Should we quit everything?

[killua145]

Hi everyone. So we all know what bad habits are like: They ruin your academic performance/work, relationships and basically your entire life if you don't deal with them soon enough. Just like video games. And when you actually try to replace them with something else-even if you succeed- the other habit ends up ruining your life as well. So my question is: If we are addicted to video games, should we quit every technology? If we're addicted to youtube, should we disconnect the internet? Or actually, take another step and sell all of our devices and spend the money on something else? What do you think? Are these huge steps necessary?

[JPAO]

Technology as a whole is supposed to be good for the human race, but some people allow it to take over their lives (hehe us here sometimes)

But like, so much is dependent on technology right? Not saying ditching it is inherently bad; I am noting that avoiding using it without purpose allows us to be the master. Planning our time and living with technology as the tool is was intended to be is a good thing.

When technology really takes over our lives, sometimes we do need to cut it out. Like amputating the cancerous growth.

Technology is an incredible limb that with self-mastery can make greatness wayyyyyyy easier to reach. We just gotta be careful to be mindful and such

[ketias]

As others said, technology is a big part of the lives we live today. So much is depending on having an internet access and even though its possible to drop it all, it may also limit your abilities to move on to something else. 
To Avoid gaming, an idea could maybe be to sell the gaming rigs and instead by a smaller PC not meant for gaming, Like a Laptop (non gaming), which basically has a crappy GFX, so its possible to surf and all that, but gaming is more or less impossible at an acceptable quality. 
It of course don't stop the ability to sit on youtube and other time suckers like that, but its a step in the right direction. 

I set my browser start page to Gamequitters, not to just keep an eye on things, but to give me a bad feeling if i open a browser ready to youtube or facebook ? i will get Gamequitters in my face and think.. damn right, maybe i shouldn't ?

That being said, i think quitting gaming and such, requires that ability to actually have the ability in your reach somehow, to make you fight the urge to jump back into it. Just like a drug addict can quit using drugs, but they will always have the ability to get their hands on it, so they have to not just drop the ability to use, but also fight the urge to fall back into the addiction. 

[GColls]

Sometimes I think we are trying to fix the sink, but the problem is the well. I've been asking myself a lot these days about the use of technology and I realized where the problem is ''installed''. In our cores, procrastination leads to a lot of different things, gaming fits well. I'm constantly training myself to be more useful and more active in my life, gym and running helped me a lot, starting a new job or hobbie will turn you into a monster haha. Even in technology you can do that, learn how to code, or become a great video editor... There are tons of opportunities ? wish you can find your own way. Good luck !

[ThatFrenchGuy]

I tend to write as I think, so this might get messy but bear with me!

I was actually struggling with this exact question this week and it really was a morale booster to this mentioned here - kind of makes me guilty for not interacting more on the forums.

I was asking myself very similar questions when I started the detox a while back. I quit gaming but ended up spending insane amounts of time on youtube and netflix. Useless and fruitless content on the former, and unreasonable amounts on the latter. I then tried installing a “distraction blocker” extension which removes youtube recommendations, and deleted the youtube app on both my apple tv and my phone. It was somewhat useless since the the extension could be disabled temporarily with a simple checkox. Anyways, the cycle ended here for me precisely because I started asking myself some questions:

 

How far do I have to go, how much do I have to cut out of my life to be free and in control again?

 

This reasoning, in part, caused my numerous relapses because I would find a way to discredit the steps I took to avoid gaming as irrational and unreasonable. That “sterilising” guilty pleasures from my life was simply treating the symptoms (gaming, youtube, netflix), rather than treating the sickness (my massive procrastination and anxiety issues).

 

I struggled to make up my mind in that regard, as my psychologist agreed with my symptom/sickness reasoning, and my now girlfriend agreed that being unable to enjoy what you had fun with because you can’t control the usage is a shame.

 

But this isn’t my journal, so I’ll try to answer your question specifically - I’m especially frustrated by help forums where you ask specific questions and don’t get a clear answer (no offense but when we need help, clear answers are a morale boost):

 

“If we are addicted to video games, should we quit every technology?“

 

I am a fervent believer in the fact that you cannot and should not cut yourself away from technology as a whole. Technology, and the internet, has so much to teach you, in a healthy manner by the way, and its use is basically mandatory nowadays. Moreover I wholeheartedly agree with @GColls that fixing the sink (gaming) isn’t going to fix the well (our personal troubles).

 

The key is to be able to identify and classify what activities lead to negative and unhealthy outcomes and come up with appropriate solutions. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve binged netflix into the morning; I’d need more people than I ever met to count nights lost to gaming. I know I can’t control myself when gaming, partly because I never have the mental strength to set a timer. I know I spend too much time watching netflix, but I’m usually MUCH more “lucid” and aware than when gaming. Therefore, that’s why I’m cutting gaming from my life and Netflix gets to stay, because it makes me say “ah shucks I shouldn’t have watched another episode” instead of “fucking shit I want to fucking die”.

This effort of understanding what is actually RELIABLY and REGULARLY pulling you down in a CLEARLY UNHEALTHY manner is important because it separates issues that are GUARANTEED to prevent you from progressing from acceptable “guilty pleasure” behaviours without lasting damaging consequences.

I know I am physically, structurally unable to moderate the time I spend gaming, and even though I have a few arguments in favour of moderation, I have to cut it because I’m stuck otherwise. 

That’s why the 90 day detox is so important, it’s not so much about getting rid of gaming, it’s about getting rid of what stops you from thinking straight so you can make informed, rational decisions.

TL;DR: make a difference between stuff that you know for sure ruin your life no matter what you try from smaller issues with lesser consequences. Focus on the big problem first. Finding other activities will replace your smaller cravings in the long term.

