Cards on the table time

[Half Spaces]

Hi all, new here.

Okay basically I'm 37 years old and I've been gaming maybe almost 30 years. I exclusively play simulation games as they are so immersive and I guess an escape from the real world.

I used to play for hours and hours but only in the last couple years have I developed problems. There's one particular game that I love and I stopped playing it last year as it was severely affecting my sleep. I'd think through turns and strategy in my mind, struggling to sleep and I guess my brain was running through that when I did eventually sleep as I'd wake up exhausted with a weird feeling at the back of my head. 2 hours or so of sleep. It was affecting my productivity at work so I had to knock it on the head. As I've got older I spend less hours playing but I can't let scenarios out my mind. Running and running through. 

Now we're on lockdown here and I loaded my old save. 8 months I hadn't played it. I knew I'd regret it as the sleep insomnia came back. If I play casual games I have no sleeping or addiction issues. But I don't get the buzz off them so I'm always tempted to go back.

I probably should jack it in or severely reduce time played, which I can do, but the running through scenarios when not playing is my biggest concern leading to insomnia.

Any advice?

[Alexanderle]

Hello and welcome here at gamequitters. My first advice, maybe start a journal at gamequitters to express yourself. Just talking about it and get your thoughts out of your head can be very useful. Many people here are not just talking about their gaming issues, but are focusing on many areas of their life. Basically the time after games is as much an adventure like the time while playing. So now:

37 minutes ago, Half Spaces said:

I probably should jack it in or severely reduce time played, which I can do, but the running through scenarios when not playing is my biggest concern leading to insomnia.

Any advice?

There might be a problem with this approach and that is relapse. Wanting something and then forcing yourself to not do it usually creates and emptiness, which needs to be filled with something. If you don't find an attractive alternative than chances are, that you might relapse. Not that relapse is necessarily a negative thing, but instead of trying not to do something, what is it that you could do instead? What do you want? Maybe find out, how you want to see yourself in the future. What kind of identity do you want to have? Focusing on that and developing alternatives can be very helpful. Good luck.