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Oof... I've decided to make a post about my life long gaming addiction and the struggle to admit my addiction and how its lowering the quality of my life...

I have been a very dedicated gamer, grew up with Pokemon, Yugioh and WoW. Played a lot of rpgs when I got older and still play a lot of games to this day. I have always struggled to find balance in my life because gaming has such a pull on me that I become obsessed. In the last couple of weeks I was completely addicted to yugioh master duel and every time when i quit i felt miserable. I've read about WoW cataclysm classic and started becoming addicted to that (the pre patch) leveling a goblin warlock. And I couldnt stop for hours on end. But i'm not a teen anymore, i'm 30 years old. And of course I once again felt miserable.

I recognized these feelings but still felt pulled toward the game and wanted nothing else but to just play wow. Even though I felt horrible, physically and mentally.

I am a rather spiritual person and I love meditation, the outdoors, philosophy and music. But my desire for cultivating my spirituality is constantly interrupted by my desire for "pleasure" in this case videogames. They help me escape, make me feel safe and give me the feeling i'm accomplishing something. But after these wow binge sessions i just feel so horrible that i MUST say to myself and acknowledge that i'm ADDICTED.

In my mind there is a constant arguing going on about how i can balance playtime etc. And that its just my hobby and that it can be a good thing. And i start playing for one hour, the next day for two and before you know it all evenings are spent on games. Than i ll try to slide in some game time during the day and watch a lot of videos about the games im playing and im obsessed again. Completely casting aside my spiritual goals and once again trapped in the digital maze of desire.

I don't WANT this ANYMORE!

I am an ADDICT.

I needed to get this off my chest so thanks for reading everyone.

I'm gonna take a long walk in nature tomorrow😅.

I just saw the helldiver's 2 mess and how Sony is treating their customers, I used to be a Sony fanboy, PlayStation was my everything...

I cringe now thinking about the past.... How fucking pathetic I was, these gaming companies treat their customers like shit and players take it like good little boys... fucking blind sheep mentality..

ONLY in the gaming industry aka one of the most lucrative industry in the Arts scene. (Gaming is bigger than movies yet gaming companies treat their customers like shit)

Sony is the worst too. They rape, abuse and even KILL their artists in the music industry, movie industry and gaming industry. I have no real proof of what I'm saying but I think we can all agree on this topic.

From now on I will avoid anything with a Sony logo on it. I am boycotting them forever. This evil company needs to die ASAP.

So my question is: anyone else is glad they quit gaming?

I can't believe it that I used to stare at a fucking screen for 10+ hours everyday for some superficial dopamine hit.

I had no respect and integrity for myself and gamers have no respect for themselves as well, that's why nothing changes in the gaming industry.

Rant done!.

First and foremost, English is NOT my first language, so there will very likely be mistakes with the grammar.

Second, there won't be any form of red thread, going from A -> Z, in this post. It is more of a trauma dump, really.

Thirdly, TLDR at the bottom

Who am i? I am a 28 year old guy. Living on the countryside, on a farm with my parents. I'd say I've many interests in life besides gaming, like walking with our 2 dogs, listening/reading history, and so on. I also want to help my parents more with the daily/weekly chores that need to be done on a farm. And no, it is not a full time farm, we have all full time work. But there are still plenty of stuff to do, believe me.

Between 2016 and 2023 I attended university, studying "Forest Ecology and Sustainable Management". It started good, until fall 2017 I did the terrible decision to buy a gaming desktop PC, with which i write this post btw. Almost immediately after, I fell into a really bad gaming addiction. Mainly playing MOBAS and old RTS/turn-based games. As you can imagine, my grades plunged into the challenger depths since I didn't attend lectures and seminars/workshops. Luckily, I had plenty of course mates who wondered where I was, and simply "broke" into my apartment (one of these friend had a spare key). They told me to get my act together, and I did. The rest of 2018 and winter 18/19, I spent 60-70 hours a week, every week, for studying current courses but also re-exams. And it worked. BUT, then came Bachelor thesis. And I relapsed. Why? Because I had get my act together and I thought I could treat myself. But I'm certainly not a "Reasonable is best" kind of a guy. It is 0 or 100. So, long story short, no Bachelor thesis finished 2019. I did finish it 2020 however. Due to COVID-19 and shut down I went home to the family farm. As well as by this year, the University allowed for co-writing (?), so I wrote it together with someone else, which meant I had to deliver and not fail this other guy, who btw also had a gaming problem. Then repeat the process for the rest of the master courses. Then came the Master thesis, 2021. And the really TLDR version here is that, by gaming, I procrastinated my Master thesis beyond salvation. 3 different ones. Last one i stopped "working" on precisely one year ago.

