[Getting Rid of my Addiction and Rage]

Today I finally had a wake-up call. I was casually playing Fornite and not doing homework, like any other day, when I had an extreme rage moment. There were 5 people left and someone got a lucky shot on me and killed me, and I was so mad that I completely destroyed my headset. This made me realize how toxic I get from gaming. At this point in my life, I don't enjoy playing them but I can't seem to get by without them. I have broken 2 monitors, a tv, a keyboard, a wall, a door, a mouse, and how a headset all from getting hot-headed while gaming. It's finally time to stop.

I have tried to quit in the past by going cold turkey (completely getting rid of video games) but my attempts have failed. My new plan helps me lose my addiction and rage, while still letting me play. I already uninstalled every game on my PC besides GTA. Grand Theft Auto V is the only game that doesn't make me rage and is a game that doesn't have any hardcore progression (I won't need to come back every day for loot or whatever). It's simply a relaxing game that I can just go on and mess around for an hour or so when I get strong urges. I will cap my limit to 2 hours a day, and in two weeks I'm hoping to drop it to 1 hour a day.

Today is day 0, and I'll try my best to update every couple days on how I am managing. I'm planning on replacing video games with tv, reading, studying, and exercise. Wish me luck!

[Attempt Number 3... or 4.... is it 5 yet?]

I don't know how many times I have tried to quit video games. I'm 15 and I have been on this site about 3 times. I need help and I need it fast.

I've been addicted to video games for many years, and it takes up 95% of my time (besides school and sleep). It has become my #1 priority in life. I'd rather play games than exercise, hang out, study, read, or anything else that a normal person would. The thing is, I am fully aware that I'm addicted and I have known this for a while. It's pretty obvious that I am addicted, and my failed attempts to quit just proves it even more. I don't know why I can't quit. I don't know why I am aware of how it's ruining my long-term life, but still barely care. I also have not a lot of motivation for anything. I'll try to do something, I'll fail, then I'll just give up. No other hobby or activity is like video games. Video games are whenever, wherever, with whomever, and can be played for unlimited time. I have been playing for so long that the dopamine receptors in my brain are extremely hard to activate. Nothing else is nearly as interesting as video games. Sometimes I will play for 15 hours straight with only breaks for the bathroom, and occasionally food, and not care about the fact that I live like an animal 24/7. Another problem I have is that all of my friends play video games too. It's all I ever hear about nonstop. I want to quit, but I also don't want to get rid of my favorite thing in life, and the one thing that I have put thousands of hours into.

If anyone has any suggestions or can give me a reality check, please help. I want to succeed in life, but video games are just so god damn addicting.

[90-day detox]

So I've finally made myself quit video-games (or at least try to). I began with uninstalling all of the games I had on my PC, then I set it up for only homework and internet browsing. Then I got rid of all the games on my phone. Usually, these prevent me from focusing in class, so I shouldn't have to worry about that anymore. I've thought of a couple activities to keep myself busy during my free time. These activities consist of reading, learning another language, watching tv, studying, exercising, and cleaning my room.

Today will mark day one of my 90-day detox. It wasn't that hard and I had a LOT of cleaning to keep me busy. But I feel like the cravings will come soon and strong in the next couple of days. I have a 5 day weekend next week starting Wednesday, and I feel that will be one of the hardest obstacles in the 90 days.

I will keep updating every day or two of my journey.

[I REALLY want to quit, but I can't.]

I've been addicted to video-games for well over 7 years (I know this isn't a lot for some people but I'm 15 so that's about half my life being addicted) and I can't stop. I recognized my addiction about 3 years ago when all I would do is go to school, not pay attention, get home and don't bother with homework or studying, then just play for 8 hours until I go to sleep. I repeated this pattern throughout middle school and I'll probably continue doing this the rest of high school and when I'm an adult if I don't stop now.

