Quitting video games

You might get a bit of flack from gamers here, but I think you're right to at least give this a go. Gaming does have many similarities (instant reward with little real world benefits, endless novelty, free to use).

For what it's worth, I tried limiting myself to one days gaming a week, only to break that rule once and coincidence or not that day I also relapsed to PMO. I decided at least for the 90 days I will leave gaming alone too. (but if I get my life together I probably won't want to spend time on gaming after that anyways).. Just food for thought.

 

I play a lot of videogames but generally only to connect with people who I dont regularly see/cant see in real life, when it comes to playing by myself the game has to be really damn good otherwise I too feel unsatisfied by it. For me using videogames as a social tool or a way to unwind is fine, but like you say it can be a vice like any other.

 

I feel video games are one of those topics where you have people who love them or hate them. For me, they represent self-centered and borderline childish behavior (bear in mind I've played video games for over 20 years until I recently gave them up entirely). I can't quite pinpoint what it is about games, but like porn I find it pathetic to picture myself doing (sitting in a room, barely moving, staring at a cold white screen like I'm a damn mosquito or something). That's what video games are to me now... pathetic. I don't get this same feeling when I box, or mountain bike, or journal, or drink craft beer, or read. Video games and pornography are two things that I feel incredibly ashamed of doing.

 

Agreed, video games are completely different to all other hobbies. Even watching a movie is preferable because it will actually finish in about 2 hrs and then you can move on...

This thread made me think back to being a teen, I spent many days after school playing stupid games. A few weeks ago I played battlefield 3, and I noticed just one stat - over 25,000 'avenged kills'. That kind of blew my mind, like how many hours have I actually put into that game alone!

Anyway, I used to watch a lot of P, play a lot of games, and listen to too much music. I am only now coming to realise these 3 things I just used to avoid getting my life together lol.

 

you are totally right man, for me video games and porn are linked together, for my journey to nofap I do think getting rid of games is necessary, as you said they are same sort thing, rapid satisfaction. Do it man, it is definitely good for your reboot process.

 

Specifically on the time spent, I can relate to what you're saying. When Guild Wars 1 first came out, I remember being blown away that I had docked over 500 hours into the game. But 500 hours became basically "par for the course" for all other games I would seriously commit to in the future.

It's crazy how much of a time sink they are, and how weak it can make people feel when they play them. And I don't care what gamer girls say, every woman I've ever spoken to says there is NOTHING attractive about a man who play video games. That's why in many modern romantic comedies, the man playing video games is one of the woman's biggest frustrations. Not to mention when you see it (I'm thinking of Vince Vaughn in "The Breakup"), you think to yourself, "Dude... stop playing video games like a child, be a man."

To each his own, but I'm tired of lying to myself. I'm tired of pretending that there is anything useful, production, or manly about playing video games.

 

Your opinion on this is very interesting but I cant help but disagree, I think videogames are only a bad thing if you allow them to be, same as with any other kind of media. You say that videogames arent useful or productive but a lot of the time they arent intended to be, at the end of the day they are a form of entertainment and should be treated as such. If someone leads a healthy lifestyle, exercises, maintains a decent social life and career/education, what exactly is wrong with playing videogames for a couple hours to unwind instead of a movie/few episodes of a TV show? If videogames are for children and arent "manly" then surely by the same logic all forms of entertainment, no, everything in life that isnt "useful" is also childish and not manly. Idk mate, I think manliness is doing whatever the hell you want and not giving a damn about arbitary standards.

 

I don't disagree with this, but for me personally I find playing video games quite pathetic and sad (coming from someone who has played them since he was 7, so over 20 years).

I'll admit I can't quite pinpoint what it is, but if I walk into a room and see an adult man watching a movie, I think, "Oh, he's watching a movie." If I see an adult man playing video games I think, "I wonder when he's going to grow up?" Perhaps we can just agree to disagree on this, but I've lied to myself for years (saying things similar to what you're saying). Since I've stopped playing video games in particular, I find my dopamine receptors much more under control, and things that used to seem so pointless to me (mountain biking, hiking, trying new beers, lifting weights, etc... suddenly have value and are exciting to me. Video games are one of those "ultimate" forms of pleasure, requiring very little input, but maximizing the output in our brains. Maybe this is good for a business model, but in my opinion not healthy for the human brain.

In my opinion what you're describing is the opposite of manliness. Where I come from, manliness is about self-sacrifice, courage, self-discipline, honor, integrity, and character. It has everything to do with standards. If all standards are arbitrary, then what separates one standard from another?

 

As someone who is younger than you but did used to play too many videogames, what youre describing is videogame binging, not all gaming. I'm not even going to dispute that gaming is worse for you than some other things that you've mentioned, personally I prefer to sit down with a good book nowadays, but I do think theres a substantial difference between binging on an MMO/FPS for hours at a time and playing games to connect with friends/to unwind after a long day of being productive. I would also suggest that this dislike could partially stem from the way gamers act, as opposed to the actual medium, ie gamers are always in the news as being toxic in some way but movie/music/TV watchers usually arent. I do dislike people who are so invested in a brand that they make it a part of their actual personality, I find that to be pathetic and sad, and gamers are definitely a part of this.

Regarding the manliness thing yeah youre right, I didnt have time to type up a better response to that part so just left it at that sentence, we will just have to agree to disagree over whether games arent manly, personally I dont think they are or arent, they just are. Anyway, thanks for your reply, its been interesting.

 

I suppose its the same kind of thing as PMO addiction; where one person can do it and be fine, and then people like us become addicts. Its all down to how addictive your personality is.

 

I personally find that video games are helping me get over my PMO addiction because it serves as a distraction. When you give up PMO you are left with a large gap in your life at first and I find filling this gap with something makes it more easy to avoid relapsing.

But I guess too much of anything can be a bad idea so I should be careful because I don't want to develop an addiction with gaming.

 

but i cant give up red orchestra 2

my service to hirohito, stalin, murica and hitler are eternal

i love screaming TENNO HEIKA BANZAI

 

I just want to say, thank you for being so respectful in your responses! And well said by the way, I agree that there is a difference between a group of friends just passing some time with a casual game (my college friends and I used to play Super Smash Bros on N64) and excessive binging. I suppose the latter is what I typically fell into when I gamed.

 

Its been a good discussion, this forum would be boring if everyone agreed with each other all the time so its nice to have conflicting viewpoints every now and then.

 

Interesting discussion. I see the parallels between PMO and gaming.

Neither are bad perse' but when you binge on them it is unhealthy.

I am 36 and have gone through phases of gaming.
Being on the computer for hours at a time gaming or watching porn just seems like a waste of my time...

BF2 has always been my weakness...

I do regard it as a vice so I try not to play much. Sometimes however I just need a little Wake Island....

Other than the self-sacrifice this is almost 100% pure truth!

It is not self-sacrifice to give up on gaming and PMO if you are addicted. It is Self-preservation!

Where I come from, manliness is about self-preservation, courage, self-discipline, honor, integrity, and character.

 

I respectfully disagree. Self-preservation sounds a lot like self-centeredness to me. I stopped gaming to benefit my family and friends, not myself.

Show me a hero, and I'll show you someone who is selfless.

 

Ok you guys know there's forum for videogame addicts right? It's called GameQuitters, the community is smaller.
https://forum.gamequitters.com/