# My heart beats really quickly during PvP.



## Pedeadstrian (May 9, 2014)

I have no idea why. It's been like this for years. It can affect me during twitch-based gaming (if I'm using the term correctly) like first person shooters or MMO PvP, but it also affects me during turn-based gaming like collectible/trading card games. Adrenaline makes sense during the former, because heightened awareness increases performance. The problem is that it also happens during the latter, but doesn't happen during games like Dark Souls.

Does this happen to anyone else? Does anyone know what this is?


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## GHANMI (May 9, 2014)

Go check a doctor before it's too late -please-. I would also make some remark about how asking for medical advice online is a recipe for disaster (actually it was an active factor in the death of two of my relatives) but that would make me a hypocrite.
I'm serious. It's not normal at all.


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## Pedeadstrian (May 9, 2014)

GHANMI said:


> Go check a doctor before it's too late -please-. I would also make some remark about how asking for medical advice online is a recipe for disaster (actually it was an active factor in the death of two of my relatives) but that would make me a hypocrite.
> I'm serious. It's not normal at all.


I'm not asking for medical advice. Like I said, it's been happening for years, and my cardiograms and whatnot since it started have all been fine. So I don't think it's as bad as you think it is.


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## FireGrey (May 9, 2014)

That would be an adrenaline rush, of which is an effect from a lot of games (very common on heart to beat retro games).
I'm fairly surprised that you get it in PvP games but not Dark Souls (although I have never played Dark Souls myself) but generally there will always be those sorts of moments in a particular setting in a particular genre/game, differing from person to person ofcourse.
Since it's different between person to person I would suggest that it is something that changes at the same time that your personality changes, so there is no particular way to change it other than self growth.
The only real thing that you can do when you get these adrenaline rushes is to stop and calm down, it will not do anything in the long term though.
You could perhaps search for methods that people use to deal with this, but I don't think that it would be of much help as it's just something that almost magically appears or disappears in the way you as a person function.
I wouldn't find it so strange that it occurs while you are playing card games and such, I think that even hits a stereotype on the head.
I'm not sure if there is any negative effects on health that this is happening, but i'm not sure that this is something that you would want to particularly change as it enhances pleasures.
You can either wait until you grow out of it and do what you can to tolerate/deal with it or you can figure out how to grow beyond it, which is not as clear as tips/instructions as you will have to explore yourself deeply.
Although, I would recommend that you just take advantage of it to enhance your video/card game playing pleasure.


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## Pedeadstrian (May 9, 2014)

FireGrey said:


> That would be an adrenaline rush, of which is an effect from a lot of games (very common on heart to beat retro games).
> I'm fairly surprised that you get it in PvP games but not Dark Souls (although I have never played Dark Souls myself) but generally there will always be those sorts of moments in a particular setting in a particular genre/game, differing from person to person ofcourse.
> Since it's different between person to person I would suggest that it is something that changes at the same time that your personality changes, so there is no particular way to change it other than self growth.
> The only real thing that you can do when you get these adrenaline rushes is to stop and calm down, it will not do anything in the long term though.
> ...


I'm not looking to get rid of this phenomenon, mind you. I was just curious as to whether or not other people experience the same thing, and why it may be specific to PvP. Maybe a fear of losing to other people? Maybe a strong desire to win against other people? I could be having the fight of my life in a single player game, but I'll never experience the same rush that I do in, say, World of Warcraft battlegrounds.


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## Taleweaver (May 9, 2014)

Pedeadstrian said:


> I have no idea why. It's been like this for years. It can affect me during twitch-based gaming (if I'm using the term correctly) like first person shooters or MMO PvP, but it also affects me during turn-based gaming like collectible/trading card games. Adrenaline makes sense during the former, because heightened awareness increases performance.


Actually, that's only partially true. Yes, an adrenaline rush improves your awareness, which in turn helps in these games. However, only a small part of that is actually needed (if any at all), and it carries some disadvantages as well*. If you look at top gamers, you'll see that they're all calm and almost in a zen-like state when playing.

The adrenaline rush can be compared a bit to the function of sweating during physical sports. It is an attempt to get things back to 'the normal' again. Sweat is meant to cool down your body temperature when it heats up too much. Adrenaline aids to improve your awareness in order to overcome threats (originally meant in physical situations, but it works in games as well).

I'm not sure by any means, but I think this latter could explain why you only have it when playing against other human beings. Humans are unpredictable, whereas a bot (=computer guided enemy) acts by preprogrammed algorithms. It could also be (and I've got this too) that when playing other humans, you are exposed. When playing bots, it's okay if you fuck up or do something stupid. When playing against or with other players, there are actual stakes to win or lose.





*disadvantages as to the gaming skill, that is (you act more on reflex, and intuition isn't always the best solution in a twitch-fight). Unless you're sweating extremely, I wouldn't worry about it what your physical health is concerned


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## DinohScene (May 9, 2014)

Means you're just really getting into the game.
It's normal, dun worry about it.


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## Sicklyboy (May 9, 2014)

Happens to me too. Happens whenever I get worked up over something exciting that I am participating in, like competitive gaming and gambling. I am not a medical professional at all but I wouldn't worry about it and would go so far as to call it normal, at least when compared to my experiences.

And as for what it is?  Anxiety, I'd say.  Not a bad form like an anxiety attack, but you're getting anxious about something that's happening to you. Anxiety, nerves, "a rush", those are all things I would use to describe this phenomenon.


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## ResleyZ (May 9, 2014)

I get a high heart beat when I'm playing against some fair people on online pokémon battles. They are that intense sometimes. I also get it when I play shooters in close maps, like BF3's Noshahr Canals. I don't get a faster heart beat when playing offline, so it's definitely the feeling of competition and winning that causes this for me.


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## Heien (May 9, 2014)

I have the same issue here, and it means you are enjoying the game and taking it seriously. When this happens and i notice it, the game becomes more enjoyable because i know i'm having fun


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## Hells Malice (May 9, 2014)

It's nothing to be concerned about, but if you find you're screwing up because your adrenaline starts pumping and you get twitchy, really the best way to solve it is to control your breathing. Kind of hard to used to but keeping calm in tense situations usually means you wont make the false move that gets you killed.
I used to be really bad when I played console games, especially shooters. Playing Ragnarok Online for so long however, I am usually capable of controlling myself when I want to. Getting spazzy during pvp games usually ends badly. Alternatively it can be rather funny when playing with friends, assuming you don't rage. But yeah this kind of behavior is extremely common when people get into a game.




GHANMI said:


> Go check a doctor before it's too late -please-. I would also make some remark about how asking for medical advice online is a recipe for disaster (actually it was an active factor in the death of two of my relatives) but that would make me a hypocrite.
> I'm serious. It's not normal at all.


 
This isn't a medical problem at all you dolt.


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