How to talk with an ex-gamer about Game Quitters?

[Hitaru]

During my travel I had the lucky chance to meet another recent ex-gamer (he had quit games a month ago) thanks to my personal policy of being 100% open and honest about my issues (without being overwhelming). We made an instant connection and shared experiences, and of course I told him about this place. But while I was doing it I struggled with the words.

- The first thing that came to my mind was "support community". But that can sound like Alcoholics Anonymous, which has a big social stigma as a place for people that have reached rock bottom (And in some places has a religious undertone). People with problematic gaming, and I'd say behavioral addictions in general, don't want to compare themselves with substances addicts. It feels as a different, less severe level. So, is the term "support community" a good start?

- The second thing was talk about Cam, but then in the ears of a stranger the whole GQ may sound like an individual endeavor of someone I know and want to promote, as if he was a friend starting a business.

Now that I say that, this is something that can be solved but we will have to address eventually:

"It's always about Cam."

Have you noticed? The forum is almost dead without him. Veterans finish the detox and move on. Others relapse. We are at the growing stage, and surely the forum has more members and is more active than a year ago. But without a stable community of long-time quitters we will get stagnant. Right now this feels like "Cam-sensei's cabin in the woods". Which is awesome, but not the actual idea. 

- The third thing was: "What do we do in Game Quitters"? What came to my mind was "Support each other and also talk about life besides and beyond games" but I felt it was bland. I want to have a strong punchline, two or three almost automatised sentences to describe Game Quitters as clearly and concisely as possible, without falling in clichés and misconceptions. And of course to make it appear as the awesome, life-changing experience that can be. I want to make Game Quitters sound enticing, exciting, a serious alternative to a checked-out life.

What do you think?

Edited October 28, 2016 by Hitaru

[Cam Adair]

I want to come back to this with a better response, but just to add something to the mix, for describing the issue we struggle with to normal people, I have a few ideas of how to approach that conversation here.

[WorkInProgress]

I like the idea to make it sound exciting and a serious alternative. In some way it is all ready. Living live instead of letting live live you. Isn't that an awesome life-changing idea? I think we are getting pretty active again. Their is a new generation of engaged postquitters and you are one of them. It is just a big void to fill because cam was so active all the time. Maybe it is time that cam doesn't has to comment on everyone's message any more. So people feel a greater need to give back to their fellow quitters instead of relying on cam to be always there for everyone. But I also feel that this isn't priority. Priority was and still is to be as supportive as possible for the people coming to us for help. I try to do exactly that. Not more and not less.

[Cam Adair]

On the topic of forum activity, I think it had more to do with just me being gone. Even Discord and StopGaming were less active in September/October which I think has to do with summer ending. I bet November/December things start to pick-up again just as they did last year around those times.

Now I do believe it's important for members to stick around past their detox, but only so many will. My vision of this community is for us to help each other throughout the course of our lives, well beyond just our initial detox - although that's the initial touchpoint. Everyone will be as active as they feel necessary, but for both of you as members who have been around long-term, that makes a BIG difference in being an example to others.

[Tatu92]

I like that idea of sticking around past the 90 days. 

I came for the game-quitting. I'll stay for the life-journey. 

 

[Cam Adair]

I like that idea of sticking around past the 90 days. 

I came for the game-quitting. I'll stay for the life-journey. 

BOOM.