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Dannigan

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Everything posted by Dannigan

  1. Wow 26 pages of journal entry........ *high five* I must take time to read it, as well as other people's journals. You mentioned a really good point about work/play balance! I'm glad you enjoyed yourself at the theater.
  2. Man, I was smiling from ear to ear looking at your pics...lol. Looks like you guys had an awesome time outdoors. Love the goat
  3. Thanks so much, Falky! And....congratulations on discovering you'll be a daddy! Good tidings to you and your fiancee!
  4. Hello Ironfly I think that a mentor would be excellent for you. Did you think about what you want from mentoring? To be exact? Maybe post on the forum for an accountability partner? Be kind to yourself. I think that the worst thing we can do is beat ourselves up for being human. I applaud you for coming back here and posting, and being honest with yourself, and not sugar-coating reality. You are also not alone in relapsing. I had a minor relapse lately too, but it was with a game I installed on my cell phone. I only played about 25 minutes, but still it was triggering the tendency to game again. I would have been on it for at least an hour, but I quit because I had to go to sleep. I deleted that game, and put my cell phone in the living room far far away. What do you do when you take a step back? You get up....you start again, and you pat yourself on the back for getting up again. That's with anything in life. We fall, we get back up. We keep going forwards. And all the progress you made STILL counts, even if you had a relapse. I agree with the other poster that we have to find something to replace the game. It seems like you've got good structure in your day, but your mind still craves the dopamine effect that a game offered. Like Cam mentioned and others, the one thing that can balance your mood is exercise. Endorphin produced by our pituitary gland are natural chemicals that will help buffer stress and pain. Runners get this kind of 'endorphin' high.
  5. That is awesome, Lenzz, that you're going to a muay thai, and salsa dancing!!! Whooot! That's inspiring to me. I've always wanted to try salsa dancing. Good for you! Please update us on those activities!
  6. Hello Merdoc! It looks like you had a pretty productive day! In a way, its kind of exciting to think about short term goals. I also wanted to add that rewarding yourself for completing short-term goals is also helpful. It gives you that incentive to keep going. This may be contrary to what other people approve of, but here's a very simple example. If a person works out let's say five days a week and they've eaten healthy meals, perhaps they want to reward themselves with one treat at the end of the week, be it a small slice of pie, or a dish of ice-cream topped with fruits, etc. Nothing too unhealthy, but at least a nice tasty reward for a hard week's physical labor. In this way, it makes you feel like you're not depriving yourself, or feel burned out because you're always striving to meet these short-term goals every single day. I think a person would need to feel some type of reward for their efforts. Keep in mind, the reward has gotta be something healthy, at least.
  7. Hello Dave! I can relate with your observation that people in certain gaming communities can be toxic. When I look back on my own gaming I think I was one of those toxic people, to be quite honest. I was irritable due to the vicious cycle of gaming for long periods at a time, only to get less sleep, only to login to the game again, only to be more irritable with others in the game. I was spiraling down very fast. And my emotions were all over the place. Yup, negative thought patterns were also in my head. So, that's why I quit gaming entirely. I love myself enough not to treat my mind and body that way again. I'm really glad you uninstalled the game, because any break away from that negativity is a good thing. I hope you'll consider detoxing for more than at least a month. This community so far has been very helpful in that I read other people s journals and their progress, which makes me feel even more motivated to creating a lifestyle for me that is free of gaming, but also a lifestyle that is healthy and productive.
  8. Welcome, Nate! Awesome, it looks like you're already planning out a great goal-oriented path towards a healthier life. I don't have any resources to help you, but if I do come across one, I'll send the information to you. I just wanted to comment that journal writing on a daily basis will help you stay on track with your goals, and it will also help you see pattern behavior over time. If you are doing the 90 day detox Respawn, that's great too. I have found that reading other people's journals and their progress has helped me pave my own pathway. There are lots of people in this forum who are fitness enthusiasts, and have written about healthy recipes, fitness goals, and how they've overcome mental obstacles in order to achieve those goals. Perhaps you can start a new thread asking others on this forum for input about physical fitness?
