NEW VIDEO: I Quit MMOs and THIS Happened
AlexTheGrape
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Posts posted by AlexTheGrape
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Good on you for starting your journal! I'm confident that tracking your progress will be a worthwhile investment to help you along the way to recovery.
It's good you removed all traces of games on your computer, but I'm afraid that there is one more thing to do that will hold you back if you don't deal with it.
If you get Respawn like I did, it will make the process easier, but it is easy enough as it is. The problem will be the willpower to move on.
What is this thing?
Here it comes.
Deleting your steam account.
This step was the one step I missed on the multiple times I attempted to quit games for good, but ended up relapsing because when the nostalgia kicked in I could just install my games on my computer again and resume wasting my life. I'm sure that you've spend a lot of money and invested a lot of time playing games on steam, but for quitting to really work you need to erase all paths that allow you to game again.
Unlike your wiiU, you won't be able to sell your steam account, and even if you did, you would likely want to buy it back off whoever you sold it too. I'm also sad to say that by selling a steam account, you breach the EULA agreement you accepted when creating an account on steam. This means that there is no use in selling a steam account or else it may become 'frozen' where all games will unable to be played. So what? Does this mean you should keep it? No! I think you need to delete your steam account so that you will never again succumb to your gaming addiction enemy that has been controlling your life!
Here is a link that will show you how to 'delete' your steam account: https://www.reddit.com/r/StopGaming/comments/2t384s/how_to_get_rid_of_your_steam_account_in_60_mins/
Deleting your steam account is actually a very simple process, but the decision to let go of the games can be hard. Just remember: YOU HAVE PERMISSION to become a person you're proud of. Don't let any zombies nor cravings get in your way!
If you're having trouble deciding about this, I'd strongly recommend reading Respawn if you haven't already, it will take you through the steps necessary to fully start overcoming your gaming addiction.
It'll be worth it in the end, I believe in you!
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I'm bad at replying in forums. Trying my best
?Hi Svet, I'd be interested to see your letter(s) and I hope they have worked! I currently have only written to one of my games, but I'm bound to write to more when the nostalgia and cravings kick in. It would be a great idea to share your letters online, Koyotelcarus shared his own in the main forum, it was a very good example (just don't forget to mention the need to move on!). Once I write some new letters, I'll make sure to post them too, we'll see how it goes!
In the busy western world I find we often think we don't have time for rituals or time to reflect, but in the short experiences I've had with those types of experiences, I found that taking this time out helps to change my state of mind. If you have some ritual ideas that you think would help in this situation and not too hard to perform, I'd be very intrigued to hear them!
Keep up the intuitive new ideas! It really helps the community
Kitties? We have two adult cats, one with grey and white stripes who we call 'Tigey' who doesn't like to be cuddled, and another that is mostly black and has tiny brown/orange patches called 'Spidey', since she likes to cling to us when we hold her up, and likes to be cuddled. What I've noticed is that having opposite attitudes makes it all the more easier to appreciate them.
Good luck for your recovery!
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Day 4 - Sunny sky, sunny me!
Today there was a clear sky outside, and it made my run with the dog all the more fun. Not much brings a smile to my face faster than when he sprints so fast that he pulls me along on the lead! The little things in life make it so much more enjoyable.
I've made my morning plan, it will really test me to get up early! Here it is:
6:20 - 6:30 Wake up and meditate
6:30 - 7:00 Morning run
7:00 - 7:10 Shower and get dressed
7:10 - 7:40 Breakfast + reading/GQ forum posting
7:40 - 8:00 Pack bag or anything else I need to get ready
I will post again tomorrow with how well or not well my schedule went, but I'm bound to be groggy with sleep since I'm still in 'holiday mode' by getting up late.
I spent a lot of time yesterday working on my laptop outside, it felt great and I need to do it more! The garden is a real 'high energy environment' when compared to any room at home.
Credit to anybody who's attention span has made it this far!
5 Things I'm grateful for:
- The beautiful weather today that brings up everybody's spirit
- The Sir Loin pork that I had for dinner, my favourite! No wonder it was knighted
- The clothes I wear, I overlook the need for clothes
- The slight edge book, with persistence my habits will push me in the right direction!
- The ability to plan - I don't know how I would organise myself otherwise!
If you have any suggestions, please let me know what gets you up in the morning? Thinking of complex motivational ideas is a little hard as soon as I wake up, and forcing myself doesn't put a smile on my face. I would really appreciate your suggestions!
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You're welcome! That's what this community is for.
