A journey of 1000 miles starts with a map

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Epic Waste
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A journey of 1000 miles starts with a map

Without a guide or a map, any journey can be easily lead astray. I thank the powers that be for helping me find this site. I am going to give these 12 steps a wholehearted try.

What I have done so far:
1. Deleted the game from all my computers.
2. Gave my account away.
3. sought professional help. He directed me to any12 step addiction program, and I am going to an AA meeting tonight to see what it is like in person.
4. Found this site. To help guide me on my journey, and learn from the mistakes and wisdom of others.

I would like to formally announce that I am powerless over the mmolrpg i played.

I would like to join in on the meetings here, and think that some sort of Voice over internet, Teamspeak or Vent would be a huge help. Not only is it cheaper than phone calls in the long run, but it allows for the free flowing exchange of thoughts and ideas.

I am jobless right now, and my bills have stacked up. one of my long term goals is to contribute, monetarily, to this site to get ventrillo opperational.

Thanks for all the hard work and effort you have put into this site.

Diggo McDiggity
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Re: A journey of 1000 miles starts with a map

Welcome to the path... um...can we call you something other than "Epic Waste?" Even "Bob" would be better. :) As you travel the path to healing, if you look on the ground to the left and right of you, you'll see old rusting swords, magical wands, staves, guns of various kinds, bows, etc. These are things that others before you have left behind, because in the real world, even the most epic sword or high-tier armor is of no use in slaying the dragons that you face in real life. The true epic weapons you have in real life are a sharp mind, and a healthy body and spirit. With those, there are few "dragons" that you cannot subdue, and even when there comes the occasional beast that you cannot slay alone, there are plenty of of other real life adventurers around to help you. By coming here, you have sought out the counsel of such folk who can help you along your 1,000 mile trek. /weird-fantasy-speak off Welcome to OLGA... If we can help in any way, just let us know. The path to healing isn't easy, but it gets easier as you go. We're still working out logistics for meetings and such. Stay tuned. Ron

Co-Founder of OLGA and member since 2002

SnowWhite
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Re: A journey of 1000 miles starts with a map

Congratulations... it's a nice place to be here... and recovery is powerful! Hope you stay a while! :D

"This is the end...." The Doors

shiva
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Re: A journey of 1000 miles starts with a map

Welcome, "stay a while and listen" ... my friend ;) Nice to see that you have declared you are powerless, by declaring so, we find all the power in the world... :D

1RealityCheck1
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Re: A journey of 1000 miles starts with a map

Way to go Epic! and welcome. Good luck with your meeting tonight. A I attend meetings every Friday night and while the group I go to doesn't really get the 'gamming addiction' thing necessarily. they are understanding and supportive and working through and learning about the steps has helped me and I feel would help anyone. A It is just a good all around philosophy. A Come back often, the people here are really helpful.

Epic Waste
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Re: A journey of 1000 miles starts with a map

Thanks for the replies and votes of coinfidence. I made the AA meeting, and met alot of people with similar stories to mine, just a different substance leading to all the lieing, neglecting of ourselves and others, as well as the unhealthy side effects. I did get more than a few sideways glaces when i announce , "Hi, Im Tim, and Im addicted to Online Gaming"
But as the guy next to me prodly declared, "An addict is an addict. work the steps" and with that, the entire group got it. I need to talk with my wife. Let her know whats going on in my skull, and all the saddness I feel. I'll try and post more when I have more time. AND Ron.. I chose Epic Waste cause thats what I feel, sincerely, about all the thousands of hours I've wasted on games, epix, and the like. Just shorten it to Epic when referring to me, cause in the long run, as you so eloquently said in your post, I am more powerful than anything in-game. Lots of love to you all. -Epic

shiva
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Re: A journey of 1000 miles starts with a map
Quote:

I did get more than a few sideways glaces when i announce , "Hi, Im Tim, and Im addicted to Online Gaming"
But as the guy next to me prodly declared, "An addict is an addict. work the steps" and with that, the entire group got it.

Beautiful, sometimes you gotta love people :D (well, more and more often it seems...)

