People who used to be addicted to video games, but are now living fun/interesting lives - can you tell me how you did it?
I stopped playing video games. Like, I just didn't do it anymore.
Now I play games on my ipad sometimes, and that's fine.
I used to be addicted to MMORPGs and other games but now all I do is work, study and sometimes watch tv with my wife or get dragged out on trips
I was happier before
>>16990464
there comes a time when men need to stop consuming and start creating.
i played video games and watched TV up until about 8th grade. then i started writing my own TV shows nd designing my own games and such.
you dont have to be successful or do it as anything more than a hobby, but man feels unfulfilled when hes not creating. its hwy society exists.
>>16990482
>Men
>8th grade
lol
>>16990485
missed the point. either way
>man
>addicted to video games
good luck with that.
>>16990467
>>16990466
If i want to completly cut out video games, I think I have to replace it with something that gives me the same sense of satisfaction.
Basically I play a lot of Dota 2 (MOBA), so if anyone has specifically has quit LoL HotS, Smite etc could they also give me their story?\
What are some suggestions/hobbies as to what I can replace the addiction with.
I grew incredibly cynical about video games thanks to /v/ and a lack of disposable income.
>>16990482
>man feels unfulfilled when hes not creating.
Good point.
Go to the gym, start learning how to hit on girls so you can have amazing sex and threesomes, liek wtf.
>>16990464
Stop being a faggot OP. What the hell does "fun/interesting" even mean? It's such a vague idea, is it banging chicks and getting high every night? Traveling often? Being famous? Having a good job and a family?
Find out for yourself what you think "fun/interesting" means before you ask people, no one can give you a universal answer here for this question.
>>16990517
Well I guess fun/interesting means to me
>Having something you are really good at
>Being financially independent - owning own business
>Being able to make quick, good decisions
>Being able to work hard and stick with decision I make
Only change I have recently made is go to bed at 9pm and get up at 4am every morning in the effort to push more time into my day.
I graduated high school.
>>16990535
Oh and I guess
>Having fun being socialble and not being afraid -an having friends
>>16990535
Sign up to the gym and start lifting early mornings. And get laid, for real bro.
I personally loved games with an adventurous overtones. Zelda, Chrono trigger, secret of mana, dragon quest etc etc.
I thought the transistion was a bit more intuitive to be honest.
Essentially
> Bring the same enthusiam for adventure IRL.
>think of working as grinding for gold
> think of new hobbies or skills learned in tiers or levels as you gain more proficiency.
>having more skillsets allows for better quests or better jobs that lead to more gold for less grinding.
More importantly
> be the member that everyone wants in the party because of what you can bring.
> be a badass NPC
More importantly, offer the kind of experiences that people will carry with them.
Source.
> skydiver
> master scuba diver
> technical diver
> wreck diver
> pilot
> student yachtsman/sailor.
Im /out/ atm but i can reply to any questions you have later on if this thread is still up
>>16990464
i have an important goal in life and i deleted the games and i decided to play in the summer. i redownload every now and then when my weekends are boring af.
>>16990494
Just quit you fucking faggot I quit LoL after a while its not that hard just go cold turkey its a video game you fucking pussy
>>16990494
>MOBAs
you could always start a support group with other people who are also trying to quit MOBAs. you can arrange meetups, all put on headsets, and scream at each other until one of you has an aneurysm. it'd be like methadone.
or like >>16990542 said, lifting is good. almost everybody I've ever known who got into MOBAs either developed an anger/ego problem from playing them or already had one. so lifting is a good outlet for that. I'm partly joking but mostly serious. lifting is actually not a bad hobby. running or some other exercise is good too, or even yoga.
>>16990661
see?
also >>16990644 has the right idea.
another thing I have done sometimes with vidya is cut way back and only use it as a reward for getting other shit done. or set a timer when you sit down, and you can only play 1 hour or X number of minutes or whatever, then you're done for the day. if you can do that, I'd recommend it - vidya is fun and there's nothing inherently wrong with it. but it's like anything else - if you can't cut back, you should probably quit cold turkey or at least take a break for a few months.
I used to work with a middle-aged lady who worked 50-hour weeks in a super stressful customer service job. she told me sometimes she sits down with some relaxing music, a glass of wine, and a colouring book and crayons. and she just colours.
you gotta do you. work every day towards improving you, but make time for play too, whether that's vidya or something else.
I liked games with systems that can be exploited and big numbers so I learned programming. Now I make more than all my friends/family and do stuff besides games like cooking bbqs and saving all my money into 401k and investing.
>>16990464
I know we are all different but I'll elaborate OP.
There was a point in my life where video games were everything for me. I remember clocking in 400+ hours of Skyrim before the first DLC came out along with 500+ hours for Fallout New Vegas.
