There are hundreds of reasons that I can think not to play Defense of the Ancient but for this purpose, I will just list top five reasons which I believe you should know. If you do not play DOTA yet, then you should think twice before you face that computer monitor. Likewise, if you are already playing DOTA, then it is time to make a stand and stop the game from controlling you.

What is Defense of the Ancient (DOTA)?

While it is quite rare for people not to hear about DOTA, it is still imperative to describe this game for those uninformed ones. Defense of the Ancients started to be just a map expansion of Warcraft: Reign of Chaos. The game is played by selecting a “Hero” to destroy the “ancient” of the opposing side. The ancients are located at the two opposite corners across the map. The Hero you selected will either play with other human players or computer-controlled Heroes.

There is more to say about what DOTA is but enough about its definition. As a long-time gamer, you might actually give more information than what I mentioned here. But this is something that you should not be proud of. Read the following list of top five reasons you should not play DOTA.

No. 5 Reason: It is a Waste of Time and Money

Most, if not all, people who play DOTA do not get any benefits from DOTA. Or if they really get anything from it, the disadvantages of playing DOTA greatly outweigh the advantages. If there is someone who is gaining from this game, it is the developer and company behind it. At the end of each game, no one really won because everyone lost their money and precious time. Remember, time is a priceless commodity. When time is gone, it is gone forever. You cannot bring it back. It is estimated that an average game of DOTA will last for 45 minutes. That is 45 minutes of your life lost and gone FOREVER. If you used that for other productive things such as studying or learning new things, you could have been a better person at the end of 45 minutes!

No. 4 Reason: It is Harmful to your Health

Playing countless hours of DOTA deprive you of being an active person. You will just burn your butt and seat and not calories and fats. Playing DOTA is part of a sedentary lifestyle. Instead of going outside your home, to smell the roses, to play ball with your friends, or to explore the world, you are glued in front of the computer monitor and trapped in an imaginary world of DOTA. Instead of having your own adventure, you are playing the adventure of another character — in this case, your hero.

Spending too much time playing DOTA will lead to cardiovascular diseases, obesity, diabetes, muscular atrophy, visual problems, musculoskeletal problems, decreased immunity, and other diseases caused by sedentary lifestyle.

No. 3 Reason: It Destroys your Mental and Emotional Stability

Let’s face it: you are not the same person when you get really addicted. I experienced this myself when I was addicted to the game. I thought playing DOTA with my friends is just a way to have quality time with each other, but I was wrong. My friends suddenly transform when they get their hands on the keyboard! They started swearing and trash talking each other. Bullying and abusing weaker players are frightfully very common. By the time we get out from the computer shop, bitterness, blaming, and bullying does not stop. This is one of the main reasons that I and my friends decided not to play the game anymore. DOTA is not fun, it is frustrating and humiliating.

For students, the time they burned in playing DOTA deprives them of studying time. Instead of reading books, they will memorize skills, strategies, and killing methods in DOTA. Because of the stress being brought by DOTA, they become irritable and forget their real priorities in life.

No. 2 Reason: It is Addictive

If you cannot control yourself from playing DOTA and you find your activities of daily life greatly being impaired because of DOTA, then welcome to the addiction club! Playing DOTA is a slippery road. Once you started to play it, there is no telling if you can still stop. Since there are over a hundred of heroes to choose from and probably millions of strategies to try out, you might just get curious to try each of them! Not to mention the regular updates being made with its map, you will find more reasons not to stop. The more you play it, the more you get addicted; plain and simple.

In its basic form, playing DOTA is the same as being addicted to illegal drugs though it is not illegal to play it. Just you do not feel immediate negative effects when you play the game does not mean you will escape the compound and cumulative effects of DOTA.

No. 1 Reason: It is A Product of Evil

Many might feel uncomfortable with the top one reason of not playing DOTA, but this is the truth. I hope I do not offend anyone but to lead them to change because DOTA will not get them anywhere. I stated that DOTA is a product of EVIL because it contains many elements that are just against the teaching of the Bible. Almost all the characters of DOTA are of the dark side which God said we should not have anything to do with them. Many might not notice it, but the “Ancients” mentioned in the Bible refers to God the father. The game is actually commanding you to destroy God and His way of life. Each time we play DOTA is also a time we are feeding our minds with ungodly things. The expressions of each hero and the exclamation stated when you kill someone is a blunt evidence of swearing and an encouragement to kill more and more!

God gave us equal time each day, 24 hours. He wants us to use it for His glory and honor and not to waste it with a diabolical game. The negative effects of DOTA are real and it can affect you whether you know it or not. It is time to stop playing DOTA. It is time to MAKE A STAND! Time to make a change and the change will start in you!

These are just some of the reasons that you need to stop playing DOTA. If you have more reasons, feel free to comment and convince others to stop as well. What’s your reason?

Here are helpful books to help you overcome addiction to video games and others:

1. I Want to Change My Life: How to Overcome Anxiety, Depression and Addiction

2. Rewired: A Bold New Approach To Addiction and Recovery

3. Hooked on Games: The Lure and Cost of Video Game and Internet Addiction