3 reactions
LPT: Principles for getting past addictions and transforming your life
As someone who struggled with a gaming and alcohol addiction for over 9 years, I know the painful impact it had on my life, yet also the feeling of being stuck continuing it. It consumed my time, energy, and focus, leaving little room for relationships or anything meaningful. Now that I'm in a much better place, I'm writing this to hopefully help others in a similar position.
In a particularly dark period in my life, I found a great therapist who helped me understand the root cause of my addiction and some ideas to overcome it. The first step was recognizing that gaming was an escape mechanism, a way to avoid dealing with real life challenges and emotions.
Together, we worked on choosing healthier coping mechanisms and strategies to deal with stress and anxiety. One was cycling with a group, another was practicing meditation to calm my mind, and also writing/journaling to recover some ability to focus.
But I was still struggling. One of the things that finally shocked me enough to cut out the games I played was actually a page that showed me the exact math of the path I was going down. It was like a visual forecast of how you'll spend your time based on your current situation. Seeing the ridiculous number of hours I would be throwing down the drain made me feel a little sick, and I finally decided to uninstall League of Legends completely. The best interactive tool was cloudburst.it, and there's another basic article version on Wait but why - both completely free, no need to signup.
Once I had time freed up, things were much easier, and I set some targets for myself, slowly building my way up towards them. After removing the games and having something else to do, the temptations went surprisingly quick - and as I started experiencing occasional small successes, the urge to game again diminished significantly.
Now, I'm living a much more balanced life with healthier things to spend time on in place of gaming.
If you're struggling from something similar, know that change is easier than it feels. Sometimes one action can make a huge difference. Start by creating the desire to make change, accepting your current position, and ideally get help from friends, professionals, or a support group who understand the struggle. It's worth trying things like visualization or goal-setting to get the motivation to finally begin the change. It won't be easy, but man has it been worth it – not only will you regain control over your life, but also unlock new opportunities for meaning and happiness.
As someone who struggled with a gaming and alcohol addiction for over 9 years, I know the painful impact it had on my life, yet also the feeling of being stuck continuing it. It consumed my time, energy, and focus, leaving little room for relationships or anything meaningful. Now that I'm in a much better place, I'm writing this to hopefully help others in a similar position.
In a particularly dark period in my life, I found a great therapist who helped me understand the root cause of my addiction and some ideas to overcome it. The first step was recognizing that gaming was an escape mechanism, a way to avoid dealing with real life challenges and emotions.
Together, we worked on choosing healthier coping mechanisms and strategies to deal with stress and anxiety. One was cycling with a group, another was practicing meditation to calm my mind, and also writing/journaling to recover some ability to focus.
But I was still struggling. One of the things that finally shocked me enough to cut out the games I played was actually a page that showed me the exact math of the path I was going down. It was like a visual forecast of how you'll spend your time based on your current situation. Seeing the ridiculous number of hours I would be throwing down the drain made me feel a little sick, and I finally decided to uninstall League of Legends completely. The best interactive tool was cloudburst.it, and there's another basic article version on Wait but why - both completely free, no need to signup.
Once I had time freed up, things were much easier, and I set some targets for myself, slowly building my way up towards them. After removing the games and having something else to do, the temptations went surprisingly quick - and as I started experiencing occasional small successes, the urge to game again diminished significantly.
Now, I'm living a much more balanced life with healthier things to spend time on in place of gaming.
If you're struggling from something similar, know that change is easier than it feels. Sometimes one action can make a huge difference. Start by creating the desire to make change, accepting your current position, and ideally get help from friends, professionals, or a support group who understand the struggle. It's worth trying things like visualization or goal-setting to get the motivation to finally begin the change. It won't be easy, but man has it been worth it – not only will you regain control over your life, but also unlock new opportunities for meaning and happiness.
1
| 21,000 mlx | |
| 75 | |
| 3 |