Pochatok

Oh yes, I believe that they are essentially the same thing. Let me see if GoogleScholar can offer any research on this... BUT, from my experience I sink time in both equally, and feel equally shitty when doing either one in excess. Here are the articles lol: https://psychology.stackexchange.com/questions/12422/is-gaming-more-addictive-than-watching-movies-or-tv-shows not much evidence but explains the point https://akjournals.com/view/journals/2006/2/3/article-p125.xml just an analysis of TV addiction, but if you like the science behind it then I suggest you give it a read.

Hey! Totally familiar with the sugar problem. Used to eat a lot of sweets until my mom(yeah, kind of the opposite case here) began talking about how bad it is. One thing that helped me reduce the amount of sugar to normal was measuring how much sugar I have every day, and cutting that amount by a few grams daily/weekly. I suggest not to go coldturkey on it, that might cause a relapse or just a lot of withdrawal effects. Reduce the amount gradually at your own pace, but stick to it! Additionally, I recommend reading more about all the bad things that are in high-sugar foods: one book I know is "The Case against Sugar"(don't take 2nd half seriously please), but recommend you look for more stuff to read on your own. The healthy amount of sugar one should have per day is 15 grams(Google says 24, but it is coming from an America-based source; US is the most obese country in the world). That's 1/3 of a can of coke, or 1 spoon of nutella. Per day. I know that seems scary low, but you will get there over time, if you want really to! It took me 2 years, but now my sugar intake is 5-10 grams per day, and mostly from fruit. Please keep us all updated on how things go- little or a lot, progress is always worth sharing! Cheers, Po

While the first three are school-related, here's my list nonetheless: A Grain of Wheat White Teeth Collective Amnesia Hard to be a God(personal favorite)

Good Morning! Today's been super lazy so far. I'm pretty much done with school- got all work in early, now there is only a few slow projects to do for the next couple weeks. No gaming relapse, but watched about an hour and a half worth of The B0ys. To me, doesn't matter if it is social media, gaming, or any other stuff- I feel like I am being equally unproductive. So I think I'll try to make the most out of the rest of the day. Yesterday was a mix... I worked super hard from morning until 5PM, like non-stop, but after that I got fairly lazy and barely did anything until late evening. I suppose it is good to take the rest of the day off after working so hard, but my partner is still working hard like crazy and I just kind of feel bad for not doing as much. At least I should be doing things to take care of her. And, take care of others too. Just because my life got easier doesn't mean I should stop helping others. Anyways, gonna try to work hard today! Goals: Try harder. Be aware of the time passing Know when to do what Be ahead of yourself, not behind stay hydrated take care of loved ones when tired, rest in a healthy manner Hope y'all have a nice Tuesday 🙂

Good Morning! Yesterday was a mess. Got most of the stuff done, but also spent about 1.5-2 hours watching the boys and being on social media. Relapsed with nofap yesterday, and was tempted to install some games again. Not feeling too bad about that, but do not want either to happen again. Showerthought: Ants don't die in microwaves cuz they are sooo tiny. Nice. I think instead of a to-do list, which I already have, I'll write a mix of goals and wishes for today: I hope to finish the exam on time and get an A in the class I hope to be on top of my stuff- work for an hour, then 15 minutes of rest. Exercise is important- do it how I like it, but at least 20 minutes of some movement. Don't give up trying! I'm so close to ending this semester well, I can't stop now Be nice to people around me- work on gifts for friends, send a couple "thank you" emails... I wish the internet connection to be stable and not to be mentally tired Alright, gonna get goin'! Get water Hydrate Work on exam non-stop for an hour Watch 15-20mins of the boys Work for another hour on exam Go get lunch and chill Let's make the most out of this day everyone, start the week stronk!

