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Heroes Community > Other Side of the Monitor > Thread: I Gave Up Video Games
Thread: I Gave Up Video Games This thread is 4 pages long: 1 2 3 4 · NEXT»
RedSoxFan3
RedSoxFan3


Admirable
Legendary Hero
Fan of Red Sox
posted September 01, 2012 01:06 AM

I Gave Up Video Games

The reason I started this thread is because I feel like a lot of people are video game addicts and don't really acknowledge that video game addiction can adversely affect your quality of life. I think this is a big misconception.

Over 2 months ago I decided that I would give up video games for as long as I could just taking things one day at a time. I never said I would do it forever, I just said as long as I could, one day at a time. Once I did that I found it was a lot easier to stop playing. I can always give it up for one more day.

Some of the things I've accomplished.

1 week :: This chick had me watch her cat for a couple weeks. It turned into 4 months, cause she moved into Boston and stopped answering my texts. I hunted her down and gave her back her cat.
1 week :: Cleaned out my car. Hadn't done it in over a year.
1 week :: Started hanging out with friends almost every night of the week.
2 weeks :: Had sex. It had previously been over a month.
2 weeks :: All social anxiety gone. The first week and a half I stopped playing video games I would randomly have anxiety attacks.
4 weeks :: Cut my hair. My hair was down past my shoulders and I was sweating my balls off. Now my hair is nice and short.
6 weeks :: Broke out my guitar and wrote an entire song with everything but drums on my 4-track. I hadn't played guitar in months. I couldn't remember the last time I had played anything let alone written anything. I even wrote lyrics, which I absolutely never do.
6 weeks :: Cooked a meal. I came home one night and decided I would cook something. I hadn't cooked anything in months. I made pork tenderloin with carmelized onions and brussel sprouted in a cream sage sauce with a side of Gold Yukon Potatoes. It was probably the best meal I've ever cooked.

It's been just over 11 weeks now and I've been having sex at least once or twice a week for the past 2 months and I do not have a girlfriend. These are just lady friends that I have met since I stopped playing video games.

As for how it is affecting my job. I used to be speeding down the highway doing 80-85 every day so I could get to work on time. Now I'm getting there 5-10 min early just about every day, because I'm not staying up till 2 or 3 or 4 in the morning playing video games every night.

I've only been late to work twice. Once was because I was up until 4am on the internet buying magic cards, which isn't much different from playing video games. And the second time I was late because I drove into Boston to meet a lady friend and there was a huge accident on the highway driving to work in the morning.

I'm sharing this because I feel video game addiction is a very serious problem. One of the biggest things I think it does is hinder your social skills. Social skills is exactly that a skill that needs to be exercised on a regular basis or you lose it. And at least for me I find deep happiness in close friends. And you don't foster your relationships sitting at home on a computer playing video games. It's not the same as when you are in person talking face to face. And you certainly aren't gonna be intimate with a woman if all you do is sit on the computer all night.

Just my two cents.
____________
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Doomforge
Doomforge


Admirable
Undefeatable Hero
Retired Hero
posted September 01, 2012 01:34 AM
Edited by Doomforge at 01:41, 01 Sep 2012.

Hey RSF,

The conclusion is a little overdone, don't you think? I don't see any real correlation between playing video games and having a healthy sex life (I had a really healthy one being a total nerd, for instance).

Here's my take on your revelations: you don't play video games, so you find you have a lot of free time, which leads to you getting bored, so you start looking for some entertainment elsewhere. This may include sex with people you're not in relationship with, cleaning cars, learning a new foreign language or smoking pot, but the bottom line is that it's all _FREE TIME_ that just begs to be organized. It's easy to blame computer games, but my personal question here would be: why is having sex with strangers better/healthier than playing video games? Why is drinking beer with friends in a pub better than playing a video game? No offense, of course I feel that peer pressure messes up with our heads too much and creates fake happiness from sex and partying we don't really need "inside" of us. It's just people saying "omg, get a life, get laid, go party", and we give in. Of course it might be that you're a person who finds enjoyment in that, nothing wrong with that. However, seeing that you played a lot of games before and enjoyed it, it might be that it's not so.

