Believe it or not, but League of Legends is very much a team game and being toxic can drive a rift between you and your allies. Being toxic affects both you and your teammates negatively and can quickly lead to a defeat.

Enemy Toxicity

It is very common to experience toxicity from the enemy laner or the enemy team in general. This can happen whether you are winning or losing your lane; if you are winning, your enemy may try to taunt you and throw you off your game, but if you are losing, the enemy could use this fact to make you feel worse about the laning phase. Instead of arguing or talking back to toxic individuals, it is best to simply ignore them and even mute them. Responding to them is exactly what they feed off of, no matter what you try to say to defend yourself. If you find yourself unable to ignore them, muting them is your best option, and can either be done by muting a specific player, muting all players, or simply disabling the enemy's chat (all chat).

Ally Toxicity

Probably the most common form of toxicity in the game comes from your own teammates. You can experience this from your allies no matter what role you are playing, and it can happen even if you are not playing particularly 'bad'. For example, if you are playing jungle, it is very common for your teammates to go off on you if you miss a gank opportunity or are unable to secure an objective like the Dragon. Them being toxic could be because they are not doing well in their own lane, or maybe because they lost their previous games. Basically, it is not entirely your fault that they are being toxic, even if you really did do 'bad' or misplayed in any way, as people who tend to be toxic are usually influenced by any number of things. The best way to handle toxicity from your allies is the same method you would use on enemy toxicity, simply ignore them and proceed to mute them if it gets out of hand.

Your Own Toxicity

We have all felt moments of frustration, especially when playing League of Legends. It can be hard to ground yourself and refocus, and it can be easy to let this frustration out on your allies or even your enemies. It is important to remember that everyone can have bad days, and because of that, they can also have bad games. Just because they made a bad play or missed an ability does not mean they deserve to be talked down to or belittled. At the end of the day, we are only human, as silly as it may sound, and we all make mistakes. It is not worth ruining someone's emotional state just because you think they are playing 'bad'.

You can avoid being toxic towards others by looking for positives to point out, to help encourage them to keep it up and work together to make less misplays. If they do in fact mess up a play and do something you would consider 'bad', instead of beating them down for it, you can give them tips to help them avoid making the same mistake in the future. However, you do not want to seem overbearing or bossy when trying to help them, as this can easily upset them if they do not take advice well, so keep these tips simple and positive. If they do not appreciate your tips, even if they are as positive as they can be, simply leave them alone and focus on your own lane. You can go this route from the beginning, as well, if you do not think you can give useful advice or be positive about it. Keep in mind that making mistakes is okay, and you will make plenty of mistakes yourself. Pointing out each and every mistake a team mate makes can easily cause them to make more and more mistakes, since getting on their nerves about it can make them feel tilted and/or upset. Keeping your feedback positive and encouraging can help your entire team work together and focus on the win

Avoiding Tilt

When other players are toxic towards you, it is easy to feel bad about yourself and get tilted. The easiest thing you can do to avoid getting tilted is to instantly mute whoever is being toxic towards you. If you allow yourself to get tilted, it is a lot easier for you to be toxic yourself and bring your allies down with you, even if they were not the ones who tilted you. You can become tilted in any game, whether or not someone is purposefully being toxic towards you. For example, you are having a bad time in lane and maybe you are down a few kills, or maybe you keep getting ganked by the enemy jungler. This is a common situation and usually is the reason players get tilted, resulting in them to become toxic, leave the game, or feed the enemy on purpose. As mentioned before, you can always give positive feedback to your allies to keep them in the game, or even offer them assistance in lane to help catch them up.

Though it can be easy to keep your teammates encouraged, it is harder to keep yourself grounded and positive after some bad games. One of the easiest things you can do to stay cool-headed is to take small breaks in between games, especially when you are trying to climb in ranked games. This break can be as simple as getting a drink or snack, or anything to get your mind off of the game for a few moments. If you just had a bad game, consider taking a longer break and maybe catching a breath of fresh air outside or taking some time to have a proper meal. Staying hydrated throughout a game is another important step to keeping positive, as your brain can easily tire out and you can start to make mistakes. If you do happen to make a mistake, take some deep breaths, maybe a drink of water, and keep in mind of all the plays that you made that were good and impactful, even if it was not during the same game. When you get up for a break you can also take this time to walk around the house, or do a few stretches, as staying active will keep your mind relaxed and refreshed. Another thing to keep in mind is that trying a new character, new role, or new build can usually lead to mistakes, and when this happens you will want to remind yourself that you are trying something new, and learning from your mistakes is the best way to improve yourself.

If you become upset because your teammates did something 'bad', keep yourself calm to avoid lashing out at them, as it can cause them to be tilted just like you. You cannot control the actions of others, and you are not responsible for the mistakes they make. With that said, you cannot let yourself be so affected by them and you have to learn how to detach yourself from negativity. It can be hard, and it may even sound silly, but allowing yourself to see the world more positively can have a huge impact on your mental state. Making a misplay is not the end of the world, and you have to remind yourself of that. Remind yourself of the good plays you made, or even something good that happened outside of the game entirely.

At the end of the day, League of Legends is only a game, and it is important to focus on the positives in your life to help you see past the negatives in the virtual life. Some other little things you could do to keep yourself motivated is to get some chewing gum to keep focused during a game, or a stress ball to use when you are starting to feel frustrated. Another tool you can use is something called aromatherapy, which utilizes different scents and herbs to calm your mind and relax you, and can be found in many different stores. Yoga can also be helpful to try in between games, even if it is a simple stretch or a form of meditation. If you are continuously finding it harder to stay calm during a game, consider taking a break for a few days to play a different game or do something entirely different. You may enjoy playing League of Legends, but it is not worth it if it causes you too much stress and frustration.

To Summarize

Toxicity is very common in League of Legends, and it almost always causes you or other player to get tilted. If other players are constantly being toxic, be sure to mute them and focus on your lane to keep yourself cool-headed and worry-free. Taking breaks and spreading positivity can vastly improve your mental state as well as your performance in game, as you will be calmer and more collected.