Life sucks and I literally cannot stop playing video games.

I have a problem. I prefer made-up pretend worlds to the real one we're all living in.

Normally this wouldn't be an issue. I'd just stuff some hallucinogens up my butthole and have a trippin' good time. Unfortunately I've got real world responsibilities and I can't spend hours rolling around naked in my back yard, covered in mud and the labels of discarded Coke bottles.

No, I prefer video games. Specifically, I can't stop playing the Mass Effect trilogy. Especially now.

You see, in the game I'm a super-buff, overly masculine Space Dude who kicks ass and takes names. Or, you know, a super-buff yet still feminine Space Dudette. It's the 21st century, baby.

That's besides the point, though. The setting of these games is pretty bleak. You know, An Ancient Evil Awakens and it's up to me and a plucky band of allies to fight back. You're up against impossible odds, it's an uphill struggle to get anyone to believe you, friends and allies die at every turn, and you're asked to make the ultimate sacrifice in the end.

But you know what? At least as Mr. (or Ms.) Brooding Space Hero, I can actually shoot someone in the head when they become a problem.

Really, how much easier would things be around here if you could just pistol-whip an idiot when they do something stupid and hurtful? Or if you could just swoop in and rescue someone who needs help, laser rifle blazing, and taking off to go have ultra-pixelated Space Sex in the janitor's closet of your starship later? Sure you might be surrounded by danger, pain, and death at any turn, but at least you could do something about it, right?

I think this is why so many people enjoy gaming. Sure, lots of people just like the entertainment factor, but there's plenty of us out there who see Standing Rock's Water Protectors getting figuratively (and sometimes literally) curb-stomped by militarized police and just want to bash a couple of skulls.

That would, of course, probably only make things worse. You'd end up arrested, or shot, or both. Not the best way to be there for your family if they're relying on you to bring home a paycheck every two weeks so the heat and the lights stay on. Plus there's the whole one life to live thing - you can't reload a saved game and try again in real life. Well, unless you believe in the whole past-life regression thing.

That's beyond the point, which is this: we see shit go down, all day every day, that we can do little to nothing about. Sure, you can become as involved as you can in protesting, donate your time, effort, and money to volunteer efforts to make life better, but that's it. And it's often not enough to make you feel like you've actually made a difference. And at the same time you've got to maintain all your other responsibilities, too. Like, you know, feeding and clothing your family and keeping a roof over their heads.

Sit down at a keyboard or pick up a controller, though? You can be taken to another world where you can shoot Space Nazis, or Zombie Nazis, or Space Nazi Zombies in the head all you like (if there's one thing that gamers love to shoot, it's zombies and Nazis). It's more than just entertainment at this point - it's therapy.

No, it's not ideal. There's always the possibility of becoming so attached to a game that you lose your grip on reality completely. It's why people make fun of World of Warcraft players for having no life. Of course the irony is that the digital lives of these people are so much more rich and rewarding - who would you rather be? Larry the Kroger Cashier, or Lointhrob the Kingslayer, level 100 Orc Ranger?

Me, I don't play WoW. Or, well, not any more. Instead, whenever I have any spare time that's not spent working or tending to my familial duties, I'll just be here in the corner, clutching my Mass Effect DVDs, working through yet another playthrough.

Hey, the galaxy isn't gonna save itself.