I told myself enough is enough and looked for other hobbies. I ended up taking up working out replacing the video game addiction. Hell, you don't need a gym membership. I just ended up being addicted to working out at home thanks to the beach body programs you can download via torrents. I liked it because it ended up giving me confidence. I started going out more, got a job, and life has been good ever since. Sure, I still play vidya when I have the time. But that's just me OP. Best of luck.
Thread interest bump
>>16990494
Pretty much I went back to my hobby of drawing. I arranged my room so that I had to choose to either be playing games in one desk or draw in the other one. Eventually I decided that drawing was more important to me and studying for cal 2 since I failed it once. I motivating myself to pursue better things.
>>16991384
> I'm motivating
>>16990464
Find a way to just not use your computer, I used to be a hardcore Dota player in highschool and then my computer broke so I was too lazy to get it fixed, my parents pressured me into joining sports teams, became a "triple threat" athlete, varsity letters across the board, got a gf because I was in good shape and was beginning to actually gather people skills, pretty much became a Chad, all because I had to reinstall my operating software.
there's no such thing as a fun/interesting life
video games have fooled you into believing that to be the case
Video games are more fun and interesting than any life I've ever heard of.
Got a job, met boyfriend at said job, forgot about games bc now I'm always occupied with him
>>16990494
Take breaks, start with 1 day playing the game, then 1 day not playing, then 1 day playing, 2 days not playing, 1 day playing, 3 days not playing, etc. Eventually you just don't want to play, it doesn't seem like it should work but it does.
I used to be really into video games in Highschool/early years of University Part of the problem was that parents went through a very messy divorce (6 years hundreds of thousands of dollars). Regardless video games were my escape. Played a lot of RuneScape. Luckily Jagex fucked in 2007, and I started working more and more so I had less and less time to grind for ever and ever. Slowly friends stopped playing as well and people just starting playing less and less. I get to University, joined the army reserves and found that I had very little time to do all of my school work, actual army work, staying in shape and social life that videos games sort of just got cut out.
Every summer for the first little bit I'll grind hard for a day or two on a private server and then I'll be like "nah you don't have time for this". Was a huge xbox nerd as well growing up as well. But now if I play it is the "classics" such as san andrenas, burnout 3 and NFSU 2.
Moved to another province, learning a new language and I really don't have the time for video games now. The new xbox came out what year a go? I have no intentions of even buying it. Hell all of my video are boxed up at my parents and I have no intention of even getting these for awhile, at least until I know what my living situation is for the long term. Once my laptop dies (almost 5 year old dell) I'll replace it with a $500-750 dollar Best Buy special.
Four biggest pieces of advice:
A) Make more friends
B) Get in Shape (You will have a lot more energy and be able to do so many more things
C) Occupy your spare time, whether this is reading, learning, night course, part time job
D) Be good with your money so you can afford to fun/interesting things when the moment arises.
Honestly, friends.
When I moved away from home and started living in my own apartment and attending college, I made friends and started hanging out with them and stopped playing video games less and less.
I still play vidya once in a while. One friend of mine and I play Smash Bros a good bit, and I just bought Twilight Princess HD, and I play Battlefront online once in a blue moon, but other than that, I've cut down from God knows how many hours a week to maybe one or two.
Nothing wrong with video games. Just distracts from life sometimes. I used it to cope with loneliness from back home, but when I fixed that, my need went away. Maybe since I was able to shake it so easily, it wasn't an 'addiction,' but I was definitely consumed.
I used to watch anime and browse tumblr all day every day. Now I watch maybe five episodes a week and spend only twenty minutes a day on that godforsaken website. What I've done:
>get pets that demand a lot of care (I got two rabbits in a huge pen)
>start working out at least three times a week
>make friends so you have a reason to go out more
>one by one, start introducing yourself to new interests: movies (I often go to the cinema on my own), reading, music, etc.. make sure not to lose yourself in them like you did with your vidya
>>16990464
Videogames started sucking more and more as they came out meanwhile, I've been getting more and more busy with life.
Who cares. Do what you enjoy, you colossal faggot.
I have a similar question:
How do I take someone with a fun/interesting life and get them hooked on playing videogames with me for fun?
Op you can do both.
Do something else.
Work out, Musical Insturment, ect.
If you get a gf you'll spend time with her instead.
Honestly guys spend to much time with thier gf anyways.
So take some time out of that play a game for an hour.
>>16990644
>Chrono trigger, secret of mana
Oh GOD I love it when you talk dirty to me. I loved both and wouldn't trade my first play throughs of either of those games for anything. It was "life changingly" fun. I STILL remember scenes and events out of those games today (I'm 29).
>>16990464
>People who used to be addicted to video games
Recovered WoWcrack addict. Diablo 2. NOX. FF series, many others here.
>but are now living fun/interesting lives
I feel that I am.
>can you tell me how you did it?
Planning and execution.
You playing video games is part of you having a fun and interesting life. That's part of you. The fact that you see it as a negative seems pretty biased Anon. Don't hate video games; hate that you love them so much that you can't control yourself. I understand. But though I had to give up WoW, I wouldn't take it back. I still remember the excitement of Stranglethorn Vale - Contested territory jungle terrorist fighting. Holy shit was that fun. I loved raiding. Don't hate video games. Hate that:
>there comes a time when men need to slow down on the consuming and start doing more creating.
Video games have a place. Where that place is depends on what else you want. I wanted /fit, /career, women, friends... so things take work. Learning how to cook. Learning how to be /fit. Going to the gym. Practicing my conversational skills and my sex game. This all takes planning and WORK.
So go put in the work Anon. Video games can be part of that schedule.
>>16991391
This post made me laugh
I grew out of it. I have hundreds of games on Steam and I don't feel like playing anything, everythings looks boring (and they are, games today suck ass)
WoW is the only game I don't hate nowadays, but I don't have friends that play it, so I don't pay for it.
It was good, I have a good career coming up now.
>>16991405
This is good advice too
>>16990464
When I started college I just didn't have the time for it. Over summers I'll still play more, but even then I have to work all the time.
That alone brought me from playing easily 20-40 hours a week to 3-5 hours a week.
>>16990464
Man I used to be an officer in the top guild on the realm in WoW, fucking playing 18+ hours a day, raiding, world pvp, realm firsts (NA top 50s), brothers in arms and all that jazz. Now I work 60 hours a day, reminiscing those days. Fuck that was the time of my life
>>16991789
>Now I work 60 hours a day
What
>>16991806
Oops, meant week
>>16991747
>It was "life changingly" fun
It sown the seeds that got me addicted to adventure desu.
I took up sailing because of windwaker.
Im working towards my first offshore solo, but small steps first.
Thread bump
I got RSI from gaming which forced me to quit.
I started playing sports because they are "games".
Made irl friends and started using my time for other hobbies.
>>16990464
I broke away from video games but replaced them with 4chan, which is pretty good at ruining your enjoyment of other things.
>>16990494
I sold all of my steam inventory, unistalled the game, then went away with some friends for a weekend. I wanted to play again for a little while, but I always stopped myself, can't really understand why I was so addicted back then.
I play a shitton of videogames, study, work, and go to parties all the time.
If you like videogames, play videogames, nothing wrong.
Got a job, removed the game shortcuts from my pc desktop/task bar, never said no to friends going out even if its some shitty club i dont like the music of.
Honestly the politics in video games got me to quit. I was getting so tired of the shady business practices and other shit that had nothing to do with games that I just stopped. I still play occasionally but not like I used to.
Back when I was a kid I remember people in college always played video games but now since there is no more splits screen or LAN, no one really plays anymore. It's either you are hardcore or you don't play at all.
>>16990464
>People who used to be addicted to video games
true.
>but are now living fun/interesting lives
nope.
>can you tell me how you did it?
Depression is the best way to stop doing something you love.
I Will replace part of my time i use on gaming to playing the violin.
Will purchase one this summer.
Bump for interest
>>16990464
I sold my Xbox 360 when I deployed to shitcanistan. When I got back the Xbone had come out. But, I decided to save my money and not get another. Haven't played a game since. What I'm saying is: Sell the games, do something else. Get a new hobby.
My new hobby is travel. Now that I'm out of the mreens.
I got good at guitar, practising to a metronome. I got a band together and now we're playing gigs. How did I do it? I just felt my life wasting away and decided to stop doing anything that stops me bettering myself.
So after (mostly) fucking around in college for 2.5 semesters, I've decided to commute next year and finish a BA in Economics.
I go to a pretty good state school in New England, and even though I fucked up a lot of my classes and smoked wayyyy too much pot, I had the fucking time of my life.
That ran out as friends dropped out, started taking harder engineering courses, etc. Basically I'm going to sit down, smoke way less, and finish my degree without acquiring that much more debt because I'll commute.
After that, what should I do? Get a Master's Degree (presumably at a better school)? Obviously, I can't make a great deal with a BS in Economics, but does anyone have any actual figures?
>>16990464
Idk it started when Destiny came out. Then I saw that all video games are is a time sink, something you do when you could/should be doing something else. So I thought "fuck it" I'm done with the numbers game. And I just kind of petered off from there.
I still boot up Medieval 2 every now and again though, it's one of the single greatest games ever created
I started playing video games in middle school, halo 2 everyday after school all day... then runescape..then wow. Played all the time my few friends from school all played those games too. Never really did sports or anything. I kinda stopped playing as much after high school and fell into a crowd of like grunge kids that just hung out and did drugs and drank. I had a few odd jobs here n there but mostly just didn't do shit and smoked pot and drank.
I met my current girlfriend and she definitely changed my life for good. I decided I needed to be better and actually do something instead of just sitting at home playing games. I was 19 with no job, a broken truck, few friends, nothing going for me. Now I'm gonna be 24, work full time for the fire dept. I'm probably 30 lbs heavier and still lean.
I was a fucking fat shitlord, spent about ~10 hours a day on the computer. There was a girl who took interest in me. We started dating, my life forever changed. Anyway, long story short, she got me to go outside and actually do shit, which started my weight loss. After I broke up with her I became a gym regular. Yadda Yadda yadda 1 year later and I try to be social and barely spend any time playing video games, except for days where I have jack to do.
TLDR: Just go out and do things. Make friends, be social, take risks. Life is so much more than the computer. (TBF I fucking hate my life right now, I was actually happier back when I was hopelessly addicted to computer games, but I don't think i'd ever go back.)
>>16990464
I could have been a straight A's student in high school, could've had a great social life, and even become so much better at my other hobbies that slowly died off because I was always playing video games (guitar, soccer & martial arts, reading and writing, drawing).
I ended up barely graduating and without all of these things.
I started eating healthy. No sugar, no salt, less meat, and absolutely no artificial foods. None. No soda, no takeout, nothing that comes in a plastic bag.
I started taking better care of myself: better sleep schedule, going to the gym.
I also had a lot of fights with my mother because of the time i spent playing videogames. It almost came to me hitting her a couple of times.
I played a lot of games but slowly eveything was becoming boring, except for League. It was pretty much League and nothing else for me in the last couple of years.
I even had dreams of going pro / starting a stream and shit.
I took a gap year with the excuse that I wasnt ready to commit myself to a university or a specific mayor. I spent the first three months of that year pretty much playing videogames. This is when things got really bad between me an my mom. I went to live with a cousin for three months, another city, so i was pretty independent. I started trying to make money through my own interests, so i worked here and there, and i even started up a little project for myself.
>>16997531
I just lost half my text because i didnt copy it.
Long story short i realized that i had let down myself by allowing me to waste my better years and opportunities, i cared enough about what im worth that i tried to make up for what i had made my mother go through, and myself.
I stopped eating shit, i stopped watching pornography (i still strughle with this), i started working out, and slowly i gained enough momentum to never want to look back. I wasted so much time and i didnt appreciate the opportunity i had to be the person i always wanted to be when i was a kid.
I owe it to myself, so i guess you just have to care enough to force yourself to become that better person, because addiction is a bitch to overcome. Its a feeling of stagnation and excessive comfort that fucks you over and overbears you.
>>16997329
>Just go out and do things. Make friends, be social, take risks.
>this
taking risks can be perceived as going out of your comfort zone, but essentially it means that you get yourself to start something new, keep learning.
>>16990464
Why would you want to stop playing videogames
Its really fucking sad man.
My friend group are all "gamers" and they're the most deluded, saddest people ever.
They all pride themselves at being unique, interesting and good at judging others. They're good guys; but as soon as i take them to a local concert or a house party- the truth really speaks.
I do love being around them because they're friendly and accepting--- although they're much better at magic the gathering, building dungeons and dragons characters- or knowing what big PC/console games are coming out next;
It started by me being interested in creating art- which lead me to learning music, which lead me to conversing with people who actually go outside, to be nerdy about things that don't require you staying glued to a TV set.
I still play my famicom that i got in Tokyo sometimes when i'm bored; but i'd much rather create than obsess over something that someone else created. Why not just use the most unique games you can think of for inspiration to create?
My japanese friend put it best; there are bad otaku- and there are otaku for creation.
Don't be another one of those golden creatives that rots away with a controller in their hand instead of a pencil or an instrument.
I played Battlefield 1942 for like 16 hours a day for a good 7 years or so. I was absolutely unstoppable at that game, with like an 8 KDR. Then one day I just stopped and focused all my time to music (was still living at home then). Now I'm in a band that's opening for acts like Chvuches and Thievery Corporation. You just gotta switch that focus to something productive.
I realized how out of hand it got: waking up super early to play minecraft or other games with international friends,.... And after a while I just got bored and I'm not as hyped for games as I once was.. It didn't happen overnight, but thinking about how bad it is did help me.
started doing drugs
started drinking
started working
no time for video games, rather be smashing pussy or making money
Full time job = hour or 2 of gaming per night tops for me
Unemployed = All day every day anytime I'm not job seeking
When you have money to spend your options get a lot greater (in every sense of the word)
>>16990464
>People who used to be addicted to video games, but are now living fun/interesting lives - can you tell me how you did it?
Mandatory fucking draft over here. (Yes it still exists in some countries)
3 years of dicking around as a helicopter mechanic.
