Multiplayer games in general are hard to regulate. MMO’s, Mobas, FPS, ARPGs. This games are designed to swallow weeks of your life before you react. When I stopped playing these type of games it didn’t become as much of a problem to regulate my gaming.
Write down what an optimal day for someone your age, in your living area, looks like. Weekly activities. Exercise. Etc. Start implementing the we things into your life at a pace that isn’t to slow but not too fast either.
Set goals what most of your days should consist of. Most days. Don’t set routines that are too nailed down. Don’t go overboard. Excersise three times a week? Two days need to be back to back but the third can be anytime during the week? Things like that.
Work this into your routine. Take one step at a time.
If I regret one thing at the age of 37 it would be not having some kind of exercise in my weekly routine from my early 20s. I would be in sooo much better shape, have more energy, be more alert.
@hogart Thank you, Even know I don't have issues with weight (at least not over weight) this is really helpful. I know I can't go full cold turkey over the games otherwise I fall back into them hard and it's good to see other people say to slowly get myself off them. Luckily I never have got into the MMO side of things as I'm sure I wouldn't even be messaging to people online at the point, I mainly play round-based games such as CounterStrike, limiting my play and replacing it with something else slowly is probably the way to go. Thank you.
Wait 10-20 years. Play games that are way too large and complex for your attention span. Build up such a huge Steam backlog that whenever you try to play a game, you feel guilty about all the ones you’re not playing. Play games that require reflexes better than the ones you have.
Using these tricks, I’ve cut my gaming time down almost to zero!
@lolcatnip That's pretty much how I've gained my gaming addiction, like there's way to many games to play ok back to the same game and for a really long time.
Yep. If you’re a teen and worrying about enjoying video games too much, just enjoy it while it lasts. There a lot of worse stuff you could be doing, like meth.
When you’re 30, addicted to alcohol, have a shitty job and have a hard time enjoying anything anymore you’ll look back on these times with envy I promise. Being able to play video games all day and experiencing drug-use like fulfillment from it is a superhuman power in and of itself.
Stay away from alcohol and drugs for as long as you can.
@PeterPoopshit Don't worry I have parents that have experienced drugs and alcohol to the fullest so I stay away from them. The problem is that gaming for me is destructive especially for the possible future I could have with a career, worst case I hope I fall back into Video Games and just mindlessly play them, best case I actually do something with my life and make a difference at least from what I feel like I've done.
@Raphipod So I can't really get a normal job but hope to create my own business to fill up my 'non-gaming time'. It's just trying to not slowly fill that time up with "You know I'll play a game" and then loose another 3 days just mindlessly gaming for hours on end.
@kttnpunk I think it's because I've had a lot of issues in my past and not many people want me around in life so that's a stuggle, So I end up doing the only thing that seems to want me, what is Video Games.
I have a passion in Video Editing that I'm trying to replace some of my Video Game habits with, my first day of attending to do some and then game for a round or so and then back to editing went pretty good, hopefully I can get to the stage I just work on projects instead of gaming all the time.
Video games are experiences. I feel like I live to experience different experiences. It’s all the sources of entertainment media and art all crafted in one experience.
Not learning some skill isn’t a big deal. There’s a number of skills I have developed but then dropped for several years. Only to come back and feel like I have to start from scratch again. You then learn that not all of your time needs to be devoted to a skill that has limited value in return.
I think the best way to moderate gaming addiction is to be deliberate and disciplined about your goals. I love gaming and don’t want to be interrupted, so I try to deal with responsibilities first, to get more enjoyment out of an uninterrupted gaming session. Make hard rules for yourself. You want to be fit? Work out before gaming. You don’t even need a great workout routine; consistency will get you there. Use your drive for gaming to reach your goals. That’s my opinion
@Curdie Today I've been trying something where I can play a CS2 (One of the main games I've been playing lately) but I can only play one game (One Round what ever you want to call it). If I lose the game I have to edit my video I've been holding off on for quite a while down by another 30 minutes of footage, If I win I have to still edit but I can edit anywhere between 10 minutes to 20 minutes of footage down. So far this seemed to have helped a little bit and I hope it will get easier as I have less of a backlog of videos to edit through.
Nice! That approach would be terrible for me but I’m stoked you’re finding things that work for you. What kind of video are you editing that contains so much footage? If you don’t mind me asking.
@Curdie I don't mind at all, I've done little vlogs and stuff in the past my last recording session for about 3-4 months ago for Trans Pride Brighton where I was in the march and got lots of footage, I also had a slight holiday for another day or so in Brighton so got a lot of recordings well I was there.
Best thing to do for me is to just look at the clock and set a time to get off, depending on the length I want to sit down it’s usually 1-3 hours. Usually when that time comes around I notice what I’m doing in game and realize without that time limiting I would probably stay on for way longer.
Listen, if you are neglecting your household chores or other important duties, then it doesn’t really matter how much time you spend playing games. Time you enjoyed spending is never wasted, and if you enjoy playing games on your downtime, then do it.
@Kit Exercise isn't the problem as I'm actually really underweight and can't put it on. It's more the case of making sure to take showers, eating and getting fresh air, stuff like that.