  9. Hello Lenzz! It was interesting reading about your experience with playing the game for one hour, and then suddenly you felt an immediate adrenalin rush. Sadly, I believe it is largely associated with a neurochemical shift in your brain. I believe it's the dopamine surge that a gamer experiences. It is very much like a drug addict feels. Having said all that, I think that continual gaming means that your brain will be seeking more and more of this dopamine-effect, or exhilarated adrenalin rush. And what happens is that you have to game more and more and more, to recharge that supply. Unfortunately, it means gaming for longer hours, and thus, it can result in neglecting other areas of your life, or cause irritability, lack of sleep, and addiction to gaming. I'm glad that you were able to stop after one hour. Others like myself are unable to do that without staying hooked for hours on end. So you are wanting to experience that 'alive' feeling in life, similar to what you experienced gaming for one hour? Exercise is one thing. There is indeed a runner's high that you get from running longer periods, but the benefits of a runner's high far outweigh a gamer's high. Running improves your cardiovascular system, allows you to sleep better at night, gives you more energy throughout the day, tones your muscles, improves your overall health in general. I encourage you to try a sport that can ramp up your adrenaline, and give you long-lasting energy in the day.
  10. Welcome Smoked Beef I'm new too, but have found this community to be very helpful. It's encouraging to me that so many others are beginning new lives, and improving themselves after quitting gaming for an extended time.
  11. You have really good insight. I think you're on the right track to quit gaming again. ????
  12. I'd like to see Peru, specifically to hike up to Machu PIcchu. My Social Studies teacher in grade 5 went there and showed our class the pictures. Let's just say I've wanted to go there for more than 20 years, but never made any attempt to save up for it. It is probably a $3000 trip. Never say never! It's not a priority, because I have other financial plans in my near future that I want to reach. So, maybe after this year I'll start seriously planning for this.
  13. Don't give up. Lots of great advice given to you. I agree with Danielk that excessive gaming will only distract you from moving forwards in your life. If you can moderate gaming and also create goals for yourself then perhaps that route could work? Like Falky mentioned, maybe a month detox can be trialed so you can sort out your life? I am rooting for you as well as many others on this forum. ????
  14. Hullo Dusty! A warm welcome to you! I am glad to read that you had an interest in jewelry making. Never say never. Perhaps when you start the detox, you're interest in jewelry making will return. I know that it will take time. I hope you continue to read the forums, and also the journals that people write. It will help you feel less isolated. And you will gain random bits of wisdom and knowledge from those of us who have tread down this path before. It is also ok if you struggle. I do. It is hard, but stick with your short-term goals, and focus on one thing at a time. Don't bombard yourself with making so many plans that it becomes overwhelming. That's the best unsolicited advice I can give you. Perhaps watch the videos that Cam made, and also take time to make your own list of goals. One step at a time. Be well!
  15. We're here for ya! I am quite new to detox as well. It is always a good feeling to know you're not alone in the journey even if each of us may have different goals and personal struggles. I think gaming for me was just a big bandaid covering up something I was ignoring. One day at a time is what I say!!
  16. Hope to see your garden projects one day. Also good on you for focusing on goals and being grateful. I see lots of people journaling about gratefulness. I will do the same too because it seems to lift ones mood!
  17. I've read a few of your journal entries and LOTS of very good points that you discovered about yourself. I think these self discoveries also help others here too. For example, the goal is not to be the most talented pianist but to improve our skills every week. That is very reasonable IMHO. Also....everyone fails at something in life. It is okay to fail. Maybe we learn something after? Easier said than done...especially if we're still getting over the failure. Procrastination is my big problem. Maybe if I convince myself to review only 25 percent of my studies then I won't put so much pressure on myself....and then it results that I study more than I thought I could manage? See....I applied this way of thinking to putting away my dishes. I told myself that if I wash only five dishes per day they won't pile up..instead of thinking about washing a mountain of dirty dishes. One day I tried this and I ended up washing more dishes than I planned to. Sorry if this example is very simple. It helped me with some procrastination and I still am not an expert however. Cheers!
  18. A really cool Ted talk about this is by Neil Pasricha. Sorry I don't have the link. ???? But I think the list things that make you smile is encouraging.
  19. Hello everyone, This is a great website. I was browsing the internet for support on this issue, and decided to make this one my home. From an aesthetic sense, it's very easy to navigate around this site, and it's not cluttered with advertisements, which can be so distracting. So, kudos to the website designer. Also, the videos and links for resources are invaluable. I did watch the TEDTalks video and boy could I relate. Thanks for sharing it.
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