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Does Video games slow my reboot journey?

Discussion in 'Rebooting - Porn Addiction Recovery' started by 4yrsH9yrsP, Jun 20, 2020.

  1. 4yrsH9yrsP

    4yrsH9yrsP Fapstronaut

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    Basically, I am 21, currently unemployed and live with my parents. The only outlet I have currently is video games. I am genuinely concerned if I might have to give video games up, it really isn't much of an option because it is the only possible way that can keep me occupied so I don't PMO.
     
  2. Awedouble

    Awedouble Fapstronaut

    There is a way in which people replace one addiction with another, some are less harmful though ultimately it's probably more accurate to say it is mostly just different effects.

    If "outlet" means another addictive activity then it kind of doesn't matter what it is, whether it's video games, binge watching videos, eating or anything else. One thing I can say is if you look at ALL of those activities in terms of resource management and treat the business of managing your life as a game of sort that might be better, which is not the same as "gamifying" like you give yourself little trophies and symbolic stuff like that. I don't know how much attention people pay to that framework though if you're going to be active on the forum that has its own benefit beyond those little bells and whistles, at the end of the day it's a matter of having some connection with the community at large and possibly gaining some ideas you didn't have before which you can implement into your recovery process.

    Replacing one thing with some kind of outlet isn't really a process oriented understanding, it's just displacement and taking up time.
     
  3. SREENII

    SREENII Fapstronaut

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    i suggest you to quit playing video games, listening music, seeing movies, consuming too much sugar, stop chatting with your gf and stay away from disturbing news reports and debates..you may think why i'm saying this..it's called dopamine detox..it will easily rewire your dopamine reward circuit which was damaged due to pmo..and it fastens your recovery
     
    ForwardEver likes this.
  4. 4yrsH9yrsP

    4yrsH9yrsP Fapstronaut

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    Yeah I really cannot quit video games. It's not a matter of I can just go do something else, I LITERALLY have nothing else to do. If I don't play video games, I will literally have to sit in my room and do nothing. There is NOTHING to do. I already exercise, all I want to know is if this will slow down my sexual reboot even if it has nothing to do with PMO
     
  5. 4yrsH9yrsP

    4yrsH9yrsP Fapstronaut

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    Yeah I really cannot quit video games. It's not a matter of I can just go do something else, I LITERALLY have nothing else to do. If I don't play video games, I will literally have to sit in my room and do nothing. There is NOTHING to do. I already exercise, all I want to know is if this will slow down my sexual reboot even if it has nothing to do with PMO
     
  6. Awedouble

    Awedouble Fapstronaut

    If that's all you want to know then you will not understand the overall process in any comprehensive way. Whether it will slow it down is a simplistic linear outlook. I don't know what kind of games you're used to playing but even in that context you have to know what to do with certain things in the course of the game instead of how fast you'll get to the end goal. This does look like the attitude a lot of people bring to this though, and I'm sorry to say if people don't really want to think about it they won't understand it, and if there's not much understanding it's not hard to imagine how that will impact your level of success. "Just don't do it" is the most primitive of strategies.
     
  7. 4yrsH9yrsP

    4yrsH9yrsP Fapstronaut

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    Reading this really made my heart sink. I am very serious about my happiness, I don't think you are getting the fact that I literally have NOTHING ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do. If I don't play video games, I will absolutely PMO due to being unemployed and there is nothing else. I really do need a simple answer to whether video games is going to set me back in my reboot process, if not I might as well blow my brains out now and get it over with.
     
  8. 4yrsH9yrsP

    4yrsH9yrsP Fapstronaut

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    I'm literally begging for help and you are telling me that I cannot understand it? I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IT!!!!!
     
  9. Awedouble

    Awedouble Fapstronaut

    I'm saying it [quitting PMO] has to go beyond just the typical abstinence only model. Sorry to sound negative there but it's just that so many people just come into this thing and just count days and I just honestly don't think that's enough.

    Again say you pick up a weapon in a game, or a tool - there's a question of what you do with that thing right? I'm just saying you have to strategize and work with what you have.

    I'm not totally against gaming, but the kind of games that are good for our brain may be boring to most people. Still I mention the example because we just have a better chance if we think through what we have to work with. You didn't mention what kind of games you play, I'm trying to work with the information you already gave by using that example but it's just not enough detail, you might be into a totally different kind of game.

    But in general you can have something that does more if you put more than one thing together. Lets take a really popular game like Diablo, (sorry I just know like the first two) but basically you have weapons and you can get other benefits by putting a gem in there or something, you *combine* stuff that fits together. I'm saying figure out how stuff like that works in real life. I'm not saying anything about quitting video games, it's up to you and you can maybe do that later but maybe not now. But even if you're just into mostly arcade stuff chances are you do some kind of basic strategizing and problem solving like that, all I'm saying is apply that to life and the reboot process.
     