Since that failure, I actually got a job in the forest sector anyway. Not hard since they need people everywhere in the chain. But anyway, the job means I am outdoors and work a few days a week and work from home a few days a week. But how much do i work from home? Not much at all, even though I HAVE TO. I earn money by piecework but I still play these stupid games that are decade/s old at this point. So I procrastinate both fun stuff and boring stuff. The former because I get so much anxiety, the latter because I can just do the former instead, which I don't do. So I end up doing NOTHING instead. And by nothing I mean scrolling the same Discord channel for the fifth time in case anyone wrote something.

The continuation? I know I've to stop playing games, forever. I cannot play in a moderate way. All games are uninstalled, all accounts that I could remove are gone within x amount of days. The rest of them I've changed the email to a dead/lost one and the passwords are changed to total gibberish. I don't want to destroy my life more. I actually have a deadline due tomorrow morning, 11:00/11 am local time. So this means a lot of coffee and snacks...

Also, I am 45 points short of a Masters's degree. That is the thesis + a ~10 weeks long course. And because of a stupid statement me and my friends heard here in Sweden for a month or so ago, we actually applied for university courses... With some.. "digestion", I've now decided to actually take those courses. That is, if I get accepted. Then I will write thesis next/2025 spring.

A special shout-out to my parents, especially my mother. If I had other parents i don't wanna know how my life would be.

TLDR: I am a 28 year old guy who, by gaming, procrastinates away my entire life. I procrastinated my Master Theses beyond salvation, I procrastinate work, even though I get paid by piecework and sometimes I procrastinate both fun stuff and boring stuff. The former because I get so much anxiety, the latter because I can just do the former instead, which I don't do. So I end up doing NOTHING instead. But that ends now.

I feel like I'm starting to slowly realize that I don't enjoy playing videogames anymore. I'm stuck in this loop where I get really tired at work, so I get excited to go home. I go home and I realize that I actually don't have much to do so I sit on the computer to 'enjoy myself'. I end up playing videogames or just idly browsing the internet for like 10 hours straight. Every time I play games all I can think about is that I am not getting any enjoyment out of it. I end up playing games anyways because it feels like I have nothing else to do. I've lost my passion for videogames but I haven't found a thing to replace it with.

TL;DR I have two younger brothers that are twins - growing up family life was a bit chaotic with my parents having alcohol issues. My parents have big personalities, I do too, my brothers are more shy.

One of them has become increasingly reserved and went very inward to the point that he won’t engage in conversation as spends all of his time on his computer playing games

They still stay at home and are finishing uni at home due to covid reasons and other stuff

My brother says when his uni ends he is going to move out and live alone - this is alarming as he seems to be isolating himself more and more - also he has never had a job and his degree isn’t very employable too.

I’m just so worried for him to go down this path but he is so unresponsive to normal conversation never mind when you try to have more serious conversations. Therapy has been offered and my parents have tried to talk to him many times but he just pushes everyone away - it seems like he just hates everyone and is addicted to blocking out the real world via his computer

How do I help him in a way that will get through to him? I feel like we barely have a relationship now but I’m just so worried for him to go down this path of isolating himself

His twin and him have drifted, his twin is also shy but more well adjusted and has healthy habits and is more social - his twin has expressed that he doesn’t want the responsibility of like keeping him right

I just don’t know how to help him at this point because he is so socially reserved and avoidant to the point of not responding to hello, how are you, no eye contact - I’m so worried

I play almost every day for a couple hours but lately it has gotten worse, to the point that all I do is think about playing. It was especially worse when I got addicted to playing Pokemon Soulsilver on my modded new 2ds xl.