I'm just using the sample of Respawn at the moment, but I will buy the full one soon. It sounds like you could really benefit from using it, its structure and mission layout is sure to get you to do many of the things suggested such as starting a journal. If you want to get started for free, here is a link to a sample, I think it goes up to the first 10 days or so out of 30: https://www.dropbox.com/s/bmzvf5sy06uoye9/GQCsample.pdf?dl=0
As long as you know why you're quitting games, stay committed, and accept your past as a gamer, I'm sure a short attention span will be no problem for you, especially since you wrote such a wonderful letter. Not many have the willpower and commitment to do all that! You've got the stuff man.
I look forward to seeing your journal!
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Sounds like you're on the right track Koyotelcarus! If expressing how you feel by writing is what helps you recognise your thoughts, don't hold back!
Not only did I uninstall my steam account, I'm trying to sell it! That way it'll be gone for good.
I also feel 'enlightened' after staying outside, particularly having a morning run, I just need to keep up my good habits with the slight edge!
I know going without games on home alone days will be hard, but if you get back into your other hobbies, surely your time will become well spent. If you haven't started already, I'd reccommend you get on with the Respawn guide to start with an organised approach to quitting games.
I hope to hear from you again!
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Day 3 - Games are not on my mind for once!
My daily mission was to purchase and read the slight edge, its first chapter in particular. Not only did I read that chapter, I read the second too! I'm also reading another book about the lessons of life called "Follow Your Heart", these books go hand in hand.
I got more schoolwork done than I expected, in website development in particular. I planned to complete my website and my documentation over the next day or two, but I got more done today because one task ended up completing two jobs! My documentation required validation of my code, and in doing that it showed me what bugs needed to be fixed, which ended up in me fixing the website too. I'm currently working on making a website for an emergency spill cleanup business as part of a school project and home project. If you'd like to have a look at it, here's a link: http://spillresponse1.altervista.org/index.html
Any feedback would be appreciated, but don't trouble yourself if you're busy!
I planned to have a morning run as soon as I got up, but i ended up just being drowsy and running at midday. I did keep committed to my run, but I need to get into the habit of doing it on time.
Five things I'm grateful for:
- The lush garden outside where I can do work with the sun on my face
- The game quitters community and the support we give each other
- Shoes to keep my feet protected
- An endless supply of water in my home
- A family to support me through my recovery
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Now I just want to spend some time here on the forum before going to bed. I care about the people here. I never felt this way for an online community. In fact I'm quite averse to social media, and yet here I am, wishing that everybody feels alright.
Compassion, that's the word.
Hi Tom, it sounds like our recovery is going really well!
I started reading your journal today, and it is wonderful to see another fellow game quitter see progress. I like the idea of writing dreams, I write my journal and a personal diary, so I'm sure adding my dreams to it would be beneficial.
When I joined the forum, I didn't think that it would be so supportive, as my previous experiences with forums were rather boring. I'm glad to say that it's people like you that provide the support that fellow game quitters need! On almost every post or journal in the past few days I have read, you are there giving support! I applause your effort.
Keep it up and I look forward to seeing your story unfold!
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Awful day. Woke up, had a dream about The Sims. With emotions I usually feel, when I start playing a new game. You know excitement, joy and all that. For f. sake. I used to have exciting, imaginative dreams that brought me joy and now this? Dreaming of planting plants? All I could do today is keep myself from installing the Sims on my new laptop, they don't work on my old one. Of course I had to play another online game. Not as reward, just to distract me. Another excuse I know. Result: Eight hours of gaming, ate some soup and here is the evening. All I can do right now is promise myself to stop playing games for 90 days, starting this Saturday. Great date and I always do better on weekends since my bf is at home and we do some stuff together at least part of the time.
I obviously can't keep it in moderation. I actually know a guy that smokes 3 cigarettes per day and he has been doing that for 25 years. Luckily I'm not a smoker, because I'm quite certain I would smoke 4packs a day. I'm also not a person of 2 hours of gaming per day, which would make it ok. Which would make it a "normal" hobby. But the only time I kept it as low, was when my family still had some control over what I did.
Tomorrow I will go in to the local animal shelter, where I volunteer once in while. Haven't been there for a couple of months, so I'm kind of nervous about it. I promised a friend, that I will join her, just so it won't be as easy to back out. Then I will go home, clean the apartment, cook lunch and go to the library. Where I will stay till my bf comes home. Fingers crossed that is.
?It's alright to have dreams about games. We're all here because it went too far, but the first step I found to help with that is to accept the feelings I have. I wrote a letter to one of my games detailing the good times I had, the meaning it had to me and the need to move on, Koyotecarus posted his own on the forums and it really helped for his recovery process.
