Any Compulsive Gamers/Gamblers Here? Share Your Recovery Stories <<PLEASE>> :)

[Tesla_WTC_Solution]

http://imageshack.us/a/img441/4636/triplefortunedragonhero.png

I wanted to ask if there were any people here on this forum who not only enjoy posting here and playing on the internet some, but who struggle with addictions in the area of online/computerized gaming and/or online & offline gambling/wagering/games of chance, etc.

I was wondering, what is it about these visually stimulating, reptilian-brain-thrilling randomized games, that keeps us humans crawling back to the machines for another helping?

And speaking of helping, does anyone here have a good strategy for transitioning away from this manic, high-paced lifestyle of gaming and staying up all night to do it more, toward a healthy, balanced, and maybe even SLOW lifestyle of working then playing?

I seem to have a lot of trouble with processes, lists, things with an order to them, i.e. scheduling, remembering, etc. Part of the time, I try to suppress a lot of this energy by smoking weed and puttering around the house. But it's just not enough. I want something and it's not getting any easier living with out.

What is it that I want, do you think? Outside more? A sport? Some kind of extreme hobby or technical pursuit? Should I get into garage stuff like making bikes and experimenting with wires n stuff?


http://imageshack.us/a/img72/3356/wall11600x1200.jpg

What is a mad scientist without a lab to do? Start re-educating myself by reading lower grade school texts instead of playing all these games? The game in question is WoW but what really bugs me is, I have a new gambling addiction at these WA Indian rez casinos, and I like it about 1000% more than WoW. I could spend my whole SSDI check in three days at a casino, believe me! It's a terrible addiction and added to my problems could very well be the straw that breaks the camel's back!

How can I turn myself into a person who cares more about people than things?
I am like the dragon from the Hobbit! I acquire all this loot and have no use for it, and get out only when I am motivated by the wrong reasons, like violence, restlessness, or greed! I don't pursue social or healthy activities and everyone who knows me thinks I am "off".

I hate being the black sheep in the family, but God they are so boring! What is it about humans that some of us are "ON" and some of us are "OFF", and it's so hard to make the switch between on and off so that our lives bear some semblance of a balance?

Over and out,
/endrant

lol! :baby:

P.S. I've actually put WoW before my family and I started feeling postal. :(

[meeradas]

Don't have any recipes, just know that i sympathize strongly with you.

[Just in case: My gambling time is long over. I turned to music (http://soundcloud.com/rama-the-k). Also addictive, and 'unbalanced'... *sigh*]

[donk]

Admitting you have a problem is the hardest and most important thing...without it you can't change.

Making the conscious decision to change is almost as hard, and just about as important.

When I chose to stop drinking (only because my kid asked me too--so I can't really relate as much to putting my addiction ahead of my family, though I shoo them away to get down on some CoD, or go play poker)...anyway--when I made the choice (with help), I found the support group side of AA helpful--I don't do PROGRAMS (which is what most people there need (and perhaps would benefit you?), but I got a lot out of listening to others with similar mindset but worse off.

Different perspectives on the same problem is crucial. You gotta change that mind, girl! Love and prayers to you...

[BrianEn]

A desire not to play anymore is a good start. Listening to the experience of others like being done here is also helpful. The wanting to stop is the important part. Asking for help from others who have dealt with same exprerience. After that is the stopping of play which is more difficult because games are so easy to access now a days. Another possible tip if you play streaming games is to reduce your internet speed to make playing more difficult to do. You'll still be able to post on boards, check e-mails but online gaming speeds will be greatly reduced as well streaming video.

[Carmody]

Regardless, the problem lies below the conscious line. In both parts and acts, sources and results, it's below the conscious line. For if it was understood... it would have begun fixing itself already. :)

(No, I'm not perfect. Remember that line: "No one needs a psych - more than a psych")

[Nanoo Nanoo]

hey WTC

I would start with spending money on good food, nutrition, you may have a lack of l dopa which causes short attention span. exersise will help too. your nutrition is where the add stems from. if you can get a handle on that yoru systems should get back to normal and your requirements for gaming should cease.

walking , bike riding

pot tends to help some and hinder others. all depends on how you are wired.

stop all soda suger based drinks and drink only water.

you need a hobby that dosent require gambling. hmmm

[Tesla_WTC_Solution]

Thank you everyone @.@.

about nutrition!!!!