I really want to stop. I do! I think of how much better life would be if I wasn't so controlled by video-games. Every so often I realize how much time and money I've wasted on video-games, but these thoughts get overrun by my addiction. I think to myself "Who cares I'm having so much fun", or "I'll probably grow out of it in a couple years", and the worst of them "I can't wait to play video-games my entire spring break and summer vacation!". Another major issue with quitting is I have very little things to replace it with. You can play video-games whenever, wherever, and you can play for multiple hours at a time. There are almost no other hobbies/activities that replace this. I guess I could read for a bit, but I would probably get bored or not have enough books to read. I could exercise, but It's not like I could exercise for 7 hours during my free time. I can't really think of much to do.

I have tried to quit multiple times. Last year I tried to do a 90-day detox but I failed on the second day. The worst part is, video-games surround every aspect of my life. Pretty much ALL of my friends play video-games, I play a lot of phone games to pass time in school, and I already spent so much time, effort and money on gaming so why quit now? I have very little motivation in general, and I have almost none when it comes to quitting video-games. I feel like I don't have it in me to even quit for ONE day! Even cutting down time slowly seems dreadful. Honestly, I'm losing motivation while I'm writing this.

If anyone has any suggestions, advice, or questions please comment on this post and I'll reply ASAP.

[Need Help Quitting Early]

Thank you to all that commented! I have read through all the posts and appreciate the help. I have watched some of Cam's videos and have decided on the best way to quit video games for my personal situation. I don't believe that I would be able to just immediately quit video games right this second. Instead I have come up with a plan to slowly decrease my playing time until it is either a healthy amount of time or until I don't play at all. This way the change in my life will not be so dramatic.

Currently I play from the second I get home until the second I go to bed (almost literally). This adds up to 7 hours give or take. So my plan is that the rest of this week I'll limit myself to 6 and a half a day. If that is manageable than I will decrease by 30 minutes every week. If one week is very hard than I'll stay with that time for an extra week. At this rate, on February 12th I'll be down to 1 hour of playtime. Who knows... maybe by then I'll have quit video game completely. 

If I notice that I am struggling for help and need some advice, I'll make my way over to this website. Thanks for all the support guys!

[Day 3 First timer]

2 hours ago, AngryFrog said:

I was ignorant for a long time.. But this website gave me enough information to re-think my choices. I'm 27 years old, and I've spent most of my waking hours hiding in virtual worlds... It was easier that way.. Real world was just too hard for me to handle, so I tried to escape it by any means necessary, ignoring everyone, pushing those who cared about me away.. I've been depressed and socially anxious as long as I can remember.. It just was unbearable sometimes and video games let me forget about that, to live another life if you will, years gone by, and I understood that problems won't go anywhere I will still have to face them later on. So I searched how to... And I found you guys, so here I am, completely removed all my games, all those virtual worlds where I felt at home. The only friends I had (virtual ones) left behind.. Scared as hell, facing all the feelings I was escaping for years from. Went to a psychiatrist today, asked for help... 

Video games didn't cause me this ( according to her) it was just a tool, an attempt of my brain to escape all those negative feelings. And it seems that it will be a HELL to cope with this, but as a smart man once said: "If you're going through hell, keep going".  
 

I think you're off to a great start. Deleting your games will definitely decrease your motive to play them. Also I'd like to mention you are not alone. Loads of people (such as myself) have spent a large fraction of their life in front of a screen, being secluded from the real world. It gives you the life you've dreamed, let's you do things you can't do in real life, and it gives us a false sense of achievement. I believe in you! Keep it up.

[Starting my 90 day Detox Today]

57 minutes ago, Some Yahoo said:

I was just thinking about the time I rushed through a Valentine's Day dinner with my wife so I could get some special costume on (I think it was) Tera Rising.

Also, my dog (the one in my profile photo) needs to walk every day.  He's getting old and walking will extend his life greatly.  It doesn't hurt me to get my eyes off the screen for a while too.

I have been reading your journal to see how a fellow addict goes through a 90 day detox. Honestly, I'm quite impressed on how much effort you've put into it, and I think that you can handle it and pull through. Also you're dog is adorable! Can't wait for more updates.

[Need Help Quitting Early]

6 hours ago, Some Yahoo said:

Doug, you're already winning.  

