Call of Duty pro reveals struggle with Adderall abuse

Call of Duty pro reveals struggle with Adderall abuse

This story about mental well-being in esports, boiled down, in 1:30 minutes.

What's the fuss?

A prominent professional Call of Duty player has opened up about his difficult year, including past Adderall usage at the height of his career. The current culture surrounding esports doesn't help.

The situation

At just 18 years old, Cuyler "Huke" Garland became a world champion when his team beat the Atlanta FaZe at the first ever Call of Duty League Championship. 

  • Having competed in multiple first person shooter games at a professional level since he was 15, many regard Huke as somewhat of a gaming prodigy. 
  • Just this year, his talents brought him to 100 Thieves, one of the largest gaming organizations in the world, as a part of their Call of Duty team.

But this success seems to have come at a cost. Huke opened up about his use of Adderall when he won the Championship and the aftermath of reputational damage driven by rumours in a lengthy video. 

  • These rumours negatively impacted his career, being benched by 100 Thieves shortly after he joined the organization. 
  • In his video, he calls out the toxicity in the pro scene and the improvements that need to be made to make esports a healthier environment for players.

Boiling it down

Watching esports is an amazing spectacle for spectators, but a stressful time for players. 

Psychological pressure can be the main driver for pros to turn to drugs such as Adderall to enhance performance. 

  • Typically, Adderall is a drug prescribed by doctors to treat patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in order to hone concentration. 
  • Drug testing is rare in esports, leading to the drug being commonly used by pro players.

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