Ask HN: How do you avoid video game addiction?

#1

Post by Volrath89 » Thu, Apr 07, 2022, 4:23 PM UTC

I'm a mid 30s male, software developer, married without children.

I started playing a video game at the end of 2019, and played every time I could when my wife was not home. Then came 2020, covid lockdowns, also I started getting better at the game (the ladder systems are so addictive) and played more. In 2021 I just didn't care anymore whether my wife was home or not or even if I was supposed to be working and started playing all the time. I'd wake up early to play and would go to bed late to catch up with work I had not done during the day.

According to Steam I played over 2.000 hours during 2020 and 2021.

Finally I decided I was seriously addicted and uninstalled the game, unsubscribed from everyone related to the game in youtube, quit all discord communities, and it worked.

I have been now "clean" for 4 months. But sometimes I crave to go back and play. I watched a youtube video in incognito recently of some famous player and had so much urge to play again. But I'm afraid just by installing the game I will be going back to the addiction.

Is it possible to have a "healthy" amount of playing? Let's say just a couple of hours in the weekends? The only reason I think I have been able to not play for 4 months is because it's time consuming for me to download/install the game again, set my keyboard shortcuts, etc. It will take at least 1 hour for me to set up everything and that's what is preventing me to go back. But if I had the game available and ready to launch in a click I am not sure I would be able to play only some hours on the weekends.

What I love about this particular game is how I can totally focus mind and body for each 30-40 minutes match where I won't take a look at my cellphone or anything can distract me really because I'm totally focused basically in a real "flow" state. Of course it's a flow state for something irrelevant to my life or society, so it's basically a waste of time I guess... But I also don't have the change to get to this flow state in my day job or in other activity really, adult life can be so boring sometimes...

Really curious if someone else has experienced something similar

Re: Ask HN: How do you avoid video game addiction?

#2

Post by excitednumber » Thu, Apr 07, 2022, 4:36 PM UTC

Just don’t. Fill the gap. Meditate. Build something.

Re: Ask HN: How do you avoid video game addiction?

#3

Post by olalonde » Thu, Apr 07, 2022, 4:38 PM UTC

I know my tendency to get addicted so I just don't play games anymore.

Re: Ask HN: How do you avoid video game addiction?

#4

Post by superkuh » Thu, Apr 07, 2022, 4:38 PM UTC

> Gambling disorder is the only behavioral addiction (as opposed to substance use) identified in DSM-5.

There is no such thing as video game addition. Video games do not directly hijack the substrates your brain uses for calculating motivation and interest. It's just another stimuli coming in through your normal senses. There is nothing magical, good or bad, about stimuli on screens.

Re: Ask HN: How do you avoid video game addiction?

#5

Post by unfocussed_mike » Thu, Apr 07, 2022, 4:39 PM UTC

I avoid immersive games entirely because I can lose days to them.

Avoiding at source is not the only way to manage a willpower problem but it is the most decisive.

Re: Ask HN: How do you avoid video game addiction?

#6

Post by excitednumber » Thu, Apr 07, 2022, 4:39 PM UTC

excitednumber wrote: post #2

Just don’t. Fill the gap. Meditate. Build something.

I’m not associated but there’s a recent book called “how to change”. Worth a read.

Re: Ask HN: How do you avoid video game addiction?

#7

Post by excitednumber » Thu, Apr 07, 2022, 4:39 PM UTC

superkuh wrote: post #4

> Gambling disorder is the only behavioral addiction (as opposed to substance use) identified in DSM-5. There is no such thing as video game addition. Video games do not directly hijack the substrates your brain uses for calculating motivation and interest. It's just another stimuli coming in through your normal senses. There is nothing magical, good or bad, about stimuli on screens.

This is so, so wrong.

Re: Ask HN: How do you avoid video game addiction?

#8

Post by brobdingnagians » Thu, Apr 07, 2022, 4:40 PM UTC

I have a similar thing, if I install a particular game I tend to play a bit too much, then uninstall and won't play for awhile; and reinstalling it takes several hours on my lousy internet connection.

I do play a healthy amount of another game, but tend to play with my siblings and it is more about the social aspect rather than the game itself.

I agree that filling the time with something better is important, and to stick to a particular amount of time with a game. The "just one more match" syndrome is real, and can create issues.

Re: Ask HN: How do you avoid video game addiction?

#9

Post by redsh » Thu, Apr 07, 2022, 4:40 PM UTC

If you really need to stop, use cheats.

That will break the dopamine cycle and you’ll be free.

Maybe it also works to limit play time to healthy levels.

For example, I was once playing quite a bit of WoW, and after I trying it out on an unofficial server where I could teleport anywhere made the game lose all its appeal.

Re: Ask HN: How do you avoid video game addiction?

#10

Post by uuyi » Thu, Apr 07, 2022, 4:41 PM UTC

Did something similar here years ago with original Unreal Tournament. Spent up to 8 hours a day playing it on week days, 15-18 hours at weekends for two entire years. Just woke up one day, walked into the bathroom, stared at the mirror for about 5 minutes and asked myself what the hell I was doing. Waltzed into the bedroom where my PC was, uninstalled it and never played a game again. I think I was just "done" at that point.

Within 18 months I got a new job, moved out of home, was married and had a child so go figure at what you're missing out on and go and do that instead.