or walking.
The level of investment in fantasy football reduces productivity. The excitement of playing, coupled with emotional and financial investment, is hard for many to manage. This is why many fantasy football players will award an hour or more of their day to playing, which for some, predominantly affects their productivity in school and at work.
Proceed With Caution
Fantasy football, in all its glory, should be enjoyed with caution. It is crucial that every player is aware of the possible negative effects and can catch themselves when they begin to lean into the negative.
Fantasy football encourages critical thinking and healthy competition and adds spice to the game. However, it only remains beneficial when enjoyed in moderation. It encourages an illusionary engagement with football, where players stare at numbers and curse the players when a concussion costs them their fantasy title rather than worrying about the player’s long-term health.