The biggest problem was that since it was a handheld I would take it with me everywhere and just play it. Going to the mall, I would take it and play it.

I wanted to quit on May 1st, but I was so addicted to finishing the game, and leveling up my pokemon. Luckily I recently beat it with over 100 hours in 2 weeks.

Now I'm scared to start any other game as I know I will be addicted to it again.

I feel like a loser for ditching doing other things. I'm lost and hopeless.

Also I'm 24 and don't hang out with anyone besides my parents, so textbook definition of a loser. Post grad depression hit me like a truck.

i keep trying to quit but i end up back on the game ive been playing both games over the past 20 years always make skiller and uniques and stuff but then once the account is really good with years of gains its like i have to make something different to fulfill some sort of achievement but then im bored within a week or so later after 1000s of hrs i know alot of people are saying lift weights and stuff i do 20k+ steps a day at work at the airport for my job and my irl hobby is Freestyle Motocross but the problem with that is i work 6 day weeks and can only go ride the ramps once a month if im lucky (4 hr all-round trip) i keep trying to just relax watch movies and try get to bed alot earlier then i would when i played rs after work. 2 - 3 days into quitting all i think about at work is a new acc build i can start working on between weekend rides is this normal will it eventually go away

Over the past couple of years I've been simultaneously bored of gaming but also suffer from FOMO when new games come out.

I buy a console, install a load of games from gamepass or PS+ or whatever and then either never play them or play the odd game for 10-20 minutes then end up selling it a week later.

I recently just splurged on a Switch OLED. Played Zelda for about an hour and now I am regretting buying it. It's a fun game but I really can't be bothered playing it. I've only had the console two days.

This generation I've had 3 Switches, at least 6-7 Xbox Series X/S and 3-4 Playstation 5s. I see a game I want to play buy it, get bored then sell it within a few weeks. Same with PC Graphics cards. I buy a console get annoyed at the performance then buy a GPU and then never play games and end up selling it to buy a console again.

I wish I didn't care about gaming, part of me does and part of me doesn't. It's hard to describe. I know my actions are irrational all the buying and selling I just can't help myself.

I stopped playing Valorant a month ago. It's a game I started playing since it's lunch. It's really addictive, and for me, it ruined my life. I actually spent lots of money on the account.

Today, I made the decision to delete my account once and for all.

You are missing all the best stuff!

Hey guys, I'm about one week into no gaming (as well as no porn, twitch, or mindless youtube). I'm just curious what your thoughts are on other entertainment such as movies/tv shows, watching anime, or reading fiction.

How I'm kind of viewing it is that if the content itself isn't productive or constructive, I see no real use for it. If I'm going to watch youtube, it's going to be something teaching me to code or a DIY vid or something similar. If I'm going to read, I'm going to read Meditations by Marcus Aurelius or Can't Hurt Me by David Goggins. I don't really see the value in reading fiction, as you are just escaping into another fantasy world similar to gaming. Same goes for most movies and shows.

Am I viewing this wrong? I'm open to perspectives on this. I know these forms of entertainment aren't as easily addictive as gaming due to the lack of interactivity, but in it's basic form I still see it as the same. I've watched a decent amount of anime too, and I feel like they weren't as much of a time sink nor did they feel like time wasted compared to my time spent gaming, but it's hard to say if I gained much out of it.

I also can't say I've struggled with these forms of entertainment to the same extent as gaming, but moving forward I don't know if I can see myself viewing them as something other than unproductive. I'm also scared of replacing my old habits of gaming with these other forms of entertainment.

I don't know. Let me know what you guys think. Were any of you successful in your journey of quitting gaming while still managing some time with these other forms of entertainment? Or is it wise to reduce these as much as I can (or quit them entirely) as well?

