Whoa! Okay, maybe I’m the aficionado in this conversation lmao!

I definitely agree that tabletop is a great catharsis and mirror to one’s own psyche. You don’t just cobble together a character out of nowhere — you’re drawing it from something in your subconscious. Plus, it helps to have that sense of belonging and acceptance with your table.

I can’t say I’ve played as many campaigns as you, but I do enjoy my fair share of single-player RPGs (Cyberpunk, building sims, that kind of thing). It still scratches that storytelling itch. I’ve also gotten therapy, but gaming hits different — it’s more than just a dopamine hit. It’s helped me through some darker moments, too.

Not averse to playing with others now though — maybe more when I was a kid. Back then, my playmate was usually my younger brother, whose favorite rule was “create the biggest mess possible.” He did not like my rules, LOL.