Coping with Gaming Addiction: Advice from Reddit (of all places)
Last night as I was feeling the urge to game due to my addition to gaming, I decided to put out a reddit post sharing my struggles and what I was planning to do about it. Normally, reddit can be a pretty intimidating place with a lot of edgy people who are out to gain karma for their posts rather than answering an inquiry in good faith. However, I was pleasantly surprised when the answers to my question started flowing in with personal stories of how other gamers are able to have a healthy relationship with gaming, or simply giving votes of confidence, to keep going on my quest to break the cycle and stop the crippling gaming addiction I have had for the last 10 years now. I will try to summarize the reddit post responses in this blog, but for those interested in seeing the full discussion, you can visit the reddit post here.
In my post, I mentioned that the primary strategy I am employing to combat my gaming addiction is by trying to fill up my day with empowering things to replace gaming so that the urge to game becomes less. This includes walking daily and going to the gym, reading, and writing. So far, this has helped me out immensely, but right around the evening time when I have done all of the things I needed to do with my day, the urge to game becomes most acute. This is the biggest risk of having a gaming relapse because ultimately, when I am bored, gaming was the first thing I always turned to. This is where I hoped the reddit could help me with some ideas of what I could do to further stop this urge during the most vulnerable times of the day. The following points are a summary of some of the responses I got from reddit:
- Watch Anime or TV Shows
- Play Single Player Games instead
- Get a Job
- Get a Girlfriend
- Learn to play an Instrument
- Go to Church
- Walk in Nature / Go to the Gym
- Eat a Cleaner Diet
- Give up Caffeine, Energy Drinks, and Sodas
- Figure out root problem (escapism)
- Put limits on your gaming
- Only game once all other IRL tasks are done
- Find another hobby like Legos, knitting, jigsaw puzzles, crosswords, sudoku
- Watch YouTube to learn something new (cooking)
- Get professional help and therapy
- Listen to Audiobooks
- Work on Professional Ambitions (coding, websites, certifications)
- Join the r/stopgaming reddit
- Meditation
- Listen to Music
- Cycling
- Volunteer / Join a Club
- GetColdTurkey program to moderate PC Habits (limits usage)
- Use AI to Learn to Code (CodeAcademy / LabNext)
- Learn a New Language
- Board Games and Trading Card Games
- House Chores
- Play / Walk with Pets
I may have missed some of the responses and categories of ways that I can replace my gaming urges with the list of activities above, but this should summarize many of the responses received in the reddit post. Looking at this list, I need to come up with a bit of an action plan to incorporate some of these activities back into my life. I think some quick wins can be going out and seeking therapy at a local establishment to see if they have any experience in dealing with gaming addiction, and if they don't, continually trying to find a therapist who could help in this regard. Additionally, filling up my time by either going to church again after years of not attending and perhaps finding some volunteer opportunities through that venue may be a good option. I also hear that church may be a good place to meet friends and perhaps even a girlfriend if things go well.
For once, reddit has left me feeling empowered about the road ahead. Perhaps the internet is not as cruel of a place as many of us, me included, believe it to be. There are good people everywhere who have gone through similar struggles with their gaming addictions, and it warms my heart to see that the struggle is not one I have to go through alone. I hope that others who are dealing with similar unhealthy relationships in their gaming habits find the strength to change their lives for the better. Know that I, and others, are routing for you, and I wish you a wonderful day!
Until next time,
Blackboa