Ikar

I wouldn't think game addicts are always introverted, just because they spent double digit hours on PC. I've been streaming on a daily basis on Twitch and I basically used it as my extroverted social outlet. Half a year later, I'm still figuring out how extroverted am I IRL, so I can relate to @BooksandTrees. It was just that life outside of computer sucked, but the expression "digital world" is dead on, because it is indeed a whole second world. Don't worry about the demographic, it's just a statistic! As for online dating, it's just one possibility, but it's not mandatory. In on itself, I'm not even sure how valuable/useless it is as a whole. I think dating/romantic opportunities organically happen IRL, unless you just consciously decide to not date or something is out of order. In my case, it was double digit hours on computer + the social unawareness that stemmed from it, even though I still managed to have a relationship for a while. Welcome to the forum! Also, thanks for the reminder about LinkedIn, I got it updated. One never knows!

I watched two lectures by Peterson recently, they were probably one of the most practical ones that I've seen from him. I have some of my own thoughts combined with his ideas below then. He mentioned that by age of roughly 30 (from what I gather, you seem to be in your 30s), kids should be able to see their parents as peers, with their unique flaws and strengths. Added to that, with their unique opinions as well, but that you shouldn't consider their opinions to be worth more than anyone else's. After all, they had a lot of time to install their opinions into you anyway, for better and for worse. I tend to imagine love/hate as opposing sides of the same spectrum, in the case of my mom. In the case of my dad, it's rather respect/disrespect. I feel largely neutral towards them. I don't wish death and disease upon them, but I'd probably prefer some distance from them and see them once a week and I'll likely take any first good opportunity to move out and live on my own (or with a future girlfriend). It seems to me they are sort of alibistic and treat me as either an adult or a child, depending on what's more convenient, especially my dad. Good luck finding the girl ?

I guess it might have to do something with me being on the antibiotics and experiencing some minor, but annoying side effects like chills, intestinal upset, headache and general drowsiness. That aside, I made 6, 4 and 4 days without real masturbation, I just didn't put the counter in on my entries. I generally write them as the last thing of the day, which might be a mistake, because by then I am half asleep already at that point. I have it the other way around. Masturbation makes me energized or indifferent. Sex made me dead tired and exhausted, but in a good way, like some really long exercise does.

Day 177: I did about half the tasks I had planned for today, which is still good. I went out with a friend in the evening. NF - 0 days I keep messing around in bed again in the morning, so I confess to hold myself accountable again.

Hey! Don't worry, soon you'll fill the time gaps with other activities, hopefully ones that work out better than gaming. I use Excel spreadsheets to write sort of a list/schedule for my days!

Day 176: I finished watching "Personality and Its Transformations 2017" by Peterson today. I have to admit that the last two lectures of the series were very practical. I also made a first draft of my half a year recap, just a few thoughts to get me started. I also finally got around to reading a few pages as well. It's been a fine day.

Hey! You are right that "like attracts like". It might take you some time to really parse the relationship down to basic elements, but in the process you get to know something about yourself and you can be aware of some patterns in the future. I've had a similar (though not as extreme!) relationship myself. You are also right that some can "weaponize her depression". A few people get expert at that and they wield their uselessness as a weapon, pretty much sucking compassion and other resources from other people. Good luck on detoxing!

I've read the last few entries of yours. Good luck with your artistic endeavors and your (sometimes neurotic!) girlfriend!

Good job on toning down the porn. I'd think there's no need for porn or even masturbation, if you really set up your relationship with your future girlfriend in this domain properly and you'll be able to see each other at least for weekends. Sucks to hear about the rat at work though. I can't quote exactly, but I know a guy on the forums somewhere posted a graph of all the good and bad decisions linking together and making the "path" of having a great or horrible day.

Day 175: I got a few small things done today, a bit of cleaning and some paperwork. I went to a sort of a standup show in the evening with my family and it was pretty good. I also just finished watching Taxi Driver with young De Niro, it struck me as pretty bizarre towards the end, mainly because it ended in a "good" way by a chance. I also saw Goodfellas a few days ago.

