Life Lessons

Gaming, Fun, and Humor: The Lifelines That Rescued Me From Social Media’s Grip on My Life

The hidden costs of chasing fame and neglecting my health and life’s precious moments

After completing film school, my excitement to share my creations on YouTube became a harrowing journey. It started well — I quickly amassed thousands of followers, and some of my videos went viral within a year. But, as the views and dislikes piled up, the darker side of social media became apparent.

My altruistic film, which highlighted the significance of childhood innocence and multiculturalism in Australia, specifically in advocating for Aboriginal and ethnic communities, unfortunately faced misinterpretation.

I was bombarded with a thousand negative comments, some with irrelevant and disturbing words. Accusations that I supported policies I abhorred, and associations with figures I disagreed with left me hurt and questioning the value of the fame I was chasing.

The pressure mounted until it manifested physically. One day, excruciating stomach pain led to screams that frightened my parents, prompting them to call an ambulance to the emergency department of the nearest hospital.

A Night of Desperation When the Pursuit of Virality Took a Dangerous Turn

In a desperate bid for virality, one night, I set out to create a video that I hoped would go viral the next day. Fueled by the misguided notion that staying awake was the key, I consumed five bottles of heavily caffeinated Red Bull, determined not to let sleep overtake me.

As the clock struck 4 AM, the consequences of my actions hit hard. A searing stomach pain erupted, and the urge to throw up overwhelmed me. Yet, I couldn’t. The pain escalated to the point where screams and tears became involuntary. In the grip of agony, I lost control over my own body.

The commotion roused my poor parents from their sleep. Panic etched across their faces as they assumed I had met with an accident.

Unable to articulate what had transpired and why I felt so distant, my body succumbed to survival instincts. I found myself teetering on the edge of losing my grip on reality.

This night, born out of a misguided pursuit, became a stark reminder of the perils hidden behind the desire for online recognition and the toll it can take on both body and mind.

Rediscovery in the Hospital

After a ten-day hospital stay where eating became a challenge, my parents intervened, urging me to seek psychotherapy.

Prescribed medications with adverse effects spurred me to pursue a psychotherapist through my private health coverage.

Under her guidance, I chose a journey to reclaim my genuine interests — reconnecting with friends, reveling in humor, attending lively gatherings, indulging in car shows, tickling the ivories, dabbling in filmmaking, and finding fulfillment in aiding others.

Radical Decisions and a New Approach to Life

In a pivotal decision, I chose to close my successful social media accounts, sacrificing the dopamine rushes of viral videos. Initially painful, I soon realized that the thousands of followers and dollars earned were mere vanity metrics.

Leaving a secure job added to the turmoil, but finding a meaningful full-time job in my field and engaging in heartfelt conversations with clients proved more fulfilling than chasing online fame.

Though I still love YouTube as a consumer, I now channel my creativity into helping clients create and promote their channels.

Volunteering as the media coordinator for a writing community, I’ve found joy in creating videos for fun rather than fame — recognizing that true value lies in genuine connections and meaningful content rather than the hollow allure of social media metrics.

Rather than spending countless hours preparing and perfecting my videos and dealing with thousands of negative reviews on YouTube, I allocated that time to gaming, spending more time with friends, attending parties, helping my clients, playing piano, and taking photographs at car shows.

These hobbies and activities made me happy, and my physical and mental health got back. I am still young and ambitious. I love working hard, but I don’t enjoy dealing with the negativity of strangers who have no clue about my values and intentions.

Balancing Gaming, Humor, and Social Bonds

While I’ve consciously moderated my gaming enthusiasm, I still indulge in some beloved games regularly.

I’ve learned to appreciate single-player games as a relaxing alternative to mindless TV binges — it’s a personal retreat. Simultaneously, gaming with friends has become a joyous, cost-effective social activity.

Despite diverse gaming preferences among my friends, I’ve forged numerous meaningful connections, both through shared games and with strangers in online lobbies. Some of my most valuable friendships sparked from chance encounters in virtual spaces.

Current Approach to Social Media on a Limited Scale

I’ve reshaped my relationship with social media — it’s not animosity but a thoughtful reevaluation.

I maintain small profiles on platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and LinkedIn, but my usage is intentional.

Instead of fixating on follower counts, I prioritize organic growth. Those who engage with my stories and blog posts become my followers.

As a personal endeavor, I’ve developed a website and a modest Substack to cater to a dedicated audience of subscribers.

Conclusions

In my naivety, I once believed that my heartfelt videos would universally resonate and be embraced. However, that idealistic assumption swiftly crumbled in the face of an unfamiliar and often unkind audience — individuals I had no prior experience engaging with.

Sharing these hurtful comments with my close circle — friends and family — elicited shock and dismay. While some urged reporting these remarks to Google, the sheer volume of negative feedback, likely stemming from fake accounts, rendered any action futile in my eyes.

While YouTube’s removal of dislike attacks in 2021 was a welcome step, the prevalence of hurtful comments persists in the creative spaces. Witnessing these instances amid beautiful content saddens me, evoking empathy for creators who invest their passion and dedication into their craft.

Takeaways

Throughout my own journey, I realized that in moments of deep pain, the fleeting fame from viral videos and the financial gains they brought ceased to offer solace or meaning.

The crux of this narrative is the profound understanding that seeking validation from strangers, no matter how widespread or instantaneous, doesn’t inherently breed lasting happiness. The transient elation it provides is unsustainable and inherently artificial.

My humble advice to budding YouTubers is to deeply contemplate the nuanced balance between the advantages and disadvantages of pursuing online recognition.

Prioritize your health and well-being above all else because, in the end, these are the cornerstones upon which true fulfillment and significance in life are built. Once these essentials are compromised, everything else pales in comparison.

Thank you for reading my story. I wish you a happy New Year.

You may find out some info about my background.