Dannigan

Hey there Sashiku, I've been following your journal for a wee bit, and I'm hoping you're feeling alright. Feel free to send me a private message if you want an Accountability Partner. I am female myself, and I'm 62 days into my Detox. I don't mind private messaging through this forum, or email. I am a fairly consistent individual, and you can certainly read my journal if I'm the right fit for you. No pressure at all. Your goals and interests are unique to you, and we may differ in that respect. However, if the goal is to kick-start and maintain a new lifestyle, then I'm more than willing to help you out with that. Sincerely, Danni

Great to see you posting a bit more, Paul. I think it helps a person stay focused, and also creates a solid net-working system of accountability. I find that I don't have time to read everyone's posts, but the journals I follow, I try to respond at least once a week. I'll be adding your journal to my list and am looking forward to reading about your progress. Good work! Danni

Hey there Svet, Welcome back to the forums. I hope to read more of your progress and what kind of habits you're going to develop for yourself over time. This detox is a day-by-day thing. All little achievements add up, which is why I encourage you to keep a journal going, whether it's on Game Quitters, blogging, another website, or hand-written. Keep track of what small steps you are making because then you can look back on what you've achieved. It 'will' give you sustaining momentum to carry forth your new lifestyle without gaming. Best wishes, Danni

Awesome job with the running, and surprising yourself with the extra distance too. Also, that's really cool about speaking English with Tyrone! BOTH of you are going to learn much from each other, in regards to language, that is for sure. Excellent!

Nice work with finding other things to keep you busy. I find that after cleaning and organizing stuff, there's more clarity in my mind for some reason. Looking at clutter kind of clutters my mind...oddly enough.

Welcome DuckyMcLucky. Looking forward to reading your progress.

Great job on the celebrations without alcohol! I can just picture your pleasant bike ride, it sounds very serene and a nice get-away from it all. I liked that you noticed some nasty self-talk. I think that self-awareness of these tendencies is a great strength to have, especially since negative self-talk of any magnitude could possibly lead to a compounding effect on one's self-esteem or even confidence. You've got an amazing life, SpiNips!! Great read.

Congrats congrats!!! You made it!

Mario, you do what you gotta do. I understand that life gets hectic, and that always comes first before posting in forums. Hope all is well with ya, and take care. Danni

That's a good revelation you had about how your brain works, Falky. Nosce Te Ipsum, ---> Know Thyself. I believe that if you can figure yourself out, and what motivates you, you'll feel more in control of your life. Keep up the great progress, mate!

I looked into the Parkrun website, but nothing for Canada yet. However, it's definitely a fantastic tool to continue with running for fitness. Fortunately, I live close to a race track where there are all sorts of people running at the same time I do. It may not be a running partner, per se, but it's invigorating for me to see people of all ages and abilities go out at 5:00 a.m. in the morning to run or walk. That's the cue and inspiration for myself, I guess. Kudos to your progress so far!

Watched it, and was completely floored that South Korean culture is like that. I was dumbfounded and felt very disturbed. Thanks so much for posting this, Davo36.

No way...you skateboarded for ten years? Awesome! hehe I'm seeing from your post that you are already pre-planning your day in advance, or at least looking forward to something else besides gaming. Like when you saw the gaming arena, and it triggered you for a split second, your mind also remembers that you and your GF are going out to have a good time. So, basically you always have something better planned, even for those odd times that you get triggered, you have something else that's fun throughout the day to look forward to. Good work.

Alright. This is an analogy that came to mind tonight. I thought I'd login quickly to write about it. Everywhere I look online, there are advertisements for games. And it seems like so many people are becoming addicted every single day. Gaming has become such a huge part of our Western culture, and also growing across the globe. It's never going to stop. The gaming community is expanding by the second, and reaching younger people each day. And then I look at all of us here, on this forum....all of us who are attempting to break out of this hypnotic cycle of gaming. It made me think of the movie The Matrix. Like, we're unplugging ourselves from this massive network which is ultimately the building block of a fake digital world. I'm not anti-gaming, but I'm completely anti-addiction, don't get me wrong. If you can moderate your gaming, kudos to you! But it's kind of eerie just thinking about how thousands of gamers are addicted, and fall into one of two groups: those who embrace this addiction as the only way to cope with life, or those who deny their addiction. Neo.....you out there?

