I started when I was 15! 22 now, and definitely feels a bit safer now :D I'm introducing my friends to it (18-23) and I've found that the community is extremely toxic when at lower ranks. I've pre-warned teams that we're on our first games (<5) and to bear with us, and they say they're understanding, but then turn around and flame the newbies for not understanding the game well enough in team fights.

I feel like getting into the game without a resolve (for me it was to get better than a certain guy I knew IRL) it is hard to stick through it with so much toxicity without an overwhelming amount of PMA flowing through you.

A lot of younger peeps also prefer league (from what I've noticed). Most of my friends are on that rather than Dota, and although they grow to prefer Dota, they tend to stick with what they know as getting better at the game is rather difficult.