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Pitcock: ‘I refer to video games as my drug of choice’
"Quinn Pitcock had always been someone who let few people into his life, but those he allowed in his inner circle were alarmed at his obsession with video games and tried their best to convince him he was on a downward spiral.
He brushed their comments aside, though, as he would an opposing offensive lineman.
A star football player at Piqua High School and a first-team All-American defensive tackle at Ohio State, Pitcock was drafted in the third round by the Indianapolis Colts in 2007.
He played in nine games as a rookie and had 30 tackles and 1½ sacks. Then he mysteriously walked away from the game.
In the macho world of professional sports, Pitcock wasn’t able to open up about what was swirling around inside him. The 6-foot-2, 300-pounder was dealing with anxiety and depression. And he found he could dull the pain by immersing himself in Xbox Live.
At the height of his compulsion — playing the Call of Duty series under the alias Randy the Random 1 — Pitcock said he’d wake up on a typical day at 3 p.m. and play until 6 or 7 a.m. the following morning.
After years in the spotlight as a high-profile athlete, he couldn’t face the real world. Video games enabled him to retreat from society, and that anonymous moniker meant he didn’t have to feel the pressure of living up to the Pitcock name.
“First-person shooter games were my thing. I was ranked at one point 55th in the world,†he said during a phone interview from Seattle, where he’s attempting a comeback after two seasons away from the NFL. “But it just consumed me. It’s a world I shouldn’t have been into.
“I got just overwhelmed with so much stuff. I have my anxiety issues, which I didn’t think I had but later learned I had very high levels of. ... You hear with other people how it’s drugs or alcohol. I stayed away from that area. I refer to video games as my drug of choice. I became addicted to it.â€
The concept of video-game addiction is gaining acceptance around the globe. There’s even a detox center in Europe and numerous books being written on the subject.
As with all addicts, recovery begins with a moment of clarity. And Pitcock, 26, said his time came when he took a job with AdvoCare, a wellness company, and blew off an out-of-town seminar.
“The video game I was playing is the most popular one out there (Hardcore Search and Destroy). At all hours, somebody is always on — there’s thousands of people playing at all times. As soon as you want to get off, there’s another person saying, ‘Let’s play.’ So you stay on.
“I signed up for a success school, going down to Texas for a weekend. But I had played so many video games right before my trip and wasn’t ready and had no sleep. I called off my flight and trip, and stayed in the next couple weeks. I was calling off a lot of different things for video games. ... That’s when I knew it was a problem.â€
Pitcock first opened up to his girlfriend and family. He sought treatment and professional counseling.
But typical of many cases of addictive behavior, Pitcock had his share of relapses.
“I tried the cold turkey. I actually have about five video-game CDs that are either broken or burned or cracked that are hanging on the walls in my apartment for each time I got so mad at myself for playing again and broke ’em. But then a couple days later, I’d go out and buy a new one. It took awhile.â€
Pitcock said he’s gotten rid of his Xbox and hasn’t played for three months. And once he was able to get his anxiety and depression under control with treatment, his love for football came back.
He signed with the Seahawks and immediately went public with his addiction. And he’s been amazed at how well his story has been received.
“I’ve already had a few people contact me and open up and ask me for advice,†he said. “It’s been a very humbling experience. Hopefully, it’s had an impact on other people’s lives and they’ve been able to help themselves.â€
Pitcock wants to use football as a platform to free others from video-game addiction. He’s hoping to find a home with the Seahawks, who play a preseason game at Oakland tonight, Sept. 2, and will make final cuts Saturday.
He recognizes now that he made a mistake walking away from football — he was in the second year of a three-year, $1.267 million contract — but life is becoming pleasurable again, and he has no regrets.
“As soon as I quit, I wanted to come right back, but I was too stubborn and didn’t know how people were perceiving me,†he said. “But I wouldn’t change anything for the world. How it happened worked out great for me. I’m where I want to be right now.â€
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Ah gaming has long been my drug of choice and I don't forsee a 12 step program in my future either. It's never affected my job but I have to honestly say it has affected my relationship at times. I've weathered the storm though and matured quite a bit and now gaming is still an important part of my life but within reason.
