Hi, everybody.
I think this is a great place for someone looking for help to recover from a VG addiction.
I'm writing because I'm not that sure if I'm a video game addict.
I have a drug addiction background. In the past, it was very hard for me to quit drugs. I had to be locked in in a rehab center. Six months later, I became a Narcotics Anonymous member and went regularly to meetings for 4 years. Today, I have 7 years clean. And I never have a thought about using drugs again. Those ideas can't seduce me anymore.
Don't know if I transfered that addiction to video games.
I wasn't a hardcore gamer like some people I know but it was afecting my business and relationships in some degree.
I have 5 months and a half without playing video games. But, every single day after quitting games, I have thoughts and some kind of need to play video games.
To be honest, having almost half year without playing, I saw an improvement in my business and my life.
The thing is that like a month ago or so, I began to have thoughts about "maybe I can play from time to time, maybe the weekends". I even bought some games on steam (but did not play them). Don't know if this is some kind of a self-deception.
Not quiet sure if I'm a video game addict. I think I'm capable of handling them now. But maybe this is the classic addict self-deception.
What you think?
Thanks in advance for your answer.
vgaddict
Only you can decide if you are truly an addict or not. Have you seen the screening tool for excessive gamers found here? It will give you some idea. The best way you can find out for sure if you're addicted or not is to simply try to play and moderate. If you can play an hour or two now and then, but easily walk away from it, you don't have a problem. But, if, when you play for a couple of hours and find yourself wanting to play more and more and losing your will to stop playing, then you have a problem. I know I'm an addict because, when I play any electronic games, I want to play more and I lose interest in every other aspect of my life. I'll never be satisfied with just an hour or two of gaming, even once a day. I know this because I've tried to moderate many times and it never worked.
Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending. ~Maria Robinson
Thanks for sharing your story. I can relate to it, and I'm a gaming addict. Definitely we share some red flags.
Probably going to some meetings would help you get a better sense if your behavior with gaming crossed the line into addiction or not. How I decided for myself is seeing that my gaming caused so many problems and that I couldn't get it under control, no matter how much I wanted to control it.
Thanks for sharing your story. I can relate a lot to it. After I quitted gaming for 2 months I feel more peaceful when I played games and I think IT'S OKAY to play game because my life is in control and I should be able to control my gaming also. Once I allowed myself to game, my urge came back enormously and I lost my sense of calmness. I think I'll never be able to control my gaming and even if I could, I would not feel freedom as same as I did when I didn't allow myself to game at all. Allowing myself to game is like putting my own mind to be enslaved by gaming's devil.
Game free since 19th October 2015 !!!!
"Once you addict to something, you lose freedom to everything"
Does Facebook count as VGA?
I am constantly checking updates and looking for "Likes" etcetera and have been on Facebook since 2008
I am eleven years in NA recovery due to attending NA and having a sponsor and working the steps......I work in a treatment centre, have developed other problems i.e., sex (porn) and food (compulsive eating). I tend to go to the relevant fellowships as I can't seem to get it all done in NA
Hope someone can direct me to a meeting either online or Face to Face (offline)
Welcome Eleven
Some people are addicted to internet/social media/online gaming/offline gaming/box sets/ streaming/cellphone...drifting from one to another
This site focuses on online video gaming, but the site information is still relevant to those other kinds too as we appreciate it comes as part of a package.
I hope you find OLGA helpful to you.
INFO
Help for gamers here
Help for parents of gamers here
Help for spouses/SO's of gamers here
Parent's online meeting THURSDAY 9pmEST/EDT click here
Online meetings gaming addicts click here
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