Reno F

If you can use "game elements" to see real progress on your life, I don't see a problem. Most of exercise apps use some sort of "gamification" because, well, it gets people to exercise. However, if you feel triggered while making use of those apps, that's your signal to stop with them. I'm with Bugg on this: it's better to stay clear from these reward based systems while on detox. I used Habitica for a few months, one year ago. While I think it helps, the game elements (leveling up, boss fights, gear and skin customization, etc) quickly became a distraction. The good thing is the social element and accountability, but you can get those using different habit building apps. As for now, the more I can do without my phone, the better.

Hey, I loved those books! I had six of them when I was younger and they got me in to tabletop RPG, which is awesome.! As for your question, I wouldn't read them during the detox. Grab a fantasy book of you want to dive in a fantasy world. A few of the fighting fantasy book have been made in to mobile apps. Same experience of the book, but the book keeping is automatic. I got one of them. Although it was great to revisit the forest of doom, it felt A LOT like gaming. You will notice it as soon as you get a bad ending. Go through the detox without them. Show yourself you can stay 3 months away from any form of game. The books will still be there after the detox, then you can read and judge them by yourself. Meanwhile, read something else or play the good old tabletop with a bunch of friends :)

Good Luck!

'It's only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything.' - Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club Welcome to the forums, Yann!

Keep that streak going!

Good luck on your speech! Also, you're closing in on your first week! Congratulations!

Hang in there, mate! You've got a bad deal of cards to play with. Play it over. There will be a next round.

I hope your dad joins the family, but if he doesn't, have fun anyway!

Hey, Mario! If you don't mind, I'll join with my thoughts. I conciously decided to put my face out from the start for basically two reasons: Accountability - I felt if I hid under a fake avatar, I'd not be as commited to the detox. I saw that as another escape. This was the main reason I put this picture on my profile and had my first and last name on it. I was ashamed of myself, but I was tired of running away. If I tried to hide this side of myself (as I had been doing for the last two years, lying to my wife and immediate friends about how I spent my free time), it would eventually find a way to creep back and haunt me. When I think back now, revealing had a huge impact on my success on the detox. Leaving my comfort zone - Going public was something I hadn't done for the last 10 years or so. My social network accounts were not updated with news about me or the things I cared, though I logged in everyday to read and comment on friend's posts. I used to rationalize reasons to why whatever I might share would be irrelevant to everyone else. On the other side, I felt lonely here in Japan. I remember the exact feeling before clicking "Submit" on my first post. Felt like speaking in front of a huge audience about a topic I had no knowledge whatsoever. Anyway, whatever was that I was doing, was obviously not working on making me happier. So I decided to do the opposite and show my face. With that said, I feel embarassed to read my own journal here (and that's why I haven't touched it in a long time). Embarassed - not ashamed. I'm actually proud of it. There is a bunch of people out there who can't face their demons in the eyes. People who can't see the strenght of what we do here are either too young or too naive. I made my story public to my followers on Facebook when I finished the detox. It created a buzz for a while, people sent me messages, etc. It is there for everyone to see, and I still get a couple of views per week (it was posted on Medium). But there is no reason I'd bring that up again, unless someone I know asks for help. This is not something I'd like to focus on at the moment, but eventually I'd like to put effort on bringing more awareness to it within my circles of influence. I just have other, more urgent matters I need to deal with. Be true to yourself and to what you want to do. Everything else will adjust in one way or another..

Let him have his own experience. He must have his own wake up call. If you can be supportive without being dragged into his world, do it. He can't do it alone, and he will need your help when he wakes up for life, but only when he does it. Meanwhile, be an example of what's possible outside the fantasy world that is gaming. Best luck!

I remember you, Daniel! Nice to see you back on track!

For a moment, I thought you hated taking breaks between training sessions! "This dude is a machine!"

Hi guys, it's been a while! Today I've decided to share my recent news with you. I think my last journal entry was six months ago. Things have changed a little bit since then. I haven't gamed since then except for a two-week period in May, when I played Action Quake just for the nostalgia. My brother said that there were still people playing it, and this game was a big part of our teens, so I installed to play with him. This was different though, I didn't play everyday, and the longest was for about 3 hours. After two weeks, the nostalgia was gone and we both stopped it. I'm back working at the hospitality industry (gotta put the bread on the table). On my free time, I'm mainly playing the guitar, reading and writing. I'm pursuing a career as a writer and have been working on my craft since, I don't know, the end of my detox? Right now I'm at a crossroad, and it's been really hard to figure out what path to choose regarding where I want to take my words. Right now I'm writing soft erotica for the sake of practice and have something out quick (two stories out), but this is not what I'm aiming at the far end. I wonder if I should keep on putting those stories out to establish a source of income or I should move awaiy from it and never look back (which is kind of sad, because I've put some effort on it already. Kind of remind me of the sunk cost falacy). I really gotta go now (or I'll get late to work), sorry for not being able to write a proper closing statement. I wish you all good luck.

When I started posting here, It was very hard to open up. It will make you stronger, as it made me stronger. Welcome!

Love that quote! Welcome in and good luck!