Looking forward to reading about your progress, Ross! Welcome!

This is great progress, Piotr, because you spent time typing down a strategy, it's a skill that you're good at, as far as i can see. I don't think reading fantasy books is a waste of time! I mean, it's the same as watching a movie. Although, if you watch 8 movies in a row for the entire day, and ignore everything else you have to do, then there's a slight problem...hehe. So, it's really about moderation, and being mindful. It's really easy to get lost in a good book, fantasy or not. Plus, the good thing about fantasy books is that it engages your imagination.

Good work, Sahil Getting rid of the games is a good step for your situation. Hopefully out of sight, out of mind. I can only suggest that you take up a physical activity that will help you with stress at school and at home. It's really up to you. I think you're on the right path.

You're doing very well, Jeremias! Your colleague had good insight that sometimes we tend to think we're not making much progress even though we really are. In reality, goals are not achieved in leaps and bounds. Keep it up! Doing great! Sincerely, Danni

FedererMagic, Thanks for taking the time to write out your accomplishments and congratulations for completing the 90 day detox! You focused on a lot of good points, and I learned from your experience. The number one thing I relate to is the connection with other people. I'm glad you reconnected by simply being generous with your time, and also listening to your friends. I think that listening is one of the things that people can practice doing more of, especially in intimate relationships (friends/family). Sometimes we end up talking so much about ourselves, that the conversations end up being very one-sided. It's a real skill, learning and practicing how to listen to others. Sincerely, Danni

Quoted to encourage everyone to read this post more than once. This is a much needed reminder for me, Kortheo. Sleep, eating well, exercise, meditation, and journaling. Currently, my sleeping pattern has improved, but not without all the other main elements such as the exercise, healthy eating, and meditation. Yet, sleep has the strongest effect on all of these components, interestingly. If I have lack of sleep, everything else is affected. There was a study that mentioned that chronic lack of sleep actually increases our cortisol levels, the stress hormone, which then causes us to crave more carbohydrates, then we eat more, gain weight, feel less energy to exercise. So, I often wonder if sleep is the underlying vehicle that truly helps us regulate our lives? Just a little food for thought! You're really awesome, btw! I have heard your first Podcast and am looking forward to hearing others in the future. Thanks for being an inspiration on this forum!

Congrats on your DAY 7, Sashiku! I'm glad you're still feeling exuberant about starting a new day! And it really is exciting when you think about it. YOu can fill up your day with activities that you're truly interested in, and over time, you'll begin to notice how much progress you are making. It's one day at a time, that's the secret to success. Sincerely, Danni

Yup, it IS an achievement, believe me! Pat yourself on the back for achieving this goal. It is a milestone.

Hello It sounds like you are going through a lot of stress. Which can make planning goals very difficult. First of all, I know you have epilepsy, but is there any physical outlet that you can do that is reasonable? I ask this because if you can just get your stress levels down...through some form of exercise, or meditation....then you can probably focus on your goals. Your mind and body really need healing right now before you attempt anything else. I agree with SundayMiharu....if your social environment is quite toxic, perhaps you what will help you are positive people nearby? I would spend less time with your friends, at this point, because they are not helping you in any way.

Greetings Merdoc! I posted a reply some time ago, but decided to make a new one because I think I minced my words! First off, congrats on your 50+ day detox. That alone is a goal in and of itself. Cam, and Workinprogress have shared so many great insights. I think that you're progressing, but perhaps you aren't giving yourself enough credit for things that you've done so far. For instance, replacing the gaming with other hobbies is a major step. From my personal experience, I can only see progress as something small that I can manage to do every single day. These are very tiny steps. Like Cam mentioned, sometimes it might take us a bit longer than the 90 days to make significant changes in our lives, and that's perfectly okay. I think I am one of those people because I had trouble sticking to a habit long-term. I'm going to start reading the book The Power of Habit, to find reasons why I fall off a routine so easily, and also to prepare me for future goals. I hope you can pick up this book too, and read it. Anyway, I'm cheering you on and remember that you're not alone in this journey! We're here to support you! Sincerely, Danni

Congrats on ACING your exam, Work!! You are making huge strides in your journey, and it's always inspirational to read your journal. Keep it up, and wishing you steady improvement for this week and throughout the month of May. You got your game-plan down, and I have no doubt you'll achieve these goals with the way you are progressing! Danni