Dannigan

I smiled when I read this! I'm glad you tested out moderation with games, and I'm surprised that you experienced a headache, that it felt repetitive, and there were no urges. That's profound. Good for you, you uninstalled Steam and the games. That's another nail in the coffin with gaming. Congratulations on your victory!

This is a completely different you, than yesterday, @Pierce : ) What I noticed is how quickly you jumped back into the saddle (your focused goals), and just fell in sync with the flow of events. It's been a while since I've attended university, and I can only imagine how much more demanding medical school is. I think that yesterday's departure from your typical school-work days, it was probably needed? I wonder if it's the psyche letting you know that you need a bit of a break. A short-term mental break from the routine of school. Because look at you now. You're a-buzz with energy. There's a ying-yang energy flow. I hate sounding airy-fairy, but it's the best way I can explain it. You are an introvert also. Which means you need those quiet days to recuperate. I like the idea you had about going to a local coffee shop or library. Seems like a perfect environment to chill out for a little while.

Hello! Glad you're taking a couple of days to rest. Sorry about the recent events. But it sounds like you know how to take care of your body when it needs recuperation. That's something I'd like to work on myself as I tend to put too much on my plate sometimes.

Cheers, @dwalk77. :) Sounds like a nice relaxing time. Day 75...wow , keep it going strong.

Don't worry about other people's journals. I totally think you have a RICH social life...lol. That's awesome. You're always out and about, meeting new people, playing sports, (heck even going to Mass just once), and putting yourself out there. Whenever I read your journals, I feel like I'm THERE, witnessing events. Anyway, take care of yourself, get plenty of rest and such. I hope you continue journaling beyond 90 days. You life is pretty interesting.

Hey there @dannylee3782 Writing in a journal is tremendous help. You'll look back on previous entries and see how much you've grown, and you might even pick up clues as to why you might relapse, or see not-so-obvious triggers in your writing that you hadn't noticed before. It's very enlightening. As well, the feedback from others can be invaluable. You take what you need and discard the rest. Most folks here respond with very good intentions and they want to help by reaching out. That's what makes this community thrive and become strong in the long-run. That's my vision, anyhow. Good to see your commitment shine through here in your writing too. That encourages me as well. So, thank you.

Yeeeup. This sh!t is for realz. Scary af is right. And it's something I never want to experience again in relation to addiction.

Hello there @stablish, I was just writing about the analogy of life, that there are peaks and valleys. I'm sorry to hear about the recent passing of two people you cared about. In my own life there has been much death, either due to age-related conditions, health, and even tragedy. You're going through a pretty tough time right now, and the valley is dark. Don't worry about the relapsing right now. I think that people process grief in different ways. It will take time, and that's okay. Now that you recognize the relapse for what it is, perhaps now you'll be able to feel those emotions fully. Because gaming will mask that for a certain time, but only so much. Take very good care of yourself, that you get enough sleep, and eat well, try to get up and go for a walk every now and then. Work on your basics of living skills, things that you need to feel good in a physical, mental, and maybe even spiritual way. And don't be afraid of feeling different emotions in the grieving period. Kindest regards, ~Dani

Good work on the art! And over time, you'll see your sketches evolve and change. I remember reading old Garfield comics and it was remarkable how different the drawings were from the beginning to the later stages of the comic series. Another that comes to mind is Mickey Mouse. Being in that state of 'flow' is essential, I think, to creativity. It seems like there's an ease to drawing when you're in that 'flow'. I'm curious, did you feel like there was no concept of time when you were drawing? I'm looking forward to seeing more sketches!

Glad you're back! Would be cool to read about your experience with the 90 Day detox. : ) ~Dani

Don't be too hard on yourself. Yes, it's Easter Spring break. Just pick up and start again tomorrow. The good thing is that you spent the day doing other things too. : )

Haha nice to see the phrase "keystone" habit inserted in your explanation. I am reading The Power of Habit a second time now, and I remember that terminology. : ) Keep it up, you're on track. : )

Wow, you can do this! Glad to hear you're making good progress.

