Overcoming Gaming Addiction Day 1

[TheNewMe2.0]

Hello,

I am Erik. I have struggled like crazy to quit gaming. I have been an on and off gaming addict since I was six years old. I thought MARIO and Pokémon were normal kid activities. But by the time I was twelve gaming was taking over my life. I got addicted to alcohol and marijuana when I was sixteen and didn’t get clean till 27. 
 

Only recently after playing LoL until I felt like I was going to feint. And listening to someone talk about their addiction for hours in group therapy. I went three months without gaming as recommended by this site then tested to see if I could moderate gaming. The answer I’ve come to is no. I can’t moderate gaming. After gaming under an hour a day for a few days I found myself experiencing intense cravings. 

 

I’ve been relapsing and quitting again for a couple weeks since then. For some reason watching anime or animated tv triggers gaming cravings for me. I just can’t watch animated stuff. I was doing good on my family vacation, about five days clean. Then I saw something that resembled Mexican Simpson’s on tv. Just a few minutes of that led to watching anime and gaming on my phone. Here I am two days later playing under an hour each day, but feeling totally addicted. 

 

I could tell that I was already slipping when I stopped using a timer and started playing the game “whenever”. I’m just upset that I’ve fallen back into gaming yet again. It feels impossible sometimes to stop. I feel like the odds are against me.

 

My friend plays in moderation and at my job I counsel two people who are ultra heavy gamers. They clock around six plus hours a day. Sometimes that’s just normal for them. They’re always trying to get me to play with them and play games in general. Regardless of if they’re addicts. (They probably are). I need to get myself together here and quit gaming once and for all.

 

If there’s one thing I’ve learned on this vacation it’s that I can’t watch animated tv or play video games. These things drive me crazy. I thought I could quit without this site, but it’s been proving impossible to do so. 

 

I didn’t want to use this site because I try to spend as much time off of screens as I can, but I think gamequitters may be my best chance at quitting gaming for good. It was only after reading some articles by Cam that I was able to Delete my games and stop gaming for those three months . 
 

Writing this makes me feel better. I feel like I can do this. My supervisors an ex gaming addict, does the same job I do and doesn’t game.

Playing board games and card games is kind of suspect for me too, but that’s encouraged at my job to connect with clients. I’ll see if I can do those safely. 
 

I completed the “how to quit gaming in college” free guide. I still think about the SMART goals I set for myself. Lift 165 on the squat bench and deadlift and save 3000$ Within three months. Make a girlfriend in six months. 
 

Trying to make a girlfriend is crazy hard, but I’ll leave that topic for my journal entry. God help us all quit gaming. Amen.

Erik