I, for example, never needed random sex, parties or intense social life. I had much more fun - and I think that it can relate to happiness - playing video games. And I don't really care that I got branded this or that by anonymous people that surround me, because, frankly, it matters not what they think - I don't live to please them.

Also, being a nerd, I still managed to have many girlfriends, get rather good at boxing/brazilian jiu jitsu and take my English (foreign language, after all ) to a relatively good level. I'm also finishing master's degree and trying to learn how to play a piano. Am I going to give up gaming because of that? Never.

Addiction, however, is a different issue. And I agree that addiction to computer games is bad. But keep in mind that addiction to random sex, alcohol or parties is simply much more devastating, and outside addiction, there's nothing wrong in playing video games altogether.

Still, I'm happy you feel better. Cheers.

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Corribus
Corribus

Hero of Order
The Abyss Staring Back at You
posted September 01, 2012 01:43 AM

False dilemma.  A lot of people, including myself, play video games without being "addicted".  I play maybe 1 hr per day on average.  Probably a hair less than that.  

Still, I find time to:

Hold down a good job that I like and find challenging.
Cook dinner every night and clean up.
Manage a family.
Watch movies or TV periodically.
Read.
Write.
Etc.

Video games are like any other hobby or interest. I love playing them, but I have other competing priorities and interests that limit my time spend in that activity.  I think it's good to maintain a healthy diversity of interests.  Otherwise you have one hobby and everything else starts to feel like an obligation.  That's when you get addicted.
____________
I'm sick of following my dreams. I'm just going to ask them where they're goin', and hook up with them later. -Mitch Hedberg

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Fauch
Fauch


Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
posted September 01, 2012 01:47 AM

I also don't think it's specifically because of video games. playing video games certainly doesn't prevent you from doing all those other things.

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Tsar-Ivor
Tsar-Ivor


Promising
Legendary Hero
Scourge of God
posted September 01, 2012 01:55 AM
Edited by Tsar-Ivor at 02:14, 01 Sep 2012.

Personally what you gotta do is make up your mind about what you want, and what will help you, and what will hinder you. Sadly it's all too easy to lose your free time to gaming. But I haven't passed up a chance to socialize yet, though I did feel myself slipping into the gaming void two years back, however I gradually crawled out of it at the start of collage.
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"No laughs were had. There is only shame and sadness." Jenny

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wog_edn
wog_edn

Promising

The Nothingness
posted September 01, 2012 01:59 AM

Quote:
2 weeks :: Had sex. It had previously been over a month
got to stink

@DF: When have sex not equalled happiness?
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Doomforge
Doomforge


Admirable
Undefeatable Hero
Retired Hero
posted September 01, 2012 02:15 AM

Having sex with random girls isn't a source of happiness for me.

Relationships, that's something different.
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wog_edn
wog_edn

Promising

The Nothingness
posted September 01, 2012 02:17 AM

Well true, relationship is better .. but random sex is better than no sex in my opinion, and it's a fun and healthy hobby.
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Thunder_Titus
Thunder_Titus


Disgraceful
Famous Hero
Inventor
posted September 01, 2012 02:17 AM

*barf*.........I'm okay......not okay*barf*

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shyranis
shyranis


Promising
Supreme Hero
posted September 01, 2012 03:14 AM

Welcome back!

I barely play games myself (I need to find the time to finish my hotseat Heroes 6 Game on he old patch to finish recording those old town screens in every upgrade cycle...).

Though when I do get caught playing games I end up having much better sex =p

But for me it's the relationship that matters. Some people can be addicted and obsess over games, but most people I know don't play excessively like that. I think you need to have an addictive/OCD type personality first to really let games ruin your life.
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OmegaDestroyer
OmegaDestroyer

Hero of Order
Fox or Chicken?
posted September 01, 2012 03:39 AM
Edited by OmegaDestroyer at 03:40, 01 Sep 2012.

I play videogames to escape the soul-crushing realities of being a domestic violence & sexual abuse lawyer!
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You drink my blood and drown
Wrath and raving I will not stop
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RedSoxFan3
RedSoxFan3


Admirable
Legendary Hero
Fan of Red Sox
posted September 01, 2012 06:05 AM
Edited by RedSoxFan3 at 06:15, 01 Sep 2012.

