(Forgive me ahead of time please! My thoughts are so scattered today but I want to try and answer your question if I can!). When I read your question, I get the feeling you are uncomfortable with playing games too much. An example of a time when I felt that way a lot was a time when I no longer felt better, or like I was having fun while playing, but I was addicted so I played anyways. I've learned things about myself since then and I feel I have a better way of responding if I become too involved with something or even see it happening ahead of time (Too much of anything is bad for you right? Or at least that's what I've heard!). Luxuriant Bubblegum, don't feel like you are failing okay! I can say that because I know your desire is the RIGHT one. You want to do what is best and you can definitely succeed, you have succeeded already by asking for opinions/advice/help! In dealing with any addiction things won't always be easy, and you may indeed slip up a lot. My advice comes from a little experience as well as reading books and looking up information about how things work (mainly the brain). I've researched the brain to try to understand my depression, and knowing something of what's happening to me has helped a lot. First, and briefly. Here are two links, and as well how you can find similar information with a simple search: http://curiosity.discovery.com/question/reward-center-in-brain-work. I link this because it talks about how habits are formed. And the link below is focused on attraction but it also talks about the chemical dopamine: "Dopamine: When you feel elated, giddy, or pleasure, dopamine is the culprit. This is a double-edged sword, though. Dopamine is responsible for rewarding stimuli, which nurtures habit-forming behaviors. This is beneficial in (hopefully) positive romantic relationships, but it also affects negative behaviors like cravings and drug abuse. In other words, when you're infatuated with someone, your body is rewarding you with feel-good chemicals, whether or not it may be a good decision." http://lifehacker.com/why-you-make-bad-decisions-when-youre-attracted-to-som-1501035149 A summary of what I'm getting at is this, the information I've posted can help with understanding how you became addicted to games and why it's so hard to quit. You can unlearn habits because they are an impulsive response to past experience, albeit a powerful response. But you are in control and with some hard work, you can reward yourself by improving your control over your addiction and reversing the process that has you stuck there. Becoming free of your addiction I would say is an intimidating goal, is it not? So don't focus directly on that, literally focus on what is in front of you, the things you can work with here and now. I suggest you start by obtaining a notebook of sorts where you can get organized (a cheap college ruled notebook would work fine), and you will be able to start to see where you are now by writing down how much time you spend playing games on a daily basis, or even breaking up a day into pieces. Make a goal to improve, make your first goal small. Say, if you spent 6 hours playing games yesterday, make a goal that you will play less today, and pat yourself on the back when you succeed! Replace a little bit of gaming time with something else that's enjoyable (for you to decide!) If there's something you've been wanting to do like go outside and suntan (small example). The picture I'm trying to paint in probably much greater detail than is necessary is this: It can feel like you are being pulled in one direction by a powerful magnet, but you can still resist right? And I would suggest that you can start chipping away at that magnet by slowly breaking pieces off instead of trying to get away all at once, it's really hard to do it all at once. Here is a quote that I like from Thomas S. Monson: "When performance is measured, performance improves. When performance is measured and reported, the rate of improvement is accelerated" You measure your progress by keeping track of it (a notebook is the easiest way I've found), and then if you check in with yourself and look back and see how you've improved you might find that you are progressing faster than you thought. If you slip up, make a mistake, you haven't landed back at ground zero. Just be determined to keep moving! I wish you the best of luck and great success in overcoming your addiction, I hope something in here will help you!
