All,

   Here is the second part of my post.  My last post was just a few minutes ago.  I played Dungeons and Dragons for the past 15 years.  It is a game I don't think I am addicted to.  It is a table top game that I used to play with a friend in person but he moved away so now I can only find people online to play with as I don't have many other friends locally.

Question is what do you think of other forms of entertainment like Dungeons and Dragons?  Are they also harmful or good?  Is playing either in person or online harmful? How do I know whether I should avoid a hobby or entertainment?  I am so confused even if I should give up gaming.  Thank-you so much for your time and help.

Quote

How do I know whether I should avoid a hobby or entertainment? 

It's pretty much the same to how you identified that playing video games was bad for you. If that hobby or entertainment is causing harm to your life, and you feel like you have to do it despite negative consequences. That is a sign that you should avoid it, or at least certain aspects of it.

Think of it like caffeine. A cup of coffee per day to an adult can have benefits like waking you up, making you more alert and focused on what I have to do that day. It is a natural stimulant that can improve brain function and your mood, as well as boost your metabolism, among other benefits.

But that said, the benefits are only experienced if you don't drink it excessively. If you do have caffeine excessively, or even a bit of it late in the day, then it will start to harm your health. It can make you jittery and anxious. It can cause muscle spasms and increase your resting heart rate, which can lead to heart disease if you continue to abuse caffeine. It can also have the opposite effect on your mood if you abuse it, making you irritable and angry. And as for why a bit late in the day is bad, it's because it keeps you awake and makes it hard for you to fall asleep, which will lead to poor sleep quality.

I hope you can see where I'm going with that example (and hopefully it sounded very familiar too). If you start feeling negatively, like you must do it, and are prioritizing that hobby or entertainment over anything else despite negative consequences, then that is a sign that you need to reconsider whether you should quit - or at least, take a break, or eliminate the addictive aspects of it.

I mention certain aspects because I'm an internet and tech addict. I can't just stop using tech though, because we live in a world where it is now essential. But I can cut certain aspects of it, like most social media sites that I cannot regulate using. So that is why I mention "certain aspects," for clarity.

Edited September 27, 20241 yr by D_Cozy