@Kit I understand therapy will help me in the long run it's just unaffordable as of the moment, as soon as I can afford it I will be getting regular therapy sessions as I really do need them.
@Kit I know about one a charity in the local area that does have 'counselling' but I have had a LOT of feedback about how they are and they are really not equipped for things such as Addiction, Autism or being Trans so it seems like they are not an option, I will see if I can make an appointment for my doctor to go through a many things I need help with.
The way my morning routine around showers work is that I bring the clothes I will be wearing that day to the bathroom with me when I go to the toilet in the morning, and then after the toilet I undress my pjamas and immediately take a shower and then I get dressed for the day.
This can also be done if I decide to shower in the evening then I go to the bathroom have a shower, brush my teeth and then but on my pjamas that was on a shelf in the bathroom already.
Could something like that work for hygiene, you have to go to the toilet so take the shower while your in there. And have a change of clothes on a shelf or drawer in there so you can just put the new stuff on afterwards.
@SgtAStrawberry That could help, I think one of the key things I need to look in getting is a shower cap as I know my hair doesn't need cleaning everyday and there's a lot of it to dry every day.
If you need a shower cap to shower more and comfortable then definitely get one. I never really got the point of them.
In my country we have hand showers or have a hand shower together with a fixed one in newer places. The only exceptions are public places like gym. So we don’t have as much of a need for shower caps, we can just not aim the water towards the hair. The only one I have actually seen in real life was one that came free with some magazine.
@SgtAStrawberry That's fair enough, I know it's something that I will most likely need as my fair is quite long (As you can probably see in my PFP) and it's quite bad to clean your hair everyday but thank you for all the suggestions.
Honestly, mine came about organically with other responsibilities and interests.
Earlier on, I’d moderated myself but picking up another hobby, like playing bass guitar and adding that into my priorities.
Once out of college, other priorities, like making better than decent meals, my significant other, and continuing my tabletop RPG crew kinda helped me stop spending endless weekend or day off hours on a game.
Probably, the largest piece for me is having a family and a friend group that I care to keep up with. When I was younger, I escaped through games, but now I use them more like how I use a book or TV series and look for experiences I’ll find meaningful instead of just grinding rep or xp points in a loop.
@iltoroargento Thank you, I feel like pushing for some of the other hobbies I have such as Video Editing is a more healthy way to express myself. Sometimes it feels like I just get swallowed by the idea of gaming.
I think stuff that gets you out of the same headspace and even room in which you game can help reprioritize things.
Video editing is a super useful skill and it may make you want to go out and capture different shots or compile something for someone else, too. My highschool buddy started getting into AV stuff a while ago and just did a really good job compiling the highlights of another of our friend’s weddings and I guarantee all of us are gonna keep that file on some drive for a long time!
As others have said, if it’s that progression loop kinda thing you’re stuck in like with an MMO or online shooter, I say kick that stuff as fast as you can.
If you really wanna keep going with some of the MMO stuff, look into hosting your own game. My buddies and I love old school World of Warcraft and finally decided to host our own server which has been a game changer.
Idk if that’s all gonna be applicable, but you can cut down or out a lot of stuff by just identifying what “itch” is scratched by your gaming. If you take steps to control how you consume that media, you are more aware of the time commitment and effect it has on you.
Hope that helps and it’s awesome you’re looking to introspect about your hobbies!
In a way, I understand. There are no rules. I do think there is a good chance that living out that idea in any or every aspect of life can be very damaging. My motto is everything in moderation, including moderation.
@somethingsnappy Thank you, Yes I'm trying to take control of my life back from just mindless on video games, been doing it way to long and it seems it's become an addiction.
@NumbersCanBeFun Hey, So my main problem isn't that my life isn't 'paid' for, I've been registered as never being able to work due to my Autism and Fibromyalgia and have moved out of my parents place. My goals are to feel more to feel accomplished by doing some tasks I feel like need to or could be done in my life such as Video Editing being a big passion, making that into a career of some kind.
I feel as if gaming has taking over my life and is sometimes a way of me finding a way to no get on and do the things I know rather need to be done or should possibly be done. I could easily spend the next 30+ years of my life playing games day in and day out on autopilot but rather take control of at-least some of my life without 100% giving up gaming as it still helps me relax.
Autism is where I think that this get difficult, and where I think a lot of the responses might miss.
Gaming is really seems to be a ‘specisl interest’, especially if it’s one game in particular. And taking that away without any replacement isn’t good, since it’s what your brain needs to self regulate. It’s not so much an addiction as nicotine or alcohol can be, but more like food, or hydration. You need a method of regulation.
If you’re worried about the effects of gaming specifically, then the only thing is to find another special interest that grips you in the way that games/that game does. It sounds like you have an idea already on what that might be. All I can say is that you should try and throw yourself into it head first!
@fluke Thank you, yeah I think I know a more healthy hobbie to get myself into that I am passionate about just going to try and see how today goes when I turn my PC on and it could go one of two ways, back into gaming and can't stop or working on the project that I should do and pushing for it.
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