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Posted

3 important months on the path of recovery to a better life.

I'm happy you're being honest about your feelings, rich, and that you've taken the first step to experimenting with life game-free.

Of course if you do relapse, most of us have including me who relapsed a bunch a few years ago even before finding Game Quitters community, that is a learning experience that you can use for next time.

Keeping a forum journal really helps with the cravings.

  • Like 1
Posted

End of day 2.

No games today. Instead, I did a little bit of housework, reading, some weights, watched a series on Netflix, gave my car some attention, studied some Red Hat Certification and did some modelling on Blender.  Feels good.

Symptoms today included a strong feeling of restlessness and unease. My mind constantly brings up old games that I enjoyed in the past, and I have been mulling over never playing anything again, including all the new games I'm going to be missing out on. I have either plain ignored these thoughts or countered them by reminding myself that nobody gets a happy life by playing games all day - and for me, there is no moderation.

Posted

End of day 4

Much more relaxed today. 

I would generally plan a day around how much time I could spend gaming. I'd be constantly rushed when not gaming, and conscious of limited time when I am. Now that there's no gaming at all, I've started to unwind and the day seems longer. There's a trap here to look out for though, because with my guard down, I start to think about playing games less obsessively after the detox - and that can only have one outcome. 

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Posted

End of day 5

I'm really hoping some noticeable change will come over me as a result of this detox, linked to dopamine, because I'm still trying to fill the gap left by videogames. The videogames created the gap so should I really endeavour to fill it? 

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Posted
52 minutes ago, rich879 said:

End of day 5

I'm really hoping some noticeable change will come over me as a result of this detox, linked to dopamine, because I'm still trying to fill the gap left by videogames. The videogames created the gap so should I really endeavour to fill it? 

For me, the gap slowly filled itself in the more I was discovering and trying new things. Over December, I have completely cut out gaming out of my life for over a month in a row- and that has been largely due to me discovering more fun books to read, interesting movies and documentaries (that make me want to think more rather than watch more), as well as developing new hobbies. Additionally, I turned away from all gaming-related connections like social media and friendships that were only existing because of games for about two weeks. 

TL; DR: It will take time, but I very much encourage you to try to discover as many curiosities as possible, and try to make the things you currently do more rewarding- there are plenty of tutorials online on how to achieve that.

Hope this helps,

Po

  • Like 2
Posted

End of day 8

Still no videogames. Struggling to get satisfaction out of the passing hours. I'm watching a lot of Netflix and using Blender. Tomorrow I'm going to do some more productive stuff... maybe.

Posted (edited)
2 hours ago, rich879 said:

End of day 8

Still no videogames. Struggling to get satisfaction out of the passing hours. I'm watching a lot of Netflix and using Blender. Tomorrow I'm going to do some more productive stuff... maybe.

Congrats on making it to a full week!

Watching the hours pass by in a day will definitely make the day feel longer, and you'll be wanting to play video games the entire time.
So then it seems like the solution is to distract yourself so you just don't think about video games, which is a good start.
Distraction doesn't work forever though.
The other thing to think about is actually giving yourself the space to be bored so you can make a decision.
If you immediately jump onto social media, Netflix, Reddit, anything to distract yourself, then you're not really giving your mind a chance to calm down and think.
So something I do is pause and think for a minute (without looking at any screen).
Something usually comes up in my mind to do.
I don't always want to do what comes up (maybe it's chores), but then I choose and do it.
Seems like some options for you based on what I read is: Blender, reading, weightlifting, car work, Red Hat certification.

"It gets easier… Every day it gets a little easier… But you gotta do it every day — that's the hard part."
- Jogging Baboon from BoJack Horseman

Edited by championeal
  • Like 1
Posted

End of day 15

Still no videogames. Put a lot of time in to Blender, done (not enough) exercise and lined up a Udemy course to get me past the Red Hat Certified Systems Admin exam.

Here's my latest Blender creation:676609525_ChessScene03-02-21--2.thumb.png.5c3fbfdb375d15d06ea8f224053524e0.png

 

 

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

End of day 26

Still no games. Almost a third of the way through.

My productivity has increased, and I'm nicer to be around.

Been making flash cards to learn Linux commands and working on an animation.

I'm still craving the games - tonight in particular, I'm twitching like a junkie and filling the night with Netflix.

Not going to cave in, though. There's been too much positivity having come out of this process. 

 

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