Tom also had a great idea! Writing your dreams down may help you to identify why you are drawn to games, so you can identify what activities you could do to fill that gap it filled for you, whether it be because it gave you a sense of person or the ability to connect with people easily.
Keep up your journal! I look forward to hearing back from you.
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Personally I enjoy doing this every day and just people watching. The conversations and smiles brighten up my day, and the annoyed people amuse me. Does anybody have thoughts on my observations or suggestions on how I can modify my little experiment?
I'm thankful for:- The smiles I get throughout the day. They're uplifting!
- The scowls I get throughout the day. They're funny!
- Numbered lists. I really like them.
- Finding my cat this morning. He was...I'm not sure where he was, but I know he was in the house the whole time.
- Being completely present when I'm with my daughter. She has made me rich beyond any monetary sum.
- Getting next Monday off!
- The weather being awesome today.
- Learning how to get things done quickly and efficiently and how to slow down and appreciate the moment.
- Avocados. They're so delicious and fill my heart with joy. It's a pure, cholesterol-lowering joy.
- Staying current in my studies. It's no easy thing these days.
?Hi wookieshark,
I just starting to read your journal, and whoa! You've been doing it for so long! Your continuous effort is a prime example of how the slight edge works, this is getting easy for me to understand and I only started reading the book yesterday.
I'll make sure to add a gratitude list to each of my own journal entries, I'm sure it'll brighten up my day.
Keep it up I say! Not that you'll need the encouragement. You're one of the success stories that'll keep me going. I look forward to your future journal entries and getting time to read you previous ones!
To add to your experiment, you could just stop walking suddenly and see who actually notices, perhaps those who perhaps pretend you don't exist may even raise an eyebrow to judge you as a weirdo. Who knows? Better test it!
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Howdy partner, you really hit the bullseye there!
I feel just like Tom said, speechless and deeply moved. I need to keep a straight face to write this out, it resonated so much within me that you took the time to express your feelings towards games like I did, except you did it so much better! I'm inspired by your honest piece, it obviously came from the heart. Soon I will make sure to write my own online letter to say goodbye to not one, but all my games!
Now that I'm not so full of emotions, I'll give some feedback. I'm certain that your letter covered all I could think of, apart from expressing the need to move on.
I'm so glad you've written this, this is the stuff that drives the community! I hope you can keep up your resilience and let nothing get in your way to improving your life!
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Howdy Koyotelcarus, its a unique greeting you've got there for online forums!
That's great! I wrote my own letter to one of my games yesterday, and I hardly even think about it anymore! It really cemented my own thoughts. You can write a letter to whatever you like, its your letter after all!
I currently have my own physical diary, and I'm also contributing to my online journal. Double whammy reflection!
If you want a place to post a journal, just go to the journals page, then for each new day just write it as a comment. You can check out my own one as an example:
^ That's a link above, have a good day, I look forward to seeing your journal!
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Day 2 - I've actually started Day 3 but I need to write on every day of my journal even if I forget! Building up habits - 1% complete.
In my diary I have brainstormed project ideas for myself, and chosen three. One is to create a 'back-garden' folder. It will include 5 poems I will write, with a list of things to do outside relating to those poems, and even a flow chart to help me decide what outdoor activity I should do depending on what I've been doing or how I'm feeling. This will be helpful later on when I run out of things to do and replace gaming, for example I could do photography in the garden.
Another project is to practice performing another 'jig' for the Easter camp I plan to go back to next year. This will require me to practice playing guitar and get familiar with it again, learn to read TAB (the language used for regular guitar books) and finally practice a new song until I am fluent at it. Other music goals will then show themselves afterwards!
The last project involves setting up a system to motivate me to do my schoolwork. This includes having a rewards basket with fruit, vegetables and maybe chocolates in it that I can take something from whenever I complete set work on time. If I don't do something on time, I have to pay $5 out of my own wallet to a 'generosity fund', where i will donate the money to a charity or spend the money on random people to help me make friends and just do something for others.
If anybody has any ideas that I could add or apply to my projects, I would love to hear them!
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Howdy Zala, welcome to the forums! That was an interesting read especially towards the end where you mentioned about trying to take charge of your life again and recover so to speak. I think the more you try and the more time that passes as you do, the easier it will get but the first step is usually the most difficult as some say. For me right now, even though ideally I'd give up gaming completely, it still feels overwhelming to do it. I think if I find some other alternatives to it, I can make it happen but realistically, I may have to make them happen rather than expecting them to happen instead.
