OLGA Reflections: How Our Gaming Hurt Us

OLGA Reflections

Wisdom from the chatroom

How our Gaming Hurt Us: How did gaming create or worsen problems in my life?

Reflection. For many of us, gaming may have started as something helpful and fun: leisure, de-stressing from work. Perhaps it was something to do if we were bored or friendless, something to help our depression, etc. But eventually it creates problems. Big ones.

Many of us have played at work or when we were supposed to be working. Our productivity suffered--perhaps we even lost jobs. We promised ourselves we would improve; when we failed, our shame increased.

Gaming resulted in time taken from spouse and/or children, or other family. This created problems in our relationships and marriages. Sometimes we have had to lose these relationships before we understood the seriousness of it.

Our gaming interfered with school. We plan to do homework but we game. Eventually our grades suffer; perhaps we fail and have to leave. We stop getting together with friends. Sometimes we isolate so much we lose them. Our isolation can increase our social anxiety.

If we spent our formative years gaming, we lost out on opportunities to learn, grow and develop.

Gaming took over everything. We don't care about our other hobbies--eventually we don't enjoy anything else. It became our top priority and everything else suffered. In addition to problems in our lives, gaming creates problems in us. It can exacerbate depression, mood swings, cause a lack of focus, make us irritable. We even neglect such basic self-care as sleep, eating and hygiene.

In fact, as a fellowship we have found that there is no problem that gaming won't make worse.

What's the solution? Well, first we have to stop. We need the support of other recovering addicts to do so. We need to listen to the fellowship, to those who have recovered before us. We work our steps, we learn a new way of living. We live on a new basis: We accept what life offers us, and try to find ways to be of service to others. In short, we live well.

Question: What problems has gaming caused in my life? What is the truth about the damage done by my gaming?

Action: Take one positive step to change a situation that gaming made worse for you.

Prayer: Higher Power, help me to see and accept the truth about my gaming. Help me to learn from the fellowship a new way to live.