Thanks!

I didn't know what I was getting into - but well over the past month, I've been playing non-stop and popping asprin like crazy to keep myself going.

Now I'm $500 bucks in (ok, if I'm honest, well over $500, because I bought $200 worth twice, and $100 worth, and lots of smaller morsels of the in game currency) . But a light is at the tunnel. my mmo rpg's reddit thread just banned me for speaking out of line. Haha - I knew it. The whole inustry hangs on a very loose thread of maintaining contorl - abusive towards the users - in the hopes that we'll stay in line.

Of course they would ban me after only a few dissenting posts.

Now the hard part - can I keep away from this game?

As title says

Something I get out of JRPGs is how good the music is most of the time. The stories don't really do much for me but I find a lot of the JRPGS I enjoy playing just have great tunes. The tunes are pretty nostalgic for me tbh which is why I like the idea of getting lost in some JRPG game and zoning out.

The idea of going through a JRPG is fun and all but I don't want tg process of actually playing the game and would rather have some similar experience instead.

Are there any interactive audiobooks, or mangas you you guys recommend?? I just want to enjoy a story of Final Fantasy or Chrono Trigger without playing.

First time posting. From what ive seen, seems like good people here. Had a mental breakdown yesterday from something unrelated. But gamed all day yesterday just to get through it. Feeling only a tiny bit better, but im atleast more hopeful. I havent played any games yet today, but having trouble and thinking about booting up since this morning. Ive been running around the house top speed (try to take it slow), taking care of things ive neglected for months. Im getting tired and and dont know what to do next. Im shaking but i think its because of anxiety from mental health reasons. Any helpful words would be appreciated. Peace

Edit: Thank you everyone for the comments. Ive made it through day 1, no gaming. I forgot what else i wanted to say. Just wanted to give an update.

im trying to switch my gaming hobby to drawing and exercise. but i cant enjoy it because i feels like playing games and scrolling social media is easier to do it and make a progress rather than exercise and learn how to draw. maybe i have a problem with instant gratification right now.

I just watched the new entire series of fallout and I got an incredible desire to reply fallout 4. Ive been clean for over 2 years now. I'm home alone, sick and nothing to do. I'm depressed and right now I see no reason to start up the game again... but deep down I know I shouldn't but I'm doing it anyway...I don't know why I'm writing here...I just am.. maybe I'm hoping I'll be convinced not to

So I’m very addicted to valorant and counterstrike. I find all other games pretty boring and always come right back to these 2 games. I’m 30 and in bad health and have a bad back and just can’t play them anymore… but after my gfx card went out I thought okay now I get things done, but honestly I found I would like something to kill just a little time now and again. I got to thinking solving a little puzzle or fun minigame like some featured on a retro handheld might be a good compromise. It’s like when I quit vaping I had to keep some ZYN pouches around just in case I was having a rough time of it. What do y’all think about this? Can a stepped down version of gaming like gameboy games curb my addiction? Maybe even bring some sense of fulfillment back to gaming?

The longest I've ever gone.

However, I broke my fast Sunday when my friends convinced me to go online and join them with a game.

I ended up binging all day and the next day. totalling about 17 or 18 hours in 3 days. fk me.

The 6 previous weeks though were the most eye opening days of my life. I got so much done and did a lot.

I'm not going back to gaming though. I made a mistake and I'm cutting it out once again. I'll aim for 3 months this time!

LETS GO!!!

Many people say that i should quit playing video games but they never give alternatives, or they say something like “go to the gym” which only rly takes up 2-3 hours of the day, i dont have any other hobbies besides video games, and no other interests.

I'm playing PC games since my childhood, from cod4 till Valorant. I'm not able to even spend quality time with my family because i waste my free time on gaming. I request and expect guidance from the heavenly Chads in this subreddit.

Thanks in Advance

I quit video games in November 2023, and due to circumstances at the time managed to remain game-free until February 2024, where I suddenly had endless amounts of free time and nothing to do. I tried to engage with some new hobbies, make a habit of meeting up with all my new friends etc. but after probably my 5th long walk that week I broke and I've been back in the full-time "gamer lifestyle" ever since.