Day 174: I was in school, one of the lectures was fairly interesting, so that was good. I didn't do too much else besides that. I plan to follow up on and clean up my errands during the weekend.

The doc told me he didn't see such a reaction before either. I have proper meds to combat it now though and it seems to be going away already.

Good luck! You've got your work cut out for yourself; it won't be easy, but it's the best shot you have!

What was the first book? The same thing has been on my mind recently as well. I read this up on the MMM blog somewhere: "Do what is good for you, not what you enjoy." What I did was to try and triangulate the least useful activity that I do and try to find something more useful, perhaps something I was putting off. It's annoying, but it's the same as with triangulating gaming and deciding something else is worth it more.

I got an infection there from foot mildew I did not know existed up until the infection made me unable to walk normally. I guess all I can advice is to dry the spaces between your fingers properly, so you don't end up like me!

Day 173: I legitimately got a lot done today, but it was not really satisfactory, I think mainly because I spent the whole day inside. My foot got a lot better, as now I'm on antibiotics. NF - 0 days

Day 172: I spent the whole day outside. Teaching went alright, as well as going to the doctors', so hopefully I'll be fit in a few days. I just read a bit about money and did Duolingo, as optional objectives. I'll try to consolidate and get more stuff done tomorrow, as I have the whole day for myself.

Day 171: I got started on a few things I was delaying, so the day was not overall bad, however my foot seems to be getting worse and I am getting somewhat neurotic about it and I have no clue as to what might be causing it, so I'll get some help for that tomorrow.

Day 170: In the morning, I had a short English teaching lesson. I went to see the doctor, I'll be going for an appointment again soon. I used the time I was waiting to check up on some articles related to money. I spent around 3 hours today helping around the bathroom reconstruction. I watched some videos, did Duolingo, wrote with a friend and prepared for tomorrow. It was a pretty nice day overall, even though I did not get everything done. Tomorrow's a day as well!

I decided to do it as more of a preemptive measure, I even kinda forced myself into it, oddly enough. Quitting or watching porn very rarely; that seems like a good idea too, it's much better to rely on your own imagination, that is uniquely weird and creative ?

Day 169: The last week was a bit weird. I felt happy about NF actually not being an issue at all for a few days and I did not crave it, so I masturbated willingly yesterday. I'll keep the counter around though, as I wrote before, so I don't happen to slack in bed. It gives me clarity. As a result, I feel like I can zero out on any thing in my life I'm doing and stop doing it, no matter what I think about it initially. On the other hand, I did not have any exercise the past 4 days. Something's up with my foot and I will have it checked out hopefully tomorrow. It's not immobilizing, but I think I rather not push it. I also felt like the past 4 days just flew by without me actually doing anything, when the fact was that I was simply going out - teaching, learning, socializing and helping around the house. It's too easy for me to justify not doing anything of too much importance after such events though, even if I have stuff planned for myself. As for today, I helped around the house, got Scrabble and Peterson in, including a lot of writing, thinking and reading. I also got the schedule done, so I would like to nail those things I had planned for myself for the next week. NF - 1 day

Yes, I think I mentioned that a few weeks ago as well. We have a limited amount of time and we can only do this much with it. I guess the important thing to realize is that healthy hobbies generally spread across time a lot more than addictions. It's not difficult to watch 70 hours of series during a week, but studying for 70 hours a week is impossible for most, and even if it was possible, I wouldn't think it would be efficient at all.

Day 168: I've been helping around the house in the morning and attended an English course during the afternoon, so I just decided to relax and write a bit in the evening. I'll try to just get organized tomorrow and plan the next week. NF - 0 days I think I'll keep the NF counter around and perhaps modify it a bit. My main gripe was staying in bed after waking up.

I think I see what you mean. I'm quite good at changing my environment already (maybe more than I'd like, as then I find I do not have the time and energy to do things that need to be done at home), so I'll continue to do that and see what happens. I think I am reasonably integrated and nowhere as much of a mess as I was a year ago, though I wonder how I will look at this post a year into the future! Thanks for the encouragement, I will continue to work for the good, whatever that is.

Hey! Thanks for the support. I think I am strong enough to persevere, finding a good date is a lottery - I just have to win once and I can't win if I don't play.