Hey Lampshade, I think that's a good decision! Quitting gaming is tough enough, take those addictions apart one at a time. While there are some benefits to combining gaming, and, let's say, nofap, since they have similar roots both in terms of how you access them and how they alter your brain, coffee is a whole different beast and might exhaust you too much. Glad you are going so strong on so many things at once though! Po

Oh hey, totally agree with that, COVID is no fun no matter how well or poorly you take it. Stay safe and stay well 🙂

ALRIGHT LET"S DO IT TODAYYYYY Yesterday I was quite lazy- I got things done but the quality was meh. Finally caught up with my to-do list though, so today I can start fresh yeeeahhh!! Showerthought: I am glad I am not transparent, human organs be lookin nastyyyyy. To-Do, and not to-do today: keep up no fap(yesterday was tough) Don't watch more than 30 mins of The Boys, time yourself Get part 4 done today. I must get it done or it will suck big time tomorrow. Send out email for a club meeting Eat well Exercise, and stay hydrated What I will do immediately after this: put on chopstick Refill water bottle Respond to other comments on this forum Get going with the exam. Have a good Sanday everyone, hope you're staying safe and warm!

Hey Tr1v, seems like you're doing pretty well already, I'm so happy for you! What did you listen to? I'm just curious, I've never listened or read philosophy much, more of a psychology guy.

Hey BooksandTrees, hope you feel more energized tomorrow! This week has been a lot for me too. About relationships: even though you want to remain single for some time, I encourage you to think about this: Sometimes, you learn how to love yourself by learning how to love others. I don't necessarily mean a romantic relationship- any relationship can help you improve yourself (and the other people within the relationship) with enough passion and commitment. I thought about relationships that way too, but that caused me to forget how to love others. I learned to treat myself better by treating the people around me better. But, this is just my experience. I do encourage you to continue challenging your own perspective/thoughts on relationship management. Cheers, Po

Hey, congrats on day 30! It is both impressive and motivating to see how much you've changed and accomplished over just a month 😆 Best of luck with everything, especially physical health and exploring the foreign realms of dating lol. Hope it lasts as long as you and your partner want it to 🙂

Thank you @TheNewMe2.0, @Kingy_80, and @James Goodfor your kind comments! It doesn't matter how long or short, simple or complex your words of encouragement are, they are all equally inspirational and heart-tickling 🙂

Yesterday was insanely busy, I barely thought about games. There were a couple times when I could have gone to r/games or watched some gameplay, but instead I found a nice TV Show to start(The Boys). Other than that, the performance went super well- I think I could have done better but the conductor of the ensemble was very happy with it. Worked about 10 hours yesterday total, most I've ever done in a day this semester lol. Showerthought: I have 11 tiny moles on left hand and zero on the other. Thanos would be upset. Things I still need to get done: Talk to grannies! Clean the room Get most of the exam done Do the paperwork Other stuff to get done: Send out a lot of emails Hide the secret gift I am working, dumbo Start planning out a daily schedule for winter break, it's coming soon! Brainstorm ideas for holiday family presents Don't just draw, learn to draw better. Start posting on my art insta again!

I recommend getting outside as much as possible and focusing on the world around you. Take some pictures, look at all the different leaves on the ground, the various shapes of clouds etc.. Remind yourself how much more beautiful and diverse the world outside the video game is. I also recommend getting rid of any social media that you have- for youtube, clear watching/search history and turn those off. Twitter I'd just delete, it is honestly an invaluable time sink. On other platforms, get rid of any gaming-related content if you can. Your body and brain have wired themselves into video games, which is why you have these habits and thoughts all the time. Don't worry, the re-wiring process is already starting, just give yourself a few weeks, and you'll be feeling better than ever! Stay strong, you got this! Po

Heck yes @WhoCares, this is like the most inspirational thread I've read today so far. I know it seems like you are not in control at times, but overcoming serious addictions simply takes awhileeee- the progress isn't very visible sometimes. Never give up on yourself, you're a beautiful human and have got so much more amazing life ahead of you 😆 Cheers, Po

