I'm on the other side of the fence with that. Just look through the countless abandoned projects around here to see why they are no longer in development. I'll save you some time, 90% of them are the same catchall excuse. Physical or mental health issues, full stop. It gets used so much that even if it were true for someone how the hell would you even know. It's an easy out and I have stopped just taking devs at their word a long time ago.
It's a common excuse because it's a common problem.
I don't know about you, but I've seen people in real life's hair gradually turn white due to overwhelming stress, or visit urgent care or the hospital more often because stress and lack of rest, compounding with other risk factors, resulted in drastic and sudden deterioration of their health. I shouldn't have to explain how mental health works, because I'm sure everyone at least knows one person dealing with it. One day they look alright, and half a year later they're no longer alright. Again, working a full time job and trying to meet game development expectations separately will absolutely do that to you.
The real issue isn't whether people are really getting sick physically or mentally, it's the fact that game development is very resource demanding, and a lot of people go into it underestimating the challenge or overestimating their own abilities. Elbow grease and optimism can only carry you so far. And it doesn't help that people who don't make games and don't understand how hard it is being quick to accuse them of milking, scamming, or otherwise wasting the money they're given. It's equivalent to working in a toxic work environment. Is it really that hard to see how people can get fucked up by months and years of enduring this?