I am unable to work for the next 6 months due to a disability so a large chunk of my time is unfilled and, by and large, I have zero responsibilities at the moment. I can find things to do (volunteering, self-development, and socialising etc.) but those large gaps of unfilled time are my biggest challenge with boredom. Sitting with it and pushing through doesn't seem to work, because I did that for three weeks and I couldn't hold up in the end.

I am also on an incredibly constrained budget (I can't afford to buy anything except absolute necessities) so new hobbies that require even a $15 start-up cost aren't an option for me.

Does anyone have any suggestions for things I can do to fill that huge gap of free time?

Hi everyone, good morning. My name is Katherine, you've probably seen me around a bit for the last few days since I began my quit, all games and game like activities. I am a gaming addict.

I wanted to post some encouraging things I've noticed for me even in early recovery.

I am noticing since I've quit, I have a lot more energy in general. Since I was a kid, I always thought I was a low energy person. Now I am wondering if I was mistaken and that I actually have more energy than I thought! I wonder if this is connected to my lifelong habit of gaming.

I also am more motivated to start taking on tasks outside of gaming. ((This is not alone, usually I struggle to get started that's why having others do things with you even over a phone call is very helpful, so that you know you are doing things together even if separate. If you don't have any friends, I don't have many now myself, you can always seek out an addiction group for help.))

I have been more even tempered and not getting as irritable, I have 3 kids under 4 so, there are a lot of aggravations that would normally make me yell. I haven't yelled nearly as much. :)

I have been willing to exercise, I have more desire to go outside. Exercise is still hard for me, I am out of shape in my muscles, luckily, I am only about 20 lbs. outside of my desired weight and I had a baby 2 months ago so that's not terrible, HOWEVER my muscles are very weak still and that makes exercise short and difficult. I am hopeful this will improve.

My house is the cleanest it's ever been. I was always a bit of a mess, as long as nothing was dangerously dirty, I didn't pay much mind to it, but I've even organized a bit and put things away it looks nice in here. :)

Anyways, hope that is helpful to someone, thanks for reading. <3

I have stopped playing this X box for about a fortnight. But probably since about 2 days after quitting, I have been suffering with so much boredom.

I have been exercising, going outside, working more etc to keep me busy. But I haven’t found anything that replaces the feeling of playing intense games like RTS online.

Any advice?

Thought I'd share this since I was in a cycle of uninstalling and installing.

The Method Breakdown:

1. Gibberish Password: You create a complex, random password that's difficult to remember.
2. Change Account Password: You change your gaming account password to the gibberish one.
3. Future Email Service: You use a service like FutureMe to send yourself the password at a future date (your quit deadline).
4. Delete Password Traces: You erase any trace of the password from your devices.
5. Optional - Throwaway Email: If your account uses an email for recovery, create a temporary one and repeat steps 3-4 for it.

This helped me quit league & apex, the only games I played. My other option was to completely delete my account, which I had a hard time doing since I spent so much time on it grinding all the characters.

This non-permanent aspect makes it easier to commit to.

So I used to be obsessed with games, (I’m not now) I play guitar now and was usually playing everyday-every-other-day. But now when I hop on a game, I can only be on for five minutes before I’m bored and get off, is this normal? Just need advice.

I’ve been trying to stop gaming for many years now and at least I went from 10 hours a day to 3-5 now but if I don’t game life seems so empty I have no motivation for any change no inspiration for any adventure. I’m so done with this shit it’s already painful enough how much time I wasted alone in my room rotting in place.

Has anyone found himself in the same place where everything seemed dull and boring and managed to escape?

My life is empty. Gaming and internet in general was my life 24/7 since 2020 and i want to improve myself. Quiting gaming is a big step that i can't get over. 2 days ago i deleted all my games from my laptop and used just the other stuff of the internet but my life becomes empty. I tried to start learning about different things but i always get this feeling of chaos and being scared of the future... :(