Pennsylvania Gamer Didn’t Leave His House for Over a Year [Video]

Although many people couldn't imagine constantly staying in their homes for more than a few consecutive days, a Pennsylvania gamer recently announced that he had left his house for the first time in over a year to go to GameStop.

Troy, who streams video games under the pseudonym Beef Erikson, suffers from agoraphobia, which is an intense fear of open and or public spaces, especially the outdoors. Those who suffer from agoraphobia tend to avoid leaving their home as much as possible, because losing the safety of their home presents social anxiety as well as physical illness.

This had been happening to Troy for most of his life, causing him to lose his ability to work and maintain most of his contact with the outside world. Thus, he turned to video games.

"Video games have been, basically, my life. It’s my fall back, I guess. I love ‘em.” Troy told Kotaku UK.

Since Troy began playing and streaming video games online, he's been able to reach out and communicate with other gamers and the outside world, as well as receiving pseudo-theraputic relief from his condition.

“Being in touch with people is the main drive and it’s finding people who have the same interests as me,” says Troy. “I think the majority of my viewers are in the same boat that I am, to varying degrees. I’m quite close to a lot of them and I’ve formed a lot of bonds through the common denominator of gaming - it brings us together and that’s been really great.”

Check out the video below, where Troy himself explains his condition.