Allu’s comeback journey after mental health break and ENCE controversy with practical career strategies
The Burnout Break: Mental Health in Esports
At 29 years old, Aleksi ‘allu’ Jalli embarks on a professional renaissance after a four-month hiatus addressing critical burnout symptoms that plagued his performance.
The Finnish AWPer demonstrates renewed determination to return to competitive Counter-Strike following an extended absence focused on mental wellness and personal recalibration.
Since entering the professional scene in 2013, allu has competed with elite organizations including Ninjas in Pyjamas, FaZe Clan, and ENCE, accumulating over $400,000 in tournament earnings and securing his position as Finland’s fifth-highest earning esports competitor.
However, the relentless travel schedule and constant performance pressure exacted a significant toll, leading to profound exhaustion that necessitated stepping back to preserve mental health and rediscover competitive passion.
“The period from 2020 until my departure felt like living on borrowed time,” he revealed to Dexerto. “Professional gaming generates immense stress through constant travel and unrelenting performance expectations.
“Significant personal transitions, including becoming a father over two years ago, compounded the pressure. I never allocated proper time for reflection, enjoyment, or life reorganization. Essentially, I was consistently overextending myself without recovery periods.”
Allu acknowledges his competitive performance noticeably declined during this period. He described the game experience as “genuinely unpleasant” and even official matches felt fundamentally misaligned with his capabilities.
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“My competitive fire diminished considerably,” he explained. “After three weeks of contemplation, I informed my teammates that my current state was unacceptable and I required time to mentally reset and reassess my priorities.”
During his sabbatical, allu completely avoided CS:GO, concentrating energy on achieving psychological equilibrium. After determining his commitment to competitive gaming remained intact, he established structured routines to prevent regression into previous unsustainable patterns.
Allu joins numerous elite CS:GO professionals who have required breaks addressing burnout and mental health concerns—issues amplified during the extended online competition period resulting from global circumstances.
Prominent examples include Lukas ‘gla1ve’ Rossander and Andreas ‘Xyp9x’ Højsleth, with Evil Geniuses recently announcing Peter ‘stanislaw’ Jarguz and Vincent ‘Brehze’ Cayonte would miss BLAST Premier Fall Groups to focus on mental wellness.
Road Back to Professional Play
Typically, professionals returning from mental health breaks find their roster positions preserved, but allu encountered different circumstances. When prepared to resume competition, ENCE had already committed to Olek ‘hades’ Miskiewicz as a permanent replacement.
Given the team’s successful performance with the Polish AWPer, allu expresses no bitterness toward his former organization.
“Returning remained a theoretical possibility, but mentally I had accepted the chapter concluded,” he stated. “My departure timing proved unfortunate with important events approaching. They secured hades, who has performed exceptionally well.
“The team demonstrates upward trajectory and consistent improvement, eliminating logical justification for my reinstatement.”
Allu concentrates on regaining competitive form after months away from professional play. He regularly streams FPL matches and studies top-tier competitions to maintain current meta knowledge, though he believes minimal strategic evolution occurred during his absence.
His recovery process encountered an unexpected complication in August due to a domestic accident. While performing pull-ups, the wall-mounted bar detached, causing him to fall violently to the floor.
“I fractured my kneecap and received medical instructions to avoid sitting for two-to-three weeks, creating additional complications,” he noted with amusement.
“The situation represented extraordinarily bad luck and bizarre circumstances.”
With the PGL Major Stockholm approaching, allu recognizes most organizations postpone roster changes, eliminating urgency in securing new team placement. His ENCE agreement concludes in December, making pre-year-end competitive return improbable.
ENCE Departure and Team Dynamics
Allu seemingly maintains unfinished business within Counter-Strike following ENCE’s Finnish roster dissolution and subsequent controversy.
Circumstances shifted dramatically in December 2020 when allu appeared on the ‘HLTV Confirmed’ podcast analyzing team struggles over preceding eighteen months. During the broadcast, former and current ENCE players contested allu’s narrative accuracy, with Jere ‘sergej’ Salo asserting the veteran’s “personality proves more complex and potentially problematic than appearances suggest.”
As discussions regarding team collapse and allu’s involvement intensified, ENCE released a statement accepting “complete responsibility for underestimating problem severity.” The organization additionally committed to investigating how fundamental issues remained unaddressed for extended duration.
Merely three weeks into 2021, ENCE unveiled their new international lineup featuring allu. In a HLTV.org interview, General Manager Niklas Ojalainen noted allu demonstrated substantial personal improvement commitment and declined attributing blame specifically, stating “numerous individuals” shared responsibility for team disintegration.
Inevitably, this controversy may define allu’s career legacy more significantly than his substantial in-game achievements.
While public perception concerns him minimally, he acknowledges his team acquisition prospects connect directly to behind-the-scenes discussions.
“The situation proved challenging,” he admitted. “I believe the circumstances were undeserved. Public discourse rarely concerned me throughout my career, but obviously it generates impact through rumor circulation.
“The narrative portrays me as exceptionally problematic. This characterization proves amusing rather than accurate.
“Multiple perspectives exist for every situation, and I’ve retained my account privately.”
Does this indicate future disclosure of his perspective? “Potentially at some point. The situation remains uncertain.”
Allu added he intends to “demonstrate error in critics’ assumptions.” This includes those believing he represents a disruptive influence responsible for ENCE’s difficulties, plus individuals considering his age prohibitive for competitive impact.
Taking a time out earlier this year has been very good but now its time to get back to work 😈 If there is a need for experienced & motivated player hit me up!
— Aleksi Jalli (@alluCSGO) July 14, 2021
He diligently works to demonstrate substantial remaining competitive capability.
Future Career Strategy and Age Considerations
Throughout the past year, numerous unsettled CS:GO professionals have transitioned to Valorant careers, attracted by financial opportunities and Riot Games’ structured competitive ecosystem.
Allu’s former ENCE teammate Elias ‘Jamppi’ Olkkonen has achieved success in the alternative title, alongside Finnish compatriots Santeri ‘BONECOLD’ Sassi (Acend) and Nikita ‘Derke’ Sirmitev (Fnatic), who also originated from Counter-Strike.
Allu conceded that Valorant transition consideration briefly intrigued him, but he maintains no current interest in game switching.
“The consideration occupied my thoughts momentarily,” he stated. “I’ve never actually played the title. I installed it previously but recently uninstalled to liberate storage space.
“I’ve observed streams to comprehend gameplay mechanics, particularly since Jamppi competes there. However, I cannot envision myself participating in that game.
“Having never played it, my perspective might differ with experience. Ultimately, Counter-Strike has provided immense opportunity. I maintain genuine passion for this game. No justification exists for transition.”
“I genuinely reject age as a determining competitive factor,” he asserted. “Mental condition, dedication level, training commitment, and motivation outweigh chronological age considerations.
“The NHL features goalkeepers competing at forty years old. If professionals in that physically demanding league achieve longevity, why can’t Counter-Strike competitors?
“I simply desire competitive participation.”
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