I feel like there is a misconception that I've given up video games for a life sex drugs and alcohol. That's totally not true. Having sex with random women is not a goal. Having sex and dating is a goal. I've only been with 3 women since I quit video games and I still keep in touch with all of them. One of them is hopefully becoming a good friend of mine. The goal is to connect with people, which I have.

Previously when I played video games I would typically play for hours. I would start playing around 6 when I got out of work and before I knew it, it would be 11 and I hadn't had dinner yet. I'd go get dinner and then play some more. This is not healthy behavior.

My roommates get high and play video games a lot. In fact since I quit video games, I have more or less equated getting high as pretty much the same thing as playing video games. You are having a lot of fun and accomplishing nothing. Having close friends who you can count on, I definitely consider that an accomplishment.

@Doom - I didn't say there is anything wrong with video games. I don't think there's anything wrong with partying or getting high or having sex either. However all of these things have downfalls if they are not used responsibly and I think a lot of people don't look at video game addiction as being a real thing. I used to play really addicting video games like Dota, Diablo 2 and World of Warcraft. It was so hard to put these games down once you got started.

@Corribus - I wish I could play for just 1 hour a day. I've probably been addicted to video games since I was a little kid. I could go down a huge list of things where I felt video game addiction affected my life.
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Corribus
Corribus

Hero of Order
The Abyss Staring Back at You
posted September 01, 2012 06:58 AM

Don't get me wrong - I'd probably play a lot more if I could.  It's simply a matter of having too many other things I need and want to do.  I think it's probably true that some people actually do get truly addicted to video games.  Some people are probably more prone to addictions in general.  However like any addiction it really comes down to self-control.  There's no reason you can't play for 1 hour a day and no more if you had the will to do it.  The only person who makes the choice when to stop is you.  Addictions influence behavior.  But they don't make our choices for us.  
____________
I'm sick of following my dreams. I'm just going to ask them where they're goin', and hook up with them later. -Mitch Hedberg

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RedSoxFan3
RedSoxFan3


Admirable
Legendary Hero
Fan of Red Sox
posted September 01, 2012 09:19 AM
Edited by RedSoxFan3 at 09:24, 01 Sep 2012.

http://www.video-game-addiction.org/internet-addictions-adults.html

This is a very real thing and I've totally been here. I've had multiple semesters in college that were extremely bad due to playing too many video games. The worst terms were when my addiction was the worst.

It gets to a point where you are afraid to stop playing video games.

Quote:
Another consideration is that some people are more prone to addiction of any kind than others, gaming or otherwise. Kids who are easily bored, have poor relationships with family members, feel like outcasts at school, or tend toward sensation-seeking are more easily drawn into video game addiction because it fills a void and satisfies needs that aren't met elsewhere.

In addition to the psychological addiction, it's now believed that there may be a physiological element to addictive game playing. Researchers at Hammersmith Hospital in London conducted a study in 2005 which found that dopamine levels in players' brains doubled while they were playing. Dopamine is a mood-regulating hormone associated with feelings of pleasure. The findings of this study indicate that gaming could actually be chemically addictive.

Though the debate rages on as to whether gaming addiction is a diagnosable disorder, the behavior undeniably exists. The combination of intentional programming by designers and the predisposition some teens have to addictive behavior means this is a real issue that parents, teachers, and friends should be aware of and take action to prevent.


This is from the link I posted above. I can actually say that while I'm playing video games, in particular competitive ones, I get a huge adrenaline rush. I have no doubt that my dopamine levels rise considerably.
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friendofgunnar
friendofgunnar


Honorable
Legendary Hero
able to speed up time
posted September 01, 2012 09:43 AM

There's one more advantage to giving up video games that you didn't mention, which is that you don't have to buy a new video card every 18 months anymore.

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OhforfSake
OhforfSake


Promising
Legendary Hero
Initiate
posted September 01, 2012 10:49 AM

I never had to buy a new video card

I have no doubt gaming addiction exists. I'm certain we can be addicted to everything pleasure related, and I'd be surprised if dopamine levels shouldn't be rising whenever we experience pleasure.

But what is meant by an addiction? I usually understand it as something you don't want to do, but keep on doing, unable to stop currently. I imagine there'll usually be some emotional gradient towards the action in question, so I'll usually call it a bad habit you can't drop, despite trying to.

