Hi everyone! Just wanted to share what's worked so far in starting a face-to-face meeting for gaming addicts.
1) Most cities, like mine, have what are called sober clubs - these are basically a building that usually a bunch of AA's have gotten together to rent where meetings are held each day and other activities such as dances, picnics, etc are held. In keeping with AA's traditions, these clubs cannot refer to themselves as AA clubs. As such, I found that I could hold my weekly meeting there for free and post on their bulletin board and get my gaming addicts meeting listed in their publication of all meetings held there.
2) I have spoken to two addiction treatment centers and have a flier posted at one of them. I am finding it not easy to get buyin from this approach as because video game addiction is relatively new and is not covered by insurance yet, the 2 treatment centers here in my town don't currently offer treatment for video game addiction and the counselors aren't very up to date about this addiction.
3) I'm trying to work through the bureacracy of the local universities here to find the right person to talk to and to get permission to post a flier there.
4) Tried posting in local Craig's list about my face-to-face meeting and only got 1 call.
5) Most receptive place I've found was this week and it was at my local library. The librarians there are very aware of this problem as they said they have to watch it all day and night every day as both kids and adults come in the library and some obviously have a problem because they spend the whole day and night there day after day just playing. They have let me post the flier and I may share my story at some point in a scheduled library evening topic.
As a result, I have found so far that Libraries seem a good place to start with getting the word out about a local face-to-face meeting and will visit the other numerous libraries within a 20 mile radius of where I live.
Hugs, Lisa Video game free since 4/17/2014
Hi Lisa,
Thank you for the update and information. It is much appreciated.
What response have you gotten from the information you posted at the 12-step club? I was thinking of cross-addicts?
Have you tried an ad in the newspaper? Usually there is a section for Free Service ads. Our AA meetings are posted there.
As for the local universities - student counselors are a good bet. They see students in trouble.
Keep us posted!
Thank you for your service.
Sincerely,
Liz
Liz Woolley
Thanks for posting this Lisa. While i'm in the very early stages of recovery I see a huge lack of support for us gaming addicts and I'd like to start a local chapter at some time. It's good to see this posted so when I do start this process i'll have some reference points.
Jorey
Hi Lisa333
even reading about the deal of Microsoft possibly buying minecraft and the description of " passionet players and it is all fluff about how great the game that it is so unlike other games for creativity blah blah blah.. I'm like no the players are addicted( not all ) but passionet ones probably are!! This type of publicity keeps these games so main stream seeming when there is such a dark side!! But it causes the lack of support we families experience!! It s all PR to get people to ignore danger signs and instead call it passion or that the game is so amazing!
Also I am hoping to get on chat at 9 PM . Can I use my iPhone 3 g network? I have tried a couple weeks now and can never get on. Is it easy to do ? Ill try again!
I also tried form an awareness group among my peers in London, but it did not work out (2 people joined the group, but one person was trolling). Some people seemed to think it is 'cool' to have a destructive life style mediated by video game addiction... and they seemed to think that video games are worth spending their lives for. Some people pointed out that it is wrong to blame video games for failures. One person told me that I should go to a doctor, rather than form a group among gamers becasuse the group can turn into a place for playing video games. I think their opinions are baseless without merit. However, I am sure there are some people out there who desperately want counselling and someone to talk to and listen to regarding their video game addiction. And local face-to-face meetings seem to be a very good idea... both for those whose families or friends are video game addicts and addicts themselves.
That is so sad that you tried and it had that reaction. For those people thinking games are fine- well they are cool if you use them recreationally. But if you start to have your life destroyed by gsming too much clearly they are a problem. Game designers make games addicting snd they are to susceptible people. It is a fact.. There are many articles about how to create addicting games such as making the winning like slot machines- a random occurrence so you never know when you will win- it may be the next round...
anyway. Just take care of yourself. Don't look for others to agree. They will see soon enough the bad effects it just hasn't hit yet possibly!!
Tommis recent post about how he is rebuilding his life- it took 2 years- is uplifting!!
i am looking for support for my family. I don't know where to find it but so far this site is great!!
Hi Liz!
I've had interesting reactions from my AA friends and groups. I haven't found anyone yet in them which has experienced video game addiction but most, after thinking at first that I'm joking about video games being an addiction, upon further discussion it seems they all know of someone who is or have seen people who are addicted but never realized that what they were seeing was an actual addiction. I shared my story at an aftercare group of about 20 substance abuse addicts (3 of which were doctors in treatment for abusing prescription drugs) and have to say it wasn't the easiest experience - a few were angered viewing this addiction to be "no where near the magnitude of dealing with alcohol and drug addiction that they were there for", 2 of the 3 doctors got into a heated debate with me, but 1 doctor thanked me for he said he now understood what happened to his roommate in medical school. A few of the younger people in the aftercare group could relate to playing a ton of video games but weren't ready to view it as a problem in comparison to their heroin addiction. So, I'm realizing that approaching treatment centers that deal with substance abuse or AA isn't the best approach to find other video game addicts, but word is slowly going out amongst my AA community about this addiction and my meeting and good news is a number of people in AA are becoming very supportive and offering help and asking regularly how my meeting is going.
I haven't tried the local newspaper yet or gone directly to school counselors which are excellent ideas that I will try. I know how bad an addiction this is both personally from experience and from watching what it was doing to the tons of people I was gaming with and from listening and seeing the number of people coming here desparate and in alot of pain. I'm not going to give up and will continue to share what works - Bill W. wrote that AA early history says it took the first 3 AAer's 1.5 years to grow their membership to 10 and look at where AA is today.
THE DETERMINATION OF OUR FOUNDERS (from AA Daily Reflections June 28)A year and six months later these three had succeeded with seven more.-- ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 159
If it had not been for the fierce determination of our founders, A.A. would have quickly faded like so many other so-called good causes. I look at the hundreds of meetings weekly in the city where I live and I know A.A. is available twenty-four hours a day. If I had had to hang on with nothing but hope and a desire not to drink, experiencing rejection wherever I went, I would have sought the easier, softer way and returned to my previous way of life.
Hugs, Lisa Video game free since 4/17/2014
I have met Dutch gamers both in my NA group and here on Olganon. 80% of the population here live in an area the size of Orange County, CA or Metro London.
I have in mind to start a meeting in Amsterdam at a clinic where a lot of the other 12 groups meet. I need to contact the clinic and find out when a room is available and for what price. This location would be accessible by transit in 90 minutes or less by about 10 million people.
So far I have not done this because between my NA and online Olga meetings my own recovery needs are met. Pray that I may overcome my sloth and start this meeting!
Olga/non member since Dec. 2008 Check out my latest video on Gaming Addiction and public awareness https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-6JZLnQ29o
Lisa, your experiences illustrate the importance of having more people step forward and share their stories.
Even as a medical doctor and scientist, it has been difficult for me to convince people. Over time, I have sharpened my arguments and compiled research data to nail down my points. It gets easier.
Andrew P. Doan, MPH, MD, PhD
My Gaming Addiction Videos on YouTube: YouTube.com/@DrAndrewDoan
*The views expressed are of the author's and do not necessarily reflect the official policy of the U.S. Navy, DHA or Department of Defense.