 

I hope at least something in the massive garbage can that is my post helps you in some way!

 

As for selling your devices, I’ll be making a post tonight about the sunken cost fallacy, I’ll link it here if you’re interested.

[TwoSidedLife]

Sorry everyone for bringing politics into this, but everyone has different views on and morals about addictions, certains addictions and things that might not be considered addictive.

 

I for one would much prefer to live away from and without technology. However, its not really a choice anymore. You 'need' it for school and keeping in contact for example. At the same time, we don't need it for school. Nothing was wrong with paper, it was just more convenient for teachers (Imo it made teachers more lazy, stupid and lenient. It also teaches kids to accept technology usage is necessary to do anything). We need tech to talk to others overseas, like this forums. I think thats a great thing and shouldnt stop! But at the same time, the friends and family around you need to use tech to keep a hold of you. Id rather simpler times when your friends and family could come by whenever they want and ask how I am in person.

 

Imo overall - People should be well aware of the lasting impact they have on others aswell as the influences around them. I dont really care about the extremes people go to, I care about WHY theyre doing it. I care about what their morals and opinions are. That to me, is what makes someone who they are. I feel like people go to extremes, in order to achieve that vision of themself and live by their true morals.

[zeke365]

I think you should look at this way technology is a tool and how we use it that makes addicted or not. There an old saying "You play the game, don't let the game play you." In other words, don't let tech control you, you control tech. 

You can't get rid of technology completely that's unrealistic and it's in our culture. The question is what do is distracting you the most, what taking most of your time. would you rather do other things?  I ask these questions to myself all the time and if the one I really don't want to fast because I like it so much then that the one I fast the most because taking way my time, or detox from. Cause it about bettering yourself. 

One trick is you could do what I did is in sense called no social media so basically no reddit, youtube, or whatever you want to put in their then set time off only when you get on, for me its the weekends but during the week it none of them. Try this if you like cause helped me tremendously but start small maybe say you can't get social media past a certain time during the day and work your way up. 

Plus if you're just starting with the gaming detox focus on that first then add this in later if you must, you don't have to do everything at once, take it one step at a time. 

I hope this helps.

[songphaicotam]

On 2/6/2019 at 5:05 AM, ThatFrenchGuy said:

I tend to write as I think, so this might get messy but bear with me!

I was actually struggling with this exact question this week and it really was a morale booster to this mentioned here - kind of makes me guilty for not interacting more on the forums.

I was asking myself very similar questions when I started the detox a while back. I quit gaming but ended up spending insane amounts of time on youtube and netflix. Useless and fruitless content on the former, and unreasonable amounts on the latter. I then tried installing a “distraction blocker” extension which removes youtube recommendations, and deleted the youtube app on both my apple tv and my phone. It was somewhat useless since the the extension could be disabled temporarily with a simple checkox. Anyways, the cycle ended here for me precisely because I started asking myself some questions:

 

How far do I have to go, how much do I have to cut out of my life to be free and in control again?

 

This reasoning, in part, caused my numerous relapses because I would find a way to discredit the steps I took to avoid gaming as irrational and unreasonable. That “sterilising” guilty pleasures from my life was simply treating the symptoms (gaming, youtube, netflix), rather than treating the sickness (my massive procrastination and anxiety issues).

 

I struggled to make up my mind in that regard, as my psychologist agreed with my symptom/sickness reasoning, and my now girlfriend agreed that being unable to enjoy what you had fun with because you can’t control the usage is a shame.

 

But this isn’t my journal, so I’ll try to answer your question specifically - I’m especially frustrated by help forums where you ask specific questions and don’t get a clear answer (no offense but when we need help, clear answers are a morale boost):

 

“If we are addicted to video games, should we quit every technology?“

 

I am a fervent believer in the fact that you cannot and should not cut yourself away from technology as a whole. Technology, and the internet, has so much to teach you, in a healthy manner by the way, and its use is basically mandatory nowadays. Moreover I wholeheartedly agree with @GColls that fixing the sink (gaming) isn’t going to fix the well (our personal troubles).

 

The key is to be able to identify and classify what activities lead to negative and unhealthy outcomes and come up with appropriate solutions. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve binged netflix into the morning; I’d need more people than I ever met to count nights lost to gaming. I know I can’t control myself when gaming, partly because I never have the mental strength to set a timer. I know I spend too much time watching netflix, but I’m usually MUCH more “lucid” and aware than when gaming. Therefore, that’s why I’m cutting gaming from my life and Netflix gets to stay, because it makes me say “ah shucks I shouldn’t have watched another episode” instead of “fucking shit I want to fucking die”.

This effort of understanding what is actually RELIABLY and REGULARLY pulling you down in a CLEARLY UNHEALTHY manner is important because it separates issues that are GUARANTEED to prevent you from progressing from acceptable “guilty pleasure” behaviours without lasting damaging consequences.

I know I am physically, structurally unable to moderate the time I spend gaming, and even though I have a few arguments in favour of moderation, I have to cut it because I’m stuck otherwise. 

That’s why the 90 day detox is so important, it’s not so much about getting rid of gaming, it’s about getting rid of what stops you from thinking straight so you can make informed, rational decisions.

TL;DR: make a difference between stuff that you know for sure ruin your life no matter what you try from smaller issues with lesser consequences. Focus on the big problem first. Finding other activities will replace your smaller cravings in the long term.

 

I hope at least something in the massive garbage can that is my post helps you in some way!

 

As for selling your devices, I’ll be making a post tonight about the sunken cost fallacy, I’ll link it here if you’re interested.

Thanks for sharing.