1. You realize you have an issue with it
2. You desire change.

Doug, I am 56 years old.  You may think I'm a Dad (which I am) but I am also a cautionary tale. 

I used to game at work, before companies started installing firewalls to prevent screwing around on work time.  I started working from home when the economy took a dive in 2008 and I found that I was missing my daughters major events and other family stuff because I used to go in to my office, work about 2 hours, and from 10AM to sometimes 1AM I would game all friggin day.

What do I have to show for it?  I have made billions of points, earned a barge full of gold and attained oh, say 7,000 levels.  None of that helps me now.  My daughters are grown (no thanks to me), and I am old.  My vision is going, my reflexes are going, I have diabetes because I never moved my ass for 3 or 4 decades.  What's important for you here is this...

1. Realize that no one outside of the games cares what you did in the game.
2. Lean that your guild-mates, and others who "like" you online are not real friends.  If they have never been to your house, they are not your friends.
3. I have worked my whole life, and I have come to think of the money I earn as points, and promotions or other accolades I get at work as levelling. 
4. I have had several hobbies that gaming has shut down for me.
   1. I used to play bass guitar, but I dropped it
   2. I have tried to write about 30 books and never made it out of chapter 3 or 4
   3. I played for a time with animation and computer graphics - I used to be pretty good.
   4. I have even tried my hand at designing video games.
   5. I now realize that the millions of hours of my life that I have wasted on gaming could easily have been spent on making me more successful at any of these ventures.
5. Gaming at our level stunts your social growth
   1. Interacting with real people in real life helps you feel less awkward around people.
   2. I know it's embarrassing to make social mistakes, but that's how we learn what people expect of us.  No faux pas at school will end your life, or even harm it much.
   3. I am 56 but my social learning is still at about a 17 year old's level.  I just haven't matured much beyond that as far as  social interaction is concerned.
6. Gaming will never bring you love or true satisfaction.
7. Gaming will never make you wealthy or famous.
8. Games only care about one thing: parting you with enough money to pay their programmers and keep their massive server farms online.

What I'm saying Doug is, you don't want to end up like me, struggling to be social with almost no experience, only a couple of real friends, terrible negotiation and debating skills, overweight and on anti-depressants.  

There are plenty of suggestions on this site for things to do that help you grow into a real person, and since I am this much of a failure at this stuff I won't presume to recommend anything.  Just think of this as yourself in 42 years time sending a note to your own past to warn you about this path.

I know this kind of got into the TL;DR zone, sorry.  Just realize that I'm rooting for you.  I hope you make a better life than I did.  There's still plenty of time for you.

 

I’m am very happy that you shared your story with me. I’m deeply moved. You have showed me the path that I should go down and a new way of thinking. Thank you so much!

[Need Help Quitting Early]

7 hours ago, Laney said:

What is your family situation like? Car or bike or public transit situation? (Can you get around)

What do you think you might do with your hobby time? Sports? Woodshop? Boy scouts? Choir? Studying? Learning an instrument or another language?

If you can give what might interest you that would be a great place to start. And we can figure out a plan from there!

My family has a car, and I have my own bike. Also, I enjoy hanging out and entertainment and sports. But at around 8pm when I can’t leave the house I’m not sure what I would do.

[Need Help Quitting Early]

Hello everyone!

My name is Doug and I'm currently 14 years old. I have been addicted to gaming for almost 8 years. I understand that this amount isn't as long as other's addictions, but I want to stop early before I go down a path that I will regret. I play video games every second of my free-time (typically 8 hours a day on weekdays and 16 on weekends). I have tried to quit in the past a couple times but every try that I take I always give up. What happens is that one day I'll decide I need to change, and I'll try. But shortly after my thoughts of "It's just a harmless hobby" or "Video-games make me happy" come back to end my streak of quitting. I have heard of the 90 day refresh but I couldn't even image myself quitting for more than 2 days. I really want to change and have a good life, but I need some help to get started.

EDIT = I also have no idea what I would do to replace video games.