"Quinn Pitcock had always been someone who let few people into his life, but those he allowed in his inner circle were alarmed at his obsession with video games and tried their best to convince him he was on a downward spiral.
He brushed their comments aside, though, as he would an opposing offensive lineman.
A star football player at Piqua High School and a first-team All-American defensive tackle at Ohio State, Pitcock was drafted in the third round by the Indianapolis Colts in 2007.
He played in nine games as a rookie and had 30 tackles and 1½ sacks. Then he mysteriously walked away from the game.
In the macho world of professional sports, Pitcock wasn’t able to open up about what was swirling around inside him. The 6-foot-2, 300-pounder was dealing with anxiety and depression. And he found he could dull the pain by immersing himself in Xbox Live.
At the height of his compulsion — playing the Call of Duty series under the alias Randy the Random 1 — Pitcock said he’d wake up on a typical day at 3 p.m. and play until 6 or 7 a.m. the following morning.
After years in the spotlight as a high-profile athlete, he couldn’t face the real world. Video games enabled him to retreat from society, and that anonymous moniker meant he didn’t have to feel the pressure of living up to the Pitcock name.
“First-person shooter games were my thing. I was ranked at one point 55th in the world,†he said during a phone interview from Seattle, where he’s attempting a comeback after two seasons away from the NFL. “But it just consumed me. It’s a world I shouldn’t have been into.
“I got just overwhelmed with so much stuff. I have my anxiety issues, which I didn’t think I had but later learned I had very high levels of. ... You hear with other people how it’s drugs or alcohol. I stayed away from that area. I refer to video games as my drug of choice. I became addicted to it.â€
The concept of video-game addiction is gaining acceptance around the globe. There’s even a detox center in Europe and numerous books being written on the subject.
As with all addicts, recovery begins with a moment of clarity. And Pitcock, 26, said his time came when he took a job with AdvoCare, a wellness company, and blew off an out-of-town seminar.
“The video game I was playing is the most popular one out there (Hardcore Search and Destroy). At all hours, somebody is always on — there’s thousands of people playing at all times. As soon as you want to get off, there’s another person saying, ‘Let’s play.’ So you stay on.
“I signed up for a success school, going down to Texas for a weekend. But I had played so many video games right before my trip and wasn’t ready and had no sleep. I called off my flight and trip, and stayed in the next couple weeks. I was calling off a lot of different things for video games. ... That’s when I knew it was a problem.â€
Pitcock first opened up to his girlfriend and family. He sought treatment and professional counseling.
But typical of many cases of addictive behavior, Pitcock had his share of relapses.
“I tried the cold turkey. I actually have about five video-game CDs that are either broken or burned or cracked that are hanging on the walls in my apartment for each time I got so mad at myself for playing again and broke ’em. But then a couple days later, I’d go out and buy a new one. It took awhile.â€
Pitcock said he’s gotten rid of his Xbox and hasn’t played for three months. And once he was able to get his anxiety and depression under control with treatment, his love for football came back.
He signed with the Seahawks and immediately went public with his addiction. And he’s been amazed at how well his story has been received.
“I’ve already had a few people contact me and open up and ask me for advice,†he said. “It’s been a very humbling experience. Hopefully, it’s had an impact on other people’s lives and they’ve been able to help themselves.â€
Pitcock wants to use football as a platform to free others from video-game addiction. He’s hoping to find a home with the Seahawks, who play a preseason game at Oakland tonight, Sept. 2, and will make final cuts Saturday.
He recognizes now that he made a mistake walking away from football — he was in the second year of a three-year, $1.267 million contract — but life is becoming pleasurable again, and he has no regrets.
“As soon as I quit, I wanted to come right back, but I was too stubborn and didn’t know how people were perceiving me,†he said. “But I wouldn’t change anything for the world. How it happened worked out great for me. I’m where I want to be right now.â€
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Ah gaming has long been my drug of choice and I don't forsee a 12 step program in my future either. It's never affected my job but I have to honestly say it has affected my relationship at times. I've weathered the storm though and matured quite a bit and now gaming is still an important part of my life but within reason.
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