johnnyleon Posted May 10, 2020 Share Posted May 10, 2020 (edited) Hey guys, right now I am practicing gaming in moderation (two hours a day). I want to know your thoughts on splitscreen gaming aka two people sitting besides each other, talking and playing a video game. Would you still see that as "gaming" or as "socializing"? Edited May 10, 2020 by johnnyleon spelling mistake 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BooksandTrees Posted May 10, 2020 Share Posted May 10, 2020 (Sorry for the long response, but I think it's worth the read) I'm not sure your history with it, but based off of my own experience I think it's just gaming. You can play multiplayer games with friends or strangers and it still counts as socializing. Most people are drawn to video games out of loneliness. One of my biggest triggers for playing MMORPGs or xbox live was loneliness and the desire to socialize. I'd maybe suggest doing other social activities like board games or something. You're basically putting yourself in an environment where you're playing games and telling your mind that it is ok to game if you're with other people, etc. I think in order to quit games you have to expunge any situations where video games are a good idea or thing to do. I know we are under quarantine etc, but there are movies, tv shows, board games, sports, music, drawing, yoga, cooking, etc that are all good hobbies or activities to do with another person. I don't really suggest gaming in moderation to people unless they're well over 1 year removed from video games. I've seen people on this website stay away from games for over a year and start playing in moderation and suffer a complete relapse where they play games for 6-18 hours a day again. Sometimes you just have to walk away and it sucks. I went 5 months away from gaming from April 2018 to September 2018 and tried playing in moderation. It lasted 1 month and then I was playing 6-18 hours a day on weekends. I didn't play during the week, but it took me until Wednesday to no longer feel the brain fog and depression due to exhaustion from gaming. I ended up quitting again on October 18th or something and it's been 81 weeks since I've gamed. You might be able to do moderation at some point, but I wouldn't suggest it until you've spent months eliminating all the triggers. Eliminate gaming, then realize what's making you stressed out or bored or any other cause that makes you want to game. Then you deal with those triggers in new ways. If you build a well balanced life then I think you might be able to theoretically play in moderation one day, but only if you have other activities that prove to be as or more rewarding than video games and are healthy. Good luck and welcome to the website. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrainSiloEnthusiast Posted June 8, 2020 Share Posted June 8, 2020 (edited) I mean I'd see it as both because that's what it is. If you have a serious problem with gaming though simply doing it while also socializing is not going to solve the problem. It can be like deciding to only smoke socially, it makes going back to smoking full time so much easier when shit hits the fan. Edited June 8, 2020 by GrainSiloEnthusiast Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ace_dee Posted June 15, 2020 Share Posted June 15, 2020 (edited) I don't believe couch co-op is nearly as much of a problem as single player solo grinding. For one thing there are logistic issues involved with getting people together to do anything so there are external limitations. It really depends on your mindset and purpose. If you are dragging your reluctant friends/relatives along just so you have a pretext to game when you know you shouldn't then you should probably stop. Same if you are using the gaming date as an excuse to procrastinate other activities. At the same time if it is something they like doing and you are joining them and having fun together then it can be a reasonable social activity. One way to stay honest is to only play games that you don't particularly enjoy but the people you are playing with do. That way you know you are doing it to build your relationship and not for the play itself. I don't really like minecraft but my children love it. Playing with them is a chore but I do it because it makes them happy and lets them be proud of their "mastery". If that brief co-op play makes it harder for you to resist at your weak times then you are probably better off without it. But only you can know your own mind and limitations. Edited June 16, 2020 by ace_dee typo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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