I talked about setting up a new routine in another post and in that, I'm going to start dedicating time properly to posting on here and checking out the videos made by Cam on the Game Quitters Youtube channel. I have considered doing the 90 day method too, but I've thought about not gaming these past couple days and it feels impossible even though it shouldn't be at all, far from it. That's how bad my issues still seem to be, even if they don't seem so bad at first glance. I have noticed I do suffer from that 'little bit longer, one more level itch' and thus I end not quitting my gaming sessions when I'm meant to.
In fact, reading your post and Cam's response before mine here, it's making me realise a lot myself too. I've been giving myself some 'slack' lately as I've been very ill for over a week now at least and only just making my final recoveries from it. But, honestly, I feel like I'm trying to delay the inevitable and whats necessary for my own good. Although, what Cam said about being hard on ourselves is so very true, I can speak from experience on that for sure.
I'm going to check out those links too as well Cam, thank you. I think just to finalise though, we really do use gaming to escape our problems hence why the addictions, the extra long sessions begin and prosper too. I have considered uninstalling Steam, I have a WiiU downstairs with some games, but honestly, I want to be rid of them. I purchased it earlier this year and I regret going back to Nintendo after a few years of avoiding them. I really don't like the direction they've taken, like with Valve and maybe some other companies, the whole industry even possibly to think of it.
?Hi Koyotelcarus, I hope you're getting along well with not gaming
I understand where you're coming from, unfortunately my own addiction meant that my vision of why I was quitting blurred when triggered by seeing my brother play games or something similar. I'd recommend that if you're feeling confused about playing games again, that you write how you're feeling in a book or any other paper you can find. This method has helped me to reflect on what I am feeling and why I am feeling it. I tend to do it before I go to bed as well to reflect on how I've been and performed during the day, I suppose it is a sort of diary.
Another thing that would be helpful that Cam mentioned in one of his videos, is that instead of trying to run from your addiction and not think about it; to accept that it once meant something to you and perhaps that it gave you a sense of purpose. When I accepted this, it helped me to fully understand why it is I played them and turn me in the right direction to filling up the 'gap' that it filled. These things included doing what I can to help my family, even that helps to provide a sense of purpose. To finally say goodbye to video games, I tried what I think Svet came up with, to write a letter addressed to my games, and explain why I was saying goodbye; acknowledging what they meant to me in the past but highlighting the need to move on because it had become a problem.
I hope at least one of these methods will help you to fully overcome your gaming addiction!
Good luck with your recovery!
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Thanks Guys! This is a really helpful community. I think I'll just avoid the games altogether, as you say wookieshark, it is like a hunger, and the time played always stretches longer than expected.
Thank you Tom for your ideas! I was actually thinking about learning to play the guitar again and go to an Easter camp which focuses on leadership. I'll make sure to deepen the connection I have with my friends, at the moment we just stick together because we're good at similar things, i.e. robotics. When I used to play guitar it really made me feel happier when I got into it, making your own music is a new experience every time.
Also the idea about a mentor and the daily commitment is a good idea too Tom! I started writing a diary when I quit gaming, and it is more of a reflection thing. If I allocate a little more time to write and be inventive, I'm bound to be on the right track! I currently program using the python language and know a little on how to code in others, but currently I can't translate these skills into anything other than making minor programs for a windows computer, so I guess I need to teach myself a little more in the electronics side to connect up my skills.
Thanks again guys, its people like you that make the community the supportive place it is.
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Thanks for the compliment! I would like to know some ideas for being social during the school holidays. I will be able to drive by myself soon, so what would be some good ways to keep social when I'd usually be at home? Also, would it be ok to play an XBOX game with my brother every now and then? It seems it could lead to greater nostalgia though.
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Hi everyone, I'm Alex.
Here's my story.
I'm 17 years old, and I come from New Zealand. I'm still in high school, and still have another year to go. I started playing video games when I was 5, when my parents bought me and my brother a playstation 2 for Christmas to keep us occupied. From there playing video games became our go to activity at home, and as Cam mentioned, it provided us with a sense of purpose by providing us challenges from which we can see measurable growth in our play. So I suppose we've been at it for 12 years now, most of my life! I did well academically in school, I was competitive this way, and so was my brother. This justified to me that gaming was ok just as long as my grades were high, which was true to an extent.
My gaming days consisted mostly of the Jack and Daxter and Ratchet and Clank series on the PS2, then super mario and pokemon on nintendo DS when I was about 7, then PC and XBOX games when we were about 13. My brother and I played all sorts of games together, we still had time outside whenever we needed to, but our parents weren't very strict and our holidays completely consisted of gaming.