If you don't realise you're addicted, but manage to stop, then I don't think you were addicted. At least not when you managed to stop. Rather that you had your priorities wrong, which I think is illustrated by that you now don't have to rush the morning traffic to meet on time at work. At least I think they were wrong, because you write it as a benefit.

Regarding the benefits, I have to agree with Doom here, obviously when you remove a time heavy activity, you get more time to do other stuff during the day. I recall times I've been much less at the computer, especially heroes community, where I really got a lot of nice things accomplished. Heck I recall my first year at uni, my laptop broke down, and I ended up doing the most studying I've ever done in any class since, acing it.

So you get more time, and I see it's spend on emotional fulfilling stuff. In other words, stuff which satisfies you. The "what's in it for me", is what I think maybe made you play video games in the first place. It's all about the satisfaction YOU get, as of such, I can't help but wonder if all that's changed is not merely you've reallocated what you spend your time on? Just a guess, which is very likely to be wrong, of course.

One reason I make this guess, though, is that you write there's no accomplishment in video games, while there's in the benefits you write about. Like Doom suggests, I think this is merely a result of peer pressure. In reality, there's either no accomplishment in anything, or accomplishment in everything, and then it's left for us to prioritize.
I don't follow the nihilistic output that everything we do doesn't matter and there's thereby no accomplishment in everything. I choose to define for myself what matters for me, and through that what is an accomplishment and what is not.
Therefore, it might be an accomplishment for you to be social, while playing video games isn't, but if you never considered the possibility that you were addicted, i.e. couldn't stop playing video games, and kept on playing, I can't help but wonder if it wasn't something you felt were an accomplishment back then?

Quote:
When have sex not equalled happiness?

What equals happiness depends entirely on the person in question.
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Living time backwards

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Seraphim
Seraphim


Supreme Hero
Knowledge Reaper
posted September 01, 2012 12:48 PM
Edited by Seraphim at 12:54, 01 Sep 2012.

There is so much wrong with the opening post and its even somewhat annoying.

Firstly:
Getting to work early?
Making a meal?
Cutting your hair?
Random sex?
Do you even realize that you could have done all of these things even without giving up gaming?

When I played less and less overtime, that got replaced with wacthing videos. My life did not improve really.
I got to change mylifestyle when I sat down and started thinking "Why is my life so wrong?" After asking myself so much.

Overtime, I managed to change things that were irrational. The overall hapiness of my life did not change but it did not suffer from the feeling when you play hours and then suddenly realize that 6 hours have passed and then continue playing more.

As a person, I have social skills, that is what I believe.
Point is, I never really used them that much because the people seemed dull, boring and useless. I gave up on meeint random people and creating "Friends". I simply find people too annoying.




Quote:
 You are having a lot of fun and accomplishing nothing.


What? How is enjoying a game nothing? Why is enjoying anything meant to be equal to nothing?

When you have sex or drink alcohol and create a buddy you can hang out with, that's hardly gonna add something in your life.
In fact, your lifestyle change is nothing because you enjoy other things now which add nothing to your life.
Having those types of friends is not really an accomplishment. I had many of those type of friends before, they were useless when it came to maters that involved "getting things done".




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Corribus
Corribus

Hero of Order
The Abyss Staring Back at You
posted September 01, 2012 03:40 PM

@RSF

None of that changes what I said. Tobacco is a real addiction, but ultimately it's still a conscious decision to smoke.
____________
I'm sick of following my dreams. I'm just going to ask them where they're goin', and hook up with them later. -Mitch Hedberg

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OhforfSake
OhforfSake


Promising
Legendary Hero
Initiate
posted September 01, 2012 04:10 PM

It's a bit simplistic way to look at it.

If not misunderstood, it's similar to say that even under torture, it's ultimately still a conscious choice if the agent is going to reveal his secrets.
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Living time backwards

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Corribus
Corribus

Hero of Order
The Abyss Staring Back at You
posted September 01, 2012 04:17 PM

So you're saying a smoker has no choice?
____________
I'm sick of following my dreams. I'm just going to ask them where they're goin', and hook up with them later. -Mitch Hedberg

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