Dartitis explained as Gian van Veen's struggles revealed ahead of World Darts Championship final - The Mirror

Gian van Veen is into his first World Darts Championship final, but the Dutchman was suffering from Dartitis just five years ago

Gian van Veen is set to face off against Luke Littler in the World Darts Championship final this Saturday. The Dutch sensation has battled through the crippling condition known as Dartitis to shine on the Alexandra Palace stage, setting his sights on victory.

Van Veen made a name for himself in 2025, clinching the European Championship in October by defeating Luke Humphries. He's been a formidable force at the Worlds, knocking out Gary Anderson to secure his place in the final showdown with Littler.

However, just five years ago, Van Veen's greatest opponent was himself as he grappled with Dartitis. Mirror Sport delves into what this condition entails ahead of the grand finale.

What is Dartitis?

Dartitis is a debilitating psychological condition that hampers a dart player's ability to release the dart at the precise moment intended. Comparable to 'the yips' in golf or archery, it presents itself as a physical stutter or a total mental block during the throwing action.

The condition is marked by a disruption in fine motor skills, often triggered by severe performance anxiety or an obsessive over-analysis of the mechanics involved.

Players may find themselves stuck at the point of release, unable to let go of the dart despite their brain signalling them to do so.

The condition gained widespread recognition in the 1980s after five-time world champion Eric Bristow abruptly lost his commanding form due to the affliction. Whilst the precise neurological cause continues to spark debate, it's commonly considered a type of focal dystonia, where the brain's motor cortex malfunctions during repetitive actions.

How did it affect Gian van Veen?

Van Veen discussed his encounter with the condition following his semi-final victory over Anderson. The ordeal started in 2020 and continued through 2021, a period when Van Veen entirely lost his throwing rhythm.

He eventually conquered the condition and progressed from setbacks on the PDC Challenge Tour and Q School to secure a major championship last year at the European Championship.

"I was practising in my bedroom and suddenly couldn't let go of the dart," he told NU.nl. "Meanwhile it felt like I was wasting my parents' money, because I kept coming home with zero euros.

"I was playing for my parents, not for myself. After misses I thought: there goes their money again. I think I just wasn't a great talent mentally. I needed matches at home [during Covid] to realise I could do it."

Van Veen revealed this week how he believes he's actually benefited from the condition. "The weird thing is, I played better through it," he said. "I started averaging like 85 with dartitis.

"But when I got rid of it, I averaged 92, 93, because in my head, I was like, 'You're not going to release the dart until you're 100 per cent sure you're going to hit the target.

"So it took a while, but I started playing better, winning more games, and that massively grew my confidence. And that's how I eventually got rid of it."

Have any other players suffered with Dartitis?

Recovery from Dartitis differs considerably amongst individuals, frequently demanding a mixture of sports psychology, rhythmic breathing, or even switching throwing hands.

Whilst some professionals successfully reconstruct their technique, others discover the psychological barrier too substantial to surmount, resulting in a premature conclusion to their competitive careers.

Bristow serves as the most renowned example, as the five-time world champion's career was undermined by the condition in 1987. Though he ultimately succeeded in reducing the symptoms through pure determination and an altered grip, he never reclaimed the dominant form that characterised his early career.

Berry van Peer endured a very public struggle with Dartitis during the 2017 Grand Slam of Darts, where he appeared visibly distressed on stage.

Mark Webster, the 2008 BDO World Champion, also witnessed his ranking tumble as he battled with a hitch in his throwing motion. The psychological pressure ultimately compelled him to withdraw.