Hello, new Game Quitter here

[jakeyb540]

Hi everyone,

I am Jake residing in east coast USA. I like to play guitar, tennis, lift weights, read, and more but don't do those things often because playing video games often requires less thinking and physical exertion.

A dream brought me here -- An old friend approached and furiously explained, "Listen, you're not getting anywhere playing video games." I know I'd struggle to do it alone like in past attempts, this is the first google result that popped up.

My goal is: Find alternative and meaningful hobbies to replace video games, make new friends(I always tell myself that I'm all friended up, that I already have the greatest friends online across the country), seek new purpose, and spend more time advancing my career.

Some of my concerns involve my online friends... They're the type to only interact when playing a game together. How do I maintain friendship with them, and if I do, what do I say when they invite me to play with them?

I appreciate this site's mission

 

[Arthur]

14 minutes ago, jakeyb540 said:

Some of my concerns involve my online friends... They're the type to only interact when playing a game together. How do I maintain friendship with them, and if I do, what do I say when they invite me to play with them?

@jakeyb540 Hey jakey, welcome to the forum and I wish you best of luck in quitting gaming for good. 

If you interact with them only when you are playing games together, they are not your friends but your buddies you hang out with. If you enjoy their characters and personalities, ask them out to other activities, like playing sports together or just have a walk and talk with each other. But don't let yourself be pulled back into their habits. You will find new people easily, a lot of us are in dire need of friends, especially those who share our hobbies, outlooks and aspirations. If your current buddies do not, then ask yourself why do you even prefer them over other people? Just because coincidentally you stumbled upon each other first? But that's not important at all.
 

Edited June 8, 2020 by gargamel

[jakeyb540]

@gargamel Our friendship was formed through video games. Although we've shared lots of personal experiences over the years, these guys, I don't know what their goals are, they are stagnant like I am and that's what we could confide in, spending lots of time playing games, ignoring the outside world.

I think I will tell them I'm taking a break.

[Arthur]

@jakeyb540 I support you doing that! We almost inevitably surround ourselves with people who are in similar situation and mindset as we are. So when we decide to change and take a different course in life, it is often the case we need to distance ourselves a bit from people who are close to us. I've went through that a couple of times in my life already, and I am going through the same thing again, although this time it is not connected to gaming, (none of my real life friends play video games) it has more to do with an attitude towards life - some of my closest people are way too cynical and intellectually arrogant, because for the longest time I was too (I still am in lots of subtle ways).