During high school my friends consisted of gamers. Unfortunately in this time, almost all the boys played video games, so it was hard to find ones that didn't without ending up with the 'cool kids' that are destined to be party animals. I tried to quit several times, and I've found I had a kind of pattern when it came to these relapses (I also found this term helpful for understanding this!). I would quit gaming, work hard for a month. I would then work with gaming as a reward, when the nostalgia kicks in. Then I would just game in most of my free time. Next when it came to the holidays, I would game for all my free time, then at the end of the holidays hate myself for wasting so much time and quitting again. Then the cycle repeats.
My brother wants to be a game developer after high school, so unfortunately video games were always close to hand and I could see him playing when I had quit, which did nothing to help my nostalgia. Now I wish to finish gaming for good, and finally focus on my ambitions to become an inventive person that writes poems and can build funky contraptions. I used to love designing mechanisms to make that would make life more interesting, like a lunch dispenser that would provide a day's worth of lunch, or mechanism that converts the energy of rainwater coming down from the roof into usable energy, however insignificant. I also wish to pick up the skills I left behind, my social skills in the past few years have deteriorated as I delved deeper into the world of Steam, and I stopped playing guitar, from which I derived much self confidence.
What do I wish to bring to the table? I'll make sure to support others that are trying to quit gaming as well, and in the process not try to get addicted to blogging!
I've watched many of your videos Cam! It's heart warming for me that there are people out in the world that dedicate their time to helping others like you do. I would be very pleased if you could comment on this post and tell me where you're replying from! You'll be a role model for me along the way to finding meaning in my life and becoming a better person. Cheesy, but its the truth.
Thanks to the community, and thank you Cam for setting it up!
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Hi, welcome to the forums!
I also enjoyed your post, I find that the letter idea would be great, and I'm going to do it myself! This way I will really be able to say goodbye to my games and acknowledge what they have meant to me in the past. Games were my go-to activity for at least 10 years now, I can also relate to how it helps with negative emotions.
I hope the best for your full recovery!
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Hi to whoever's reading, I'm Alex.
Day 1 - starting a new chapter in life and hoping to not get too attached to forum and threads.
I'm feeling a little annoyed at myself for not having quit games after several attempts at it. It is important for me to move on from games so that I can rekindle my social life, gain the motivation I need to fulfill my ambitions and improve my confidence and self esteem. I need to quit games sooner or later, I will be moving on to university soon so it is necessary to get my life sorted before then.
I believe that others currently perceive me as a robotic type of person: I work hard for weeks until I drop, where I will 'recover' by binge gaming. I also have a passion for robotics and am not terribly funny, which explains a lot. I would like to be perceived as a more creative and outgoing person that is easily approachable, I have some talents in poetry and inventive thinking but I need to pursue these to make them happen.
I would like to change my inability to effectively communicate with girls I like, I always mess up one way or another. I know that I will be able to improve on this by practicing my social skills and with general practice. I would like to move from being a realist to an optimist. I have had times when I have been optimistic for a week or two where I have been happier, but I plan to change this to be permanent to make every day fun! The last thing I would like to change about myself is my willpower to do tasks that are new and challenging. Previously I have been able to try new and interesting things, but over time i have lost the capacity to try new things and continue pursuing them.
According to the provided table, I have approximately 23584 days to live. I better make the most of it!
My Journal - Alex
in Daily Journals
Posted
Days 5, 6, and 7
Sorry for not posting regularly, I was very busy with a third of a year's worth of computer science schoolwork that is due tomorrow!
I finished reading Follow Your Heart, it really opened my mind to different ideas towards how to live life optimistically and learning the most from your experiences of all types.
I 'deleted' my steam account by going through the steps linked to in Respawn, thank you Cam for putting it together! It was a big decision to make, but I knew I would need to delete my account to fully recover from gaming, as it was the source of my relapses.
My daily routine is working well, I am getting outside to run on time and it keeps me refreshed. Not once have I felt drowsy after running! It really helps by energizing me for the day. I have been feeling unnaturally calm after meditation, which I suppose it is all about.
I have taken advice from Tom, and have started writing my dreams and personal gratitude journal as soon as I wake up. Hopefully I will be able to recall my dreams better as I continue this. Thank you Tom for your suggestions! I couldn't find the app you spoke of on the ios store, but instead I just put my phone on the opposite corner of the room from where I sleep so that I have to get out of bed to turn it off. It works every time!
Joe I'm sure that the slight edge will be able to help me with my thinking and day to day living, I can start eating through its pages now (metaphorically, I don't eat paper and I use a Kindle besides!) since I finished its last book.
Does anybody know if the Bible has worthwhile ideas to read in it? I took it out from school but it seems a bit daunting to read through so many pages...
I'm grateful for: