Video Game Addiction Support Group

I fail to see how someone else's lifestyle choices and analysis of those choices should be questioned by you. Whether you with agree someone else’s assessment of their own life or not is beside the point. Quite frankly, posting in three separate topics asking what games people like and consoles they have on a support forum where people have real and concerns and problems, shows an utter lack of not only respect for their worries but also an immaturity or insecurity on your part.

Now to answer your actual point with some obvious logic.

If someone spends all day down the pub or in a local bar drinking all the time, alone or in groups, needing, not just choosing to keep that behavior going AND wishing they could stop (the last bit is critical). Then that person has a problem and if they are unable to stop that behavior despite wanting to, they have an addiction

Having spent all my life playing video games, literally, I am you’re extreme, hardcore gamer subject, who does have a serious problem. From 12 years of age to now 28, blowing off jobs, university, relationships, friends, you name it to play games. I’ve sold my collection, sold my computers and consoles half a dozen times to try and stop but always I go back to playing computer games and wasting all my time doing so.

When you have had years and years of constant enjoyment from something, giving it up is not easy, it becomes a behavior and condition like any other addiction. Also, yes there is some chemical effect of any pleasure on the brain and playing games is a low level but importantly constant high.

You might say I and others like me are just weak willed but I don’t for instance over eat, I lost 3 stone in the last two years long distance running, I’m pretty good socially when I do get out (rarely), I’ve run successful businesses twice in my life for a year each and always thrown it away for this damm addiction.

Now chemically its not as difficult as giving up smoking but behavior wise it is more difficult, because although your still have the routine of going occasionally for a cigarette when you give up smoking, you have the routine of getting up, switching your computer, having nearly all your social contacts online, having very little of your life left apart from the computer, having years and years of positive reinforced memories. When your a video game addict like I am, there is nothing else in your life and when you try to give it up your left with a overwhelming void.

Then to top it off we have people like you, not only dismissing our concerns but worse, often laughing at us when we tell them. Thus many of us go on in an endless cycle.

I will also add many people can have a drink and not have a problem with alcoholism, many people can have a chocolate, bar and not chronically overeat.

That doesn't make alcoholism or obesity any less of a problem in the people that do develop it.

finaly someone gets me

When it means a grown man is away from his family, sneaking off, lying & ditching work to spend 10 hours in front of a computer then I consider it to be a dangerous addiction.

I'm all for people enjoying playing games but like everything it needs to be in moderation. Some people become addicted more easily & over time it can destroy their lives. Read some of the stories on here to see the effect gaming can have on relationships, marriages & families. Support is what I came here for.

I actually had someone in this thread tell me to shut up and let them discuss video games, that my addiction didn't matter.

This really tops people's attitudes off, when they have to come to the one place we can find some support and solace and not only try and derail the forum but also hound its members. You have THOUSANDS of video game forums, go and use them.

I was tempted to go to your forum and start posting about how I enjoy your addiction but unlike the person who messaged me I am not as heartless as they are.

That said i'm going to start reporting any new posts in this forum that show the same lack of respect that I was just messaged with.

I agree that Mekko's post is inappropriate in this forum. Also, MJ191, I am sorry to read that you got such a heartless reply from somebody. You should definitely report any such posts as this forum should be a safe place for people like you to share and get help.