Hi everyone, happy to join the forum.

I recently decided to stop playing video games specifically so that I can once again focus on improving myself. Although I have successfully completed a 90-day detox in the past, I am now wanting to reimplement not only because I've began wasting my time again but also for my health. After having a bit of a health scare, I decided to get back on the horse of taking my life seriously. Currently I'm 20, male, and in community college (started this spring). I might provide more on my background later, but for now my goal is to create a progress thread and get started.

My goal is to "get back on the horse" which includes going 90 days again without gaming and instead to be outside for at least 30 minutes every day. It can be walking or just sitting still. It sounds so easy, but the fact I've gotten to the point where it felt like a chore just to step outside is enough for me to intervene and change things up. I'll likely track more stuff along the way.

That's it for my introduction. I'll be sure to start that thread tonight after I've been outside.

On 5/21/2026 at 1:51 AM, RealityOptimizer said:

My goal is to "get back on the horse" which includes going 90 days again without gaming and instead to be outside for at least 30 minutes every day.

What about the other 23 hours and 30 minutes? :D You've got something you have been planning to undertake? You don't have to share if you don't want to. However it is most important for you to have something in mind, because if you don't find some habit to replace the gaming, the needs that gaming fulfilled for you won't be met, which then increases the chance of relapse. (Most probably will eventually happen... Because there are needs that we need to have met one way or the other...)

Just writing my opinion of course. Feel free to disagree.

Good point. Working on college is really important to me right now. I want to transfer to a university soon.

I want to get better grades and learn more because sometimes it can be actually really fun. When I cut out other dopamine sources, it gets better.

Schoolwork, most of the time, satisfies the part of me searching for constant measurable growth. (Maybe measurable but less constant)

I think I really need to focus on finding a real resting activity that isn't gaming, since that's what sucked me back in. I wasn't playing much at the start of the semester, but midway I got overwhelmed and played to "rest". That backfired.