DAY 1
I was able to quit the gaming habbit last time i was active here,
unfortunately i fell back into the trap
So step one:
I recognize that i have a gaming addiction. I admit that i've been powerless over my gaming addiction, and that my life have become unmanageable
Gaming have been a way for me to escape reality, to escape my "problems" (first-world problems, how silly....) When things get tough i play, and when i take a break i feel miserable, and i want to play again.
I deleted the games I have on my computer
I have resolved to not watch gaming related youtube videos.
Instead i'm going to spend my free time in better ways, for example, read valuable books. I look forward to doing other things. I feel great joy when i read for example.
Never alone, go to meetings <3 Mumble voice meetings on cgaa are great, see you there <3
Deleting the games themselves is a huge step in my eyes and a huge stepping stone towards sobriety. Remember to think of the benefits you will achieve from not gaming and even the concequences which they can have. For me this scares me into keeping sobriety as there is so much to gain and nowhere but up from starting day 1 and taking every day as a victory, day by day.
Any addiction is hard to deal with. Gaming addiction is no exception. For me, I need a lot of help.
1. Meetings. I go to about 5 meetings a week still, even though I'm 2 years clean from games.
2. Connecting with other recovering addicts. In addition to meetings, I connect with people through skype, phone and email.
3. Reading and posting on forums. This helps me some, too.
4. Being sponsored and sponsoring. These deeper connections help me learn the program better.
5. Working the 12 steps. The steps have given me tools for living my life in a different way.
The good news is that all of this is actually helping. So I hope you find some of it helpful to you. See you at the meeting....
I am a recovering computer game and gambling addict. My recovery birthday: On May 6, 2012 I quit games and began working a program of recovery through OLGA No computer games or slot games for me since December 12, 2012. No solitaire games with real cards since June 2013.
Thanks for ur encouragement :)
DAY 2
I didn't game today and that was great =)
I also managed to do some work i've been putting off. My workload right now is insane, and failing to complete my tasks on deadline might have consequences to my finances, but i don't worry too much now, i'll just do my best. A short term professional failure is a very small thing compared to the long term benefits of kicking gaming addiction.
Gaming crossed my mind like 5 times today, but resisting it wasn't that hard. I'm going to be alert though, a tough day might come, and then temptation probably will be stronger =P
The first step is really interesting: powerlessness and an unmanageable life.
Most people think of gaming as creating an unmanageable life for yourself. "You are wasting ur precious time" they say. But powerlessness over an addictions is an equally big part of gaming addiction: it's not just that ur wasting time, wasting time staring at a wall would for example be better, with gaming you are also feeding ur addiction
Never alone, go to meetings <3 Mumble voice meetings on cgaa are great, see you there <3
DAY 3
I didnt game today. I thought about gaming a few times, bit i reminded myself that IF i do, i'll most likely get stuck playing the whole day
Never alone, go to meetings <3 Mumble voice meetings on cgaa are great, see you there <3
Keep it up! Are you attending meetings? Look at link in my signature.
Andrew P. Doan, MPH, MD, PhD
My Gaming Addiction Videos on YouTube: YouTube.com/@DrAndrewDoan
*The views expressed are of the author's and do not necessarily reflect the official policy of the U.S. Navy, DHA or Department of Defense.
Thanks Andrew, i will today =)
DAY4
For some reason i watched gaming videos on youtube for like 3 hours. I tell myself "this doesnt count". But obviously it's part of the addiction, since i can't stop even when i want to. Any time i get a break I want to watch gaming on youtube. Reading would be more rewarding. Yeah, even staring at the wall would be more rewarding. This escapism.....
Never alone, go to meetings <3 Mumble voice meetings on cgaa are great, see you there <3
That is what I did and deleat Facebook page. You will beat keep trying.
I gamed today, hehe, then i snapped out of it and deleted the stuff again
I'm starting to believe this is self-sabotage, because i don't believe i deserve what will come if I'm more effective (great things)
talk to you soon =)
Never alone, go to meetings <3 Mumble voice meetings on cgaa are great, see you there <3
This is a REAL addiction and a REAL problem, and don't let anyone who doesn't suffer from it tell you otherwise. Most people wouldn't tell a recovering heroin addict, "can't you just shoot up occasionally?"... but they have no idea there's a real connection between these two addictions... as they both fire the same pleasure neurons!
And while you can't (easily) end up in prison, hospital or dead playing games, you can destroy your own life and the lives of those around you. I began just by calling in late to work, then taking whole sick days... neglecting family, relationships, personal grooming and proper nutrition.
And there is NO value in gaming that cannot be obtained by other, much more productive methods... I'm talking about the much researched "hand-eye coordination". KNITTING will get you that, and you'll have a neat sweater to wear! What real-life value have I ever seen out of any game I played? Zilch.
I am so jazzed that there is a fellowship of gamers who are helping each other. I don't want to go back to spending 3/4 of my day playing games, and then going to bed aching in every part of my body and beating myself up because I wasted the whole day and "screwed up, yet again".
But the desire to play remains active in my head... whenver I get overwhelmed with my very busy, stressed-out life, I will end up thinking that a few hours playing would let me unwind (hah! as if I was EVER relaxed while playing!)... and telling myself, "oh this time I'll just play in my free time".
Thanx for listening...
...doug
Thanks doug, what u are writing makes a lot of sence.
Yesterday i wanted to "reward" myself with a little bit of gaming. I'm thinking "how tiresome that i have to reinstall everything whenever i want to play", as if i FORGOT the reason why in uninstalled.
Ended up playing litterally for 13 hours straigt. Nothing on my to-do-list got done. I litterally couldnt stop even though i was thinking "I want to stop" while playing. i don't know... i just feel messed up right now.
Never alone, go to meetings <3 Mumble voice meetings on cgaa are great, see you there <3