Hi everyone,

Day 3 without games. Three days since uninstalling Steam. I’m off work this week so there’s a lot of unstructured time. It’s probably good for the reset but also risky if I don’t use it well.

I’ve started catching up on chores and will continue later today. Even short gaming sessions used to break that flow and create a lingering fog afterward. It already feels lighter mentally to move again, even in small steps.

I also restarted my decluttering project. I want the home lighter and calmer by 2026. My son will handle his room, and I’ll focus on the garage. It’s messy but finishing it will bring a sense of space I’ve missed for years.

I’m reading daily and want to increase it. Reading feels far more rewarding than gaming ever did, same immersion but no emptiness after.

No cravings at the moment. I’m curating YouTube to avoid potential triggers by resetting history and using “don’t recommend” and “not interested.” The feed looks cleaner already.

My son’s still caught in gaming too much. Grades, social energy, even his mood are affected. I have to set an example but he also needs active help. If anyone has experience or tips on how to guide a teenager through this, I’d appreciate it.

Edited May 30May 30 by Corvus

Day 5 without games.

Yesterday I went a little out of my comfort zone. Since I’m still off work, I decided to take care of a few things outside the house. It required driving farther than I usually do on days off, and normally that alone would have made me skip it to stay home. This time I went anyway, and it felt good to follow through. I also managed to order something I needed to repair at home.

It should arrive today. I just hope I picked the right item, and once it’s here, I’ll install it and see how it goes.

The family gathering planned for tonight was cancelled. In the past, I probably would have celebrated that by gaming. Now, while I still appreciate having a quiet evening, I’ll use it to read or just rest. I’ve always liked my own space and time, and not having to spend hours on the road for those gatherings is honestly a relief.

Nothing specific planned for today. I’ll read and do a few chores around the house. It’s my last day off before the weekend, work resumes Monday. Feeling neutral about it, not negative, but not excited either. Just steady.

Day 6 without games.

Yesterday the item I ordered arrived and it was the correct one. It fits, but I need one more small piece to make everything work properly. I spent part of the evening searching for the right part and it is already on the way. I’m a bit excited about it. If everything works as intended, it will be a small win at home and something I can be proud of fixing myself.

Yesterday was also an eye opener on the physical side. My mind is improving, but my body clearly needs to follow. More than a year ago I was moving more, running, and eating better. I gained some weight lately and yesterday I had one of the worst carb crashes I have ever experienced. It was unpleasant and honestly a clear signal from my body to stop messing around.

So starting today, even without preparation, I’m fixing that. I want to work on insulin sensitivity again and lower the glucose load for a while. That means fewer starches and fried foods. I will not ban them forever, but they need to become exceptions rather than habits. I’m also looking into using a glucose meter like the Freestyle Libre at some point, especially when I reintroduce certain foods. I want actual numbers, not just feelings. My last blood test was recent, so I will do a new one in three months and hope for better results.

I also want to walk more, especially in nature. It does not need to be long. Humans are not made to stay indoors constantly, even though I genuinely enjoy being at home because it is cozy.

Day 8 without games.

The last few days brought some small and unexpected game thoughts. Nothing strong, just tiny flashes, even while reading a novel I genuinely enjoy. It is almost funny how brief they are, like a nanosecond impulse to “play something” or “take control” the way games make you feel. But at the same time, reading feels far more rewarding and efficient for me. When I used to game, I spent more time preparing, planning and thinking about the game than actually playing it. Finishing chapters in a book feels cleaner and more satisfying than that loop ever did.

Reading did not replace gaming directly because I was already reading in previous months, but I notice that I stay more consistent with my morning reading ritual now. Before quitting, I sometimes skipped that first session of the day. Now I go back to it naturally.

Another noticeable change is that I feel less irritable overall. Small things do not get under my skin as easily. It is subtle but real.

For tonight I will read and maybe watch a quiet series, nothing high in dopamine.

Edited November 17, 2025Nov 17 by Corvus

On 11/17/2025 at 6:16 PM, Corvus said:

Finishing chapters in a book feels cleaner and more satisfying than that loop ever did.

Exactly. Once us former gamers caught on that games are just the exact same loop and the same gameplay, you start to realise 'What really is the point of it?' 'Why?'. That shiny new game coming out?! It's gonna be old in about a week, no one will care. It will be the same boring tried-and-tested loop like it always is, just more focus on stealing your time away from you for some pixels.

It's like a hamster just running on a wheel; you're going nowhere, fast.

Day 2 without games.

I relapsed after months without gaming. I am not fully sure how it started. It is vague in my head, not clean or clear. Probably a small web idle game first, then reinstalling a Steam idle game, then analysing how I could perfect it for the Steam achievements.

Once achievements were back in my head, I started checking other games too. I spent hours on an indie management game. Then a few days passed with me not going outside, neglecting things, neglecting people, and I realized clearly what trap I had stepped into again.

I did not quit cold turkey at first. I had a plan in mind. Since I was not far from unlocking all the achievements, I played a bit more. Most of them were just progress-based, so I pushed further with automation, even though it still took my time. I wanted the 100% to close a chapter. My first completed Steam game. I wanted to feel what it would do, even though deep inside I already knew it would change nothing.

And when I got there, it changed nothing.

The ironic part is that I could not even showcase it on my Steam profile because my account level was too low. Not that I needed the exposure, but it showed me how empty and absurd the whole thing was.

So yes, I lost precious hours. But I also closed an open chapter in my life: the chase for achievements and trophies. It is just not worth it.

Today feels flat. My brain is still adjusting after the stimulation of gaming, so normal tasks feel slower and less rewarding. I am doing chores around the house and adding more websites to my blocker. I also want to delete or block anything connected to doomscrolling.

Some of us cannot be in control with this. We think a little bit of gaming cannot hurt, but for me it does. Not a little. Not casually. Not safely.

I do not think I needed this relapse, but since it happened, I want to come back stronger and cleaner from it.

Hey @Corvus , thanks for getting back on the horse. Whatever happened, needed to happen just as it did, for one reason or the other. Otherwise it wouldn't. You had a hormonal need and you fulfilled it however you managed.

I'd like to say this however: Every single day you remain game-free, brings you closer to the life purpose you have set yourself. (Unless your life's purpose is to be the best player in the world of course in some game, for most of us it isn't)

There's a lot to be said on your message I have a lot of thoughts, but I've lost some precious hours today, and my planned waking up time is in 5 hours, so I guess I won't comment on them today.

One more thing I'd say is that from my experience, it is more important in these diary entries to focus on consistency, rather than volume.

Get yourself a certain format that you can quite brainlessly write daily. Check out my journal and pulse journal, and basically all others who post here as far as I see.
(Cam also posted some pinned Topic on the subject)

If you set yourself a standard of writing long messages, I guess you're reducing the likelihood of staying consistent.

If instead you just come here and need to update your day-count, and occasionally if you feel like it, add something on top(or every day if you want of course, but only if you feel like it) then you'll be more likely to stick with it.

The bed is calling. Bye! :) Godspeed with your challenges, appreciate you coming back, brother in arms!