The Counter Strike Professional Players Association (CSPPA) and Danish online mental health services company We.Care have announced the launch of a new mental health support program for eSports players. All players who are members of the CSPPA will be able to access a clinical psychologist at any time for confidential consultation. The specialists providing these services will include psychologists with experience working with professional athletes and gamers.
CSPPA representatives note that the number of players experiencing symptoms of stress and burnout has recently increased. To combat this trend, a pilot project was launched some time ago with the participation of the North team, and now psychological help will be available to all players.
Martin “STYKO” Stick, a FunPlus Phoenix player and CSPPA board member, notes that CS:GO players are especially susceptible to psychological problems due to stress and a hectic competition and training schedule. Therefore, it will be very useful for them to have a psychological assistance program that can be used online and at a convenient time.
A study conducted by the University of Chichester in 2019 showed that professional eSports players who compete in CS:GO are exposed to several dozen stress factors. In this sense, they differ little from elite athletes in traditional disciplines and also need certain psychological preparation.