Epic Waste
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Re: A journey of 1000 miles starts with a map

Doing a few important things today. 1. Finding a Job. Any job at this point. Been in sales since I left the Army, so hitting up retailers for a quick, low pay, steady job. Something is better than nothing at this point. 2. Going to my local Community College. I never finished my associates degree. I found out online that the spring semester starts on Feb 12th. Going to get with a counselor there and work out what I need to do to get back in. 3. My 5 yr old plays T-ball, and , believe it or not, im the manager. How I ever thought I'd have time while stuck online is beyond me. Doing the uniform orders etc. 4. Making an effort to get involved in our church again. My wife is very active.. I guess that happens when your husband is not around. Going to an event this Friday. I don't know if it matters, but I feel better having some sort of plan each day. I know it's kinda "wrong" to make comparisons to my olg, but I was very organized in there. I always knew what I wanted to accomplish in there, and feel better and less likely to reinstall if my days are well planned out and busy. Just having someone who understands what it's like reading this makes me feel like its ok to post all this mundane stuff. 3rd day game free. The honesty with myself and others is both the most refreshing and hardest thing about this at this point. Kinda rough to tell an 11yr old that you were lieing about basically everything so that I could sit and play a game 12 hours a day. Interesting thing is, once i told her, I knew that she accepted it, and that she knew that because I told her, I care, and am doing something right now to fix it. Kids are amazing. No games today. Reality may suck, but I have the opportunity and ability to change it, and the wisdom to know I can. -Epic

Diggo McDiggity
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Re: A journey of 1000 miles starts with a map

Hiya, Epic.

Quote:

I don't know if it matters, but I feel better having some sort of plan each day

Yes. I can tell you from experience, it does matter. A plan is the only way you will be getting out of it. Think of it in context of your post title and how hard it is to walk 1,000 miles without a map. Granted, the Appalachian Trail that I was hiking on last year was 2,100 miles and technically you don't need a map, but a map does tell you what the terrain is like and where the water sources are, so it's still relevant :) Thanks for sharing your progress. Will be interesting to keep track. I'd also like to recommend that you get a notebook and start journaling - If nothing else, a paragaph or a few sentences each night in which you can pen your thoughts and feelings. This is important because there will be times on the road back to normalcy where you will feel stagnant and wonder why the hell you are wasting your time trying to get your life together. If you crack your journal open and re-read some of how you were feeling at the beginning of this process, you will come to recognize and appreciate just how far you've come. I wish I had kept a journal for those rough times now... Best of luck... Ron

Co-Founder of OLGA and member since 2002

Solei
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Re: A journey of 1000 miles starts with a map

Hello Epic!! *Hugs* and welcome to OLGA! :-) When I first quit World of Warcraft I needed a plan daily. Even know, when I have more than a few days off from work (I'm a teacher) I need a plan so that I don't say to myself "I have all this free time, I could spend some of it gaming!" I am very proud of your plans. :-) Love, Solei PS. Keep up the good work!! You can do it!!

-6 Years Free of Online Gaming-

John of the Roses
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Re: A journey of 1000 miles starts with a map

I LOVE your name! ~ Gamelessly

"There is little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference. The little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether it is positive or negative." --W. Clement Stone

Epic Waste
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Re: A journey of 1000 miles starts with a map

UPDATE: 12 units at school. aced first 2 papers.
New job at UPS. hard work, but good work.
No OLGames to date. Question: 1. I really miss my friends that I knew IRL from the game, but I can't seem to catch them anywhere but on the Vent server. Even if I call them, i get the answering machine. One thing I did notice, I went onto the vent server to just shoot the sh**, but they didn't seem to have time for me. Makes me wonder if I really matter to them IRL at all?
Should I try and salvage these friends? -Epic

shiva
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Re: A journey of 1000 miles starts with a map
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Should I try and salvage these friends?

From what your post seems to imply, the do not want to be salvaged ... And if they do not want, there is absolutely nothing you could ever do to change it. For many gamers, relationships are dependant and centered around the games, if that topic is void, there is simply not much left to talk about... I have never had such an experience, as my addiction was not to multiplayer, in fact I shunned it, but I notice such behaviour in my brother and some of his aquaintances

1RealityCheck1
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Re: A journey of 1000 miles starts with a map

Hello Epic, I am so glad to hear that things are going so well for you! I have to agree with Maxim, it doesn't sound like they want to be saved :- . It would probably be a better use of your time to meet new friends at work or other parents on your sons team etc. That was the hardest part for me, having to form new rl relationships again, but it is comming along. I wish you all the best! Debbie

Beat_EQ
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Re: A journey of 1000 miles starts with a map

You mentioned you were in the service at one point.... I doubt you kept in touch with all your "army buddies" Online Gaming friends fall into the same category. I know I have zero contact with any of my old buds from the Army and I have been out 12 years. Just the way it goes with that type thing. Get back to making friends with people you can interact with every so often. These wind up being much more rewarding than listening to peeps just hash out in-game stuff over vent/TS.

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