Welcome back, @TheCrystalLake, good to have you here I hope that journaling will be a good way for you to stick with some long-term goals. I think I relapsed because I did not keep up with journal writing or checking back with the website. This forum, its members, and journal writing has been profoundly helpful so far. It appears that you're already looking forward to a bright future. : ) I love that. It's inspirational to me. Like you, I am also single, never had a husband or kids. And like you, I'll be entering the dating scene again. Not right away, but it's something I'll be working on in the near future. I wish us both good luck and good health, and many rewards to come as we do this Detox together with others on Game Quitters. Kind regards, Dani

This is great! I think you're doing well with limiting the use of additional technology (eg. apps) which aren't really necessary to motivate you. In fact, waiting for you to 'feel' motivated is going to back-fire. You just have to 'do' the task, and then you will start to feel that motivation. Yes, I agree with you that learning something means applying it. Not just mindless repetition. Learning basic cooking techniques and recipes is a good start. You just need a foundation first. I like that you chose a cookbook that is interesting to you, not just for its recipes, but because it is Japanese. : )

Sure, Robert. I'll write something in the new thread. Thanks for your creativity with this website and for restructuring the topics so it's easily available for new people and veterans. It's very much appreciated, and I already see vast improvements. : )

Hey @thehondasc00py I actually tried the ketogenic diet a year ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. It gave me sustained energy throughout the day. I used it to regulate sugar levels as mine were marginally unhealthy and close to a pre-diabetes stage. I would like to return to the ketogenic lifestyle soon. I have an account with Diet Doctor website which is extremely helpful if you're looking for recipes. Also, I never had cravings for bad foods when I was in ketosis. Due to increasing g good fats intake. I am not vegetarian so my diet consisted of omega 3 fats from salmon, bacon, eggs, and coconut oil or the coconut meat. Overall, I was consistently energetic, slept better, and no cravings. I wonder if you can start a thread in the Lifestyles section about the benefits of ketogenic diet? Regards, Dani

That is awesome. Wow. You really faced that demon 'bullying'. Good strategy to invite him out for dinner. Plus a free meal ... hahahah. Victory!

Thanks for being honest and not fake. It takes courage to be truthful. You and @info-gatherer's journals are a great help to me, among others that I will mention throughout the course of time. It's because you guys are being real. No one's here to judge. I made my own pledge to be as candid, truthful, and raw when I write in my journal. Anyway, keep up the good work. Dani

Welcome! I hope you find this forum and its members to be helpful. Glad you are here! : )

Don't give up. Hang in there. Get out of the house and take that walk. You're at Day 71, wow!

Welcome back and glad to have you here. 15 minutes is a great window of time. And then taking a break after. It's short enough to push you to do as much as you can within that time frame. Smart thing to do! Also, I love To-Do Lists. When you see the amount of tasks that you check off, it's extremely rewarding. It's a nice visual reminder, depending on how you look at it. Some people might have the perception of, "oh I didn't finish ALL of the tasks, I failed!". Or, you can look at how many you were able to complete and reward yourself afterward. Prioritizing your To-Do list is also important. My suggestion would be to write down the 'least' favorite thing you need to do, and put it at the TOP of the list first.

Hi Zala, Welcome back. I'm glad you're here. Workinprogress made some very good points about basic things that make us happy. Sleep, spending quality time with loved ones, eating healthy, even being around nature for 20 minutes a day can lift your spirits, and exercise. It doesn't sound like you're in that mindset right now to make some healthy changes to your lifestyle. Sounds like you just want to vent and let out some steam due to recent hardships. It's okay to feel like this for a period of time. My only suggestion is to watch Cam's videos again, and perhaps find one person on this forum that you can talk to on Discord chat/voice chat. Somebody that you can trust and who is a veteran on this forum, who can give you sound advice.

Thanks for sharing, and you're definitely on the right track. Looking forward to reading more of your journal. Like you, I try to limit my computer use on a daily basis. I journal in the evening before going to sleep, and this schedule seems to be working well so far. I would like to read other people's journals when I have the time. It's really quite amazing to read how well people articulate and describe their daily struggles and goals they've achieved. People here give me inspiration and motivation to continue. Cheers! Dan

Hey, that was cool how you opened up to that guy and said video games are bad for you. You never know. Maybe one day he or a friend of his might have a video game addiction, and they'll remember how you turned away from it for your own good. And I think most people respect a person who abstains from something that is unhealthy for them. It takes courage and commitment to do that. So, kudos to you. I like the title of your journal too. "90 Days of Journal". I'll read more when I have the time. Right now, I'm going to watch a movie for an hour and then get some sleep before 10:00 pm. Early day at work tomorrow. Cheers!