    Last edited: Jun 20, 2020
  10. Candun

    Candun Fapstronaut

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    What do you hope to get out of rebooting?
     
  11. bigboibez

    bigboibez Fapstronaut

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    It sounds like you need to re design your life, the current state won't be conducive with nofap. It won't do shit if you are bored and lonely. I'd say focus on getting a job and putting Ur time into exercise and things productive, and then try nofap once you've done that. That's not to say binge pmo now, but those should be at the forefront of your focus.
     
  12. 4yrsH9yrsP

    4yrsH9yrsP Fapstronaut

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    So, I am not sure that I've done a good job explaining. I am NOT unhappy with my current life style in terms of my hobbies and such, I know they aren't the greatest, but it's just what I am interested in. I am currently looking for a job, and exercise ISN'T an issue. What I am looking for out of this NoFap journey, is I want to be able to obtain AND maintain an erection while with a woman. I do not even really care about being able to finish, I just want to be able to get one and maintain it. That is it. I am not looking for some super powers or magical boost in confidence or looks. I just want to be able to have sex normally. The only thing that I am not willing to change is the video games, it's not really so much of an addiction as I can turn it off whenever I need and do my real life duties. If anything is inhibiting me, it's this fear of not being able to obtain and maintain an erection. PLEASE. I'm trying to save my life.
     
  13. 4yrsH9yrsP

    4yrsH9yrsP Fapstronaut

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    So, I am not sure that I've done a good job explaining. I am NOT unhappy with my current life style in terms of my hobbies and such, I know they aren't the greatest, but it's just what I am interested in. I am currently looking for a job, and exercise ISN'T an issue. What I am looking for out of this NoFap journey, is I want to be able to obtain AND maintain an erection while with a woman. I do not even really care about being able to finish, I just want to be able to get one and maintain it. That is it. I am not looking for some super powers or magical boost in confidence or looks. I just want to be able to have sex normally. The only thing that I am not willing to change is the video games, it's not really so much of an addiction as I can turn it off whenever I need and do my real life duties. If anything is inhibiting me, it's this fear of not being able to obtain and maintain an erection. PLEASE. I'm trying to save my life.
     
  14. Awedouble

    Awedouble Fapstronaut

    There's a lot of people working on that issue with similar goals. Not to confuse the issue but a part of it is likely a mind game, obviously PMO a lot wouldn't help but what you think does matter.

    Why don't you just try it for a while though, are you new to it all or have you been able to hold a streak for a while and have some experience with how that feels different and stuff? Part of the discussion is just going to come with your own experience as you go down this road, nobody else can tell you that just sort of talk about it having been there.

    Edit: It's a very reasonable goal that you have, in this case even just abstinence may help a lot. I don't know how comfortable you feel with dating in general and there's the whole monkey wrench of things being shut down but that's something else that can be talked about somewhere else if you think it's called for. Where I see other strategies being relevant is just to help maintaining a streak. Sounds like you got exercise down though there could be other things that's more mental than physical, just to throw out a general point.
     
    Last edited: Jun 20, 2020
    Candun likes this.
  15. Candun

    Candun Fapstronaut

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    I don't see any way that video games will slow down your reboot then. I would still recommend slowly adding in new things so video games arent something you feel you absolutely need to pass the time.
     
  16. 4yrsH9yrsP

    4yrsH9yrsP Fapstronaut

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    Thanks so much for the simple answer. I get so confused when people tell me "Oh you have to find exactly why you play video games and resolve that problem first." It's such a riddle that I'd never be able to find out. I just want to improve my sexual performance.
     
  17. I think you should think of pros and cons that affect you from playing video games. A lot of online gaming or rpg gaming leads to porn if used excessively. Do more productive things like drawing, playing guitar, or watching the news are good things that will help in the future.
     
  18. bigboibez

    bigboibez Fapstronaut

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    Ngl but I'd argue all of those examples are no more productive than playing video games
     
  19. Mitsuro

    Mitsuro Fapstronaut

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    I know you said it is but gaming isn’t all you have to do. You can game a little bit, read, learn an instrument, learn a language, learn a new skill, do an online course( there are loads) you can learn to code for free if that interests you, learn about finance.

    My personal experience is I stopped gaming 11 days ago a couple of days after this current attempt at nofap. It had to go, I’ve wasted so much time on gaming as well as PMO. Gaming( not all games) but the ones most of us like playing are a serious dopamine hit. I can’t game in moderation so i have to stop completely. I want this reboot to work, I don’t want to find I’ve got to 30 days and spent most of my free time gaming, it just won’t work like that. If you can limit yourself to an hour a day or something I’m sure you will be fine. 1 hour to me is just a teaser, I’m completely compelled to play for hours on end.

    Anyway all the best with your journey.
     

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