Still addicted after suicide attempt.....

8 posts / 0 new
Last post
jolie
Offline
Last seen: 11 years 4 months ago
OLG-Anon member
Joined: 11/12/2012 - 4:36pm
Still addicted after suicide attempt.....

Most of this is in my profile, but I'll give you the snapshot again....

My 17 y/o son is addicted to gaming. He plays Wow & DOTA. He says its the only thing he's good at. In July of this year he shot himself. We have spent the past 123 days in hospitals, Dr's offices, Psychiatrists offices and he is currently at a day program to assist in his recovery. He lost vision in his right eye and use of his left arm. He had to relearn how to walk. There are a myriad of other problems that he now faces and yet.....

He still wants to play.

He still thinks he can moderate himself.

I am a recovering Alcoholic. (9 years no drinks) And he is every but the addict I was. He admits that he uses the game to avoid life. He feels like he is not a good son, unattractive, unmotivated and that we would have been better off without him. He says he's no longer suicidal but at times he wishes he hadnt lived. He has much worse problems now and no way to cope.

We will not allow him to game. He cant be on-line at all. We even had to take his phone because he tried downloading games there too.

We will be on-line for the meeting tonight and hopefully that will help him see. I read some of the 1st Step posts and the self test and he agrees he is a lot like "them".

Any one who can offer help, suggestions or perhaps would want to be his sponsor? He said he will do the 12 steps....It saved me, I hope he's willing to do the work so it can help him too.

Thanks! :)

Patria
Patria's picture
Offline
Last seen: 5 years 7 months ago
OLGA member
Joined: 06/02/2011 - 1:55am
There are several parents

There are several parents here of kids who have been troubled, addicted gamers, who can definitely help you with this issue. My heart goes out to you. Anyone who goes through this, and watching a vibrant child try to destroy himself, just breaks my heart.

Try to get him to come to the nightly chat meetings. We are just like him in the sense that addictive gaming brought nothing good into our lives. And yes, some of us have been suicidal. I was.

But he needs to make the next step, he has to sign in to the website, he has to create an account, he has to reach out and tells us who he is. We can't help him until he does this.

As they say in AA, we can give him hope until he gets the hope for himself.

Hugs.

Scott
Scott's picture
Offline
Last seen: 9 years 2 months ago
OLGA member
Joined: 07/01/2010 - 1:17pm
Welcome to OLGA.  As Patria

Welcome to OLGA. As Patria mentioned, there's good support for family of gaming addicts here.

If your son participates here, he will find all the help he wants. Posting an introduction and attending some chat meetings would be a great start.

My heart goes out to your family. Please keep coming back. There is hope.

What you feed grows, and what you starve withers away.

jolie
Offline
Last seen: 11 years 4 months ago
OLG-Anon member
Joined: 11/12/2012 - 4:36pm
Thanks so much for your

Thanks so much for your replies. He said he is willing to create his own ID (I have to assist as he cant see the type due to his injuries.) We both attended the meeting tonight and I read the posts to him as they came up. We also had some IM's from other attendees. I hope that we find what we are looking for here. I know that I have found great solace in the knowledge that we are not alone in this and that there is hope.

Thanks again.

:)

WoW Parent
Offline
Last seen: 5 years 2 weeks ago
OLG-Anon memberOLG-Anon moderator
Joined: 05/06/2006 - 2:01pm
Jolie, yours is the most

Jolie, yours is the most difficult situation I have read about. My son was 17 when we sent him to wilderness therapy for 2 months and then on to therapeutic boarding school for another 8 months. The addiction gene also runs in the family and I saw it in my son as clearly as I saw it in my alcoholic father.

You clearly see that gaming addiction is no different than drug addiction or alcoholism. It is deadly for some, so your commitment to keeping your son free of games it necessary. Having the effects of a suicide attempt to deal with is simply unimagineable to me.

I have no experience dealing with your type of circumstance but please know that you have my support, as well as that of the entire community here. We do understand!

hummingbird
Offline
Last seen: 2 months 1 week ago
OLG-Anon member
Joined: 11/11/2012 - 12:00pm
Jolie, I agree; your

Jolie, I agree; your situation is the most difficult one that I have read about and it clearly shows how severe the effects of this addiction can be. My heart goes out to you, your son and your family. I am so glad that you joined and I hope that your son logs on- he will find the right kind of friends here- supportive, caring....and real. And the support for you is here too. Some of us share same feelings as parents watching our children struggle with this.

I joined OLGA the day before you and also have a son, age 18, who excessively games. My situation is not as severe as yours but my son too is consumed by gaming and his life is spiraling down, away from who he really is: a wonderful, bright, creative, funny and compassionate young man. I think that communicating with others who have also suffered because of gaming is a strong and positive way to help get back to his true self. I hope someday my son logs on and finds solace and a sense of community here. I am glad that you and your son are here. You are indeed not alone.

Please keep coming back. The support is here; you certainly have mine.

"Legends say that hummingbirds float free of time, carrying our hopes for love, joy and celebration. The hummingbird's delicate grace reminds us that life is rich, beauty is everywhere, every personal connection has meaning and that laughter is life's sweetest creation." taken from Papyrus, Corp.

Gamersmom
Gamersmom's picture
Offline
Last seen: 2 months 2 weeks ago
AdministratorOLG-Anon member
Joined: 07/15/2006 - 12:33am
Welcome jolie and

Welcome jolie and witsendmom! Jolie, your situation is indeed difficult. All I can say is that you have my support too, and I'm glad your son has shown a willingness to log in here. My son never would. Witsendmom, the fact that your son is now 18 means that life is a whole new ball game for him and for you. He is an adult now. Please be sure you read the post at the top of this forum that deals with adult children. Hugs to both of you grom another mom.

"Small service is true service while it lasts.  Of humblest friends, bright creature! scorn not one

The daisy, by the shadow that it casts,

Protects the lingering dewdrop from the sun." -------William Wordsworth

Patria
Patria's picture
Offline
Last seen: 5 years 7 months ago
OLGA member
Joined: 06/02/2011 - 1:55am
jolie wrote: He said he is
jolie wrote:

He said he is willing to create his own ID (I have to assist as he cant see the type due to his injuries.) We both attended the meeting tonight and I read the posts to him as they came up.

That's wonderful! and we welcome him with open arms. The best thing that helped me get through the depression and withdrawals of not gaming, was coming to meetings here and getting real life support from others who had done the same things that I had.

This is a real community of people who had gone through much misery; we are now recovering and wanting to help newcomers achieve a better life.

Welcome!

Log in or register to post comments