I know it might be kind of scary to stop talking to friends over seemingly minor arguments like that, but it sounds to me like they have little respect for your feelings and you as a person overall. Making new friends isn't easy, especially now, but when it comes to relationships, I believe that a good war is better than a bad peace. You'll make a lot more friends in the future, and lose quite a few too. Relationships change all the time, so don't be afraid of ending bad friendships. Now, please take this with a grain of salt, as I do not know either you or your friends all that well, and am basing my opinion on assumptions. Cheers! Po

Alright, day two! I started the day with embroidery, which is frustrating, but I am getting better 🙂 Showerthought of yesterday: It's really not gaming that is the core of my problems. Rather, it is the outcome or the product of all my other issues, like fear of social interactions, melancholic attitude towards life, and occasional mood swings. Deleted both my twitter accounts yesterday, cuz honestly I barely interact with people, and those people game hard. The first thing I woke up thinking about was my dreams rather than twitter feed, and that felt great! When falling asleep, I still can't stop thinking about "playing sometime in the future", and every time I feel excited about anything video games appear in my mind for a moment. Gotta look for more ways to make my life exciting I guess 😮 What I missed yesterday: Didn't talk to grannies Barely cleaned my room Didn't get far with the exam Didn't do some paperwork for school Today's to-do: Start posting art on my Instagram again! Clean up the room, eugh Finish the 3rd part of exam(didn't get that done yesterday) Start Part 4 of exam- I need it done by Sunday noon(deadline is Monday noon, and I want to have extra time to look over and 2x-check) Embroider more while at work Stay hydrated Keep a balanced posture while typing Nail that Jazz Performance! Be on time Let's get started YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

@LampshadeI have a huuuugeee list of titles of books that I just randomly find on the internet, from 80s Sci-Fi to argumentative research works on the topic of Abortion. Not sure what exactly I want to read over the winter break, but I haven't really educated myself about the history of Civil Rights, and, more recently, BLM movements. Currently I'm reading an art textbook(so much math what the helll).

Hey @Shine Magical. I know you're feeling down today; that's okay, we're all human, all imperfect. I hope you will feel better tomorrow! I saw you post that painting and mention Instagram. I am also an artiste(haven't posted in forever but I will, promise!!), and was wondering if you could DM so I can follow you 🙂 If you feel insecure or anything, I can send you my Insta instead. Happy belated birthday, congrats on making it so far! I turned 20 two weeks ago and it honestly feels like the end of times. Hope you feel better soon, Pochatok

Welcome Tr1v, keep us updated :> You go this!

Hey James, thank you so much for stopping by! Haha thanks I think I'll crush it, but performance anxiety is high -_- Cheers, Po

Haha thank you for catching me on that, my phone was turned off so I left it blank. I am on Android, so I use Stay Focused for apps, reddit, twitter and a few more websites(free version is enough, but paid one is worth it) and BlockerX specifically for porn. Good luck 😄

Must agree with BornAgain, porn is actually harmful, but masturbation itself does not have any negative connotations, unless it is excessive and/or brings negative emotions, or dehumanizes your subject of sexual attraction. Moderation is key with healthy/semi-healthy activities, but porn is simply damaging.

Thank you so much, congrats on making it to day 5 already! I think not only it is hard, but sometimes we think we admit our weaknesses, when really they are just the outcome of our true weakness. Like, I used to think I am afraid of public speaking, when it really was being afraid of talking to people in general lol Good luck to you as well, we got this!

Hey Le North Dreamer, thanks for sharing! Yeah, I am learning Blender and 2D Digital art, as well as Composition, so I really need that RAM and GPU lol. Also, just today I uninstalled all my games and am in the process of giving away my steam account. My next step is to get rid of anything gaming-related showing up in my daily life- twiter/reddit/instagram/discord/youtube feed and all that. Thank you and good luck as well! Po