You just had the worst game you've ever played. Maybe your mechanics were off, maybe the enemy player was smurfing on you, or perhaps even it was your team's fault; any way you put it, this was the worst game you've ever experienced. You stayed calm in-game, keeping it positive, but you still lost and now you're so angry you could punch your monitor or break your keyboard. Why must these games happen to you? The season is ending so you have to hurry up and rank up! Well don't worry, it happens to the best of us, from even the highest of challengers; you are not alone in this matter. Here are some tips to calm down after a tilting game, or games, of League of Legends!

Realize that it was just 1 game and you will have time to progress still

League isn't shutting down anytime soon so 1 loss can't hurt you as long as you don't let it hurt you. You just have to click play again, if you get too tilted you'll go on a bigger decline in your play style, which will just tilt you more. So just understand that 1 miniscule loss shouldn't hurt your LP and only your tilt going into the next game will.

NOTE: Try to follow the 3 games rule where if you lose 3 times you take a break, because usually after your 3rd loss you are at the point of no return.

Try to reflect on what happened during that game

Download a replay of your last game to review your own gameplay and think “was this game out of my control?” It can be disgruntling to see what you could’ve done better and what your team should’ve done. You learn more from losses than you do from wins. During this reflection, realize that you could’ve done this better or that your team should’ve done something else. Hopefully you will feel more driven to improve your own mistakes, and laugh off the things you couldn’t control. Look forward towards the next game afterwards, think to yourself, "I can do better!" with an aspiration you're more likely to calm down, and most importantly, be motivated to grow.

Follow T.I.P.P.

If you’re under stress, anger or experiencing anxiety after a very rough game, you can try T.I.P.P. which should help you calm down and Relax your body and mind.

Temperature: Cool off your body with anything cool, either than be a cold compress on your forehead or drinking a nice cold glass of water, which will cool down your body and lower your heart rate due to the diver reflex.

Intense exercise: This time you need to heat up your body, you can do this by doing 15 jumping jacks, push-ups, or taking a small walk around your street. You don’t need to do anything athletically pressing. If you use this method, take a small break to relax so you can recuperate your stamina.

Pace your breathing: Slow your breathing; Inhale for four seconds, then exhale for 8 seconds. Go slowly and take your time. You should relax your strong emotions by doing this. If you have your own breathing exercise, you can also do that instead.

Progressive muscle relaxation: Relax all of your muscles slowly. Starting from your toes and going up, by relaxing all your muscles your oxygen will lower, this will make your breathing and heart rate go down.

For a more in-depth video of the T in the TIPP method, I recommend watching this video by the Psych Show's host Dr. Mattu.

Play another game for a short while

It’s good to take breaks for a while, try playing another game, I’d recommend a more casual experience something that won’t get you riled up. Perhaps you could play Teamfight Tactics normal games, as you don’t even have to open another launcher for that. Just try not to take the game seriously and have fun with it. ARAMS are also another way to have fun if you don’t take it too seriously. For games unrelated to League, I would recommend relaxing games like Stardew Valley, Minecraft, and Animal Crossing which are amazing games to cool off to. They all are nice little sandbox-like games that are non-competitive games with slow and steady progression.

Get off of your computer for a short break

If a game gets so bad that you just don’t want to play anything at all, then it can be beneficial to try something else for around 30 minutes to an hour. You could take a short shower and eat, as being “hangry” while playing league can lead to tilt. Maybe you can talk to your friends or family for a little, getting your mind of league while you’re talking to them. You could also watch some TV, listen to music, or catch up on a Netflix show that just came out. Get a new mind-set before coming back. For TV and Netflix, I'd recommend something that won't get you angrier. For music perhaps some relaxing music, It doesn't have to be classical just don't go too angry with the music you're listening to.

Final Thoughts

Getting a wide range of negative emotions is natural for a human. If everyone was happy about League all of the time, then League wouldn't need a punishment system, however it's up to you on how you control your emotions. I hope this small guide helped you at least a little bit for the future when you experience a horrible loss.

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