You are dead right,
I was given two weeks of horse pill sized Vitamin Bs by my Dr.
He said some people have metabolic problems that block their vitamin intake (liver damage! etc).
I think he is a believer in the Pyroluria theory, which says that some people have blood product that doesn't break down and also interferes with vitamin use.

Some people also have a lot of iron in the blood, to the point where it's no longer bioavailable.

I am a rabid coffee drinker. I add way too much sugar and milk. I even have a gluten allergy, and am still drinking all that milk, hah (I don't know about casein and lactose yet).

Dopamine, I wonder, what helps with that? SOmetimes without my weed etc, I feel like I have no ideas.
But it's bad to be bouncing so quickly from idea to idea.

Sometimes I feel like a human Google database, a conglomerate of useless factoids with no structure, lol.



thank you to all who were honest and helpful, pretty much everyone, about this problem!
it's not good to feed the part of the brain that topples us from our respective towers!


the valley of the shadow of addiction can be deep and dark indeed !!!

I had a dream when i was 14 or so that the light was gone from my tower...
my dream books say that means loss of the mind or insanity.

what do you think, is insanity a one-way road?
Is there a path back from raving madness,
or am I fooked?

[Tesla_WTC_Solution]

I wanted to add,
I won a 300 dollar jackpot on that above game I mentioned,
and I played 1/3 of it back and lost my edge over the casino.

i am sick with myself for never being "done" or satisfied.
no matter how much I won i wonder if i would just play more after.

[markpierre]

It accesses serotonin. Replaces or provides positive reward, which is getting harder and harder to access naturally.
Quick reward is necessary and becomes compulsive because you build up a tolerance for it.
You can't 'reason' or 'will' that chemistry, but you can 'activity', or 'communication' your way to a better way to access it, and replace the need.
'Need' is the dominating motivation. That's not wrong or 'bad', but it controls you. The same impulse as hunger or thirst.

[lookbeyond]

Hey Tesla, you sound like youve got a bit of time on your hands,try getting into physical activity a bit more, its a proven fact that the endorphen release from a good session of exercise is mood elevating, some people even find that then exercise becomes a bit of a high.When i go for a long walk of an evening after a few days i am totally looking forward to it and motivated, in fact my general outlook and mood is better.Now when you are spending so much computer time its a waste of life IMO.Get rid of some of this addictive non productive play time and use it for good eg replace WOW with go for a walk.Yes u are going to hav to use willpower but u wouldnt hav asked for help if u didnt think it was a problem.As u know gambling is a financial drain and so is pot IMO.If it were me id be thinking about getting myself into the set of circumstances and frame of mind to claim my little family back- look at it how you are going to be viewed.When you are tempted to throw $ away on computer, go to the shops and buy healthy food- its not cheap you probably wont hav too much spare $ if you are eating super healthy every day, left over $? use for child, decorate bedroom-use some energy to paint a mural on the wall, there is so much to do!!Get off the chair,Avalon is enough, dump the rest,you can do it, u hav support here, try it,when u are tempted get out of the house- go for long walk, plant a garden...

lov lookbeyond

[Happyjak]

I played wow almost from the start up to the lvl 85 expansion. I had a lvl 70 of each class but only leveled a few to 80. What I enjoyed most was not the loot but the team work, friends, a sense of accomplishment working on new encounters. But I did spend a lot of time playing. Once the economic crash happened it was like a trigger which set off a thirst for new information leading to a kundalini awakening. This changed everything, I got a dog, started eating different, planted a garden, and WOW just took a back seat until it got the point when I played I felt like a hamster on a wheel. that took the fun completely out of it for me. I felt like sports, which I enjoyed watching was a form of distraction and WOW felt even more so. I still play games, and watch sports, but it took some time and family and friends to start up again. They are entertaining to me, I just put my hands and mind to different activities which better suited me. The desire to change is the first step. I hope you find a passion that replaces the hole left by gaming.

[Mozart]

Nice thread.


I have it on the Under that most people in the forum would not have such a gambling addiction; however, I'd have it on the Over for those who actually respond to this thread on having some form of experience with gambling that could be described as an addiction of some sort, yes?


;-)

[Snookie]

I was married to a gambler. The big problem with him is that he could never admit he had a problem. I finally had to make a decision whether I was going to keep beating my head against the wall trying to get him to stop, or let him continue, but without me. I chose the latter.

I finally decided to try to quit smoking ...so far I've gone 2 weeks. The plan is to start on the treadmill when I get back from vacation and then plant a garden. Hopefully that will keep me occupied.

[markpierre]

Nice thread.


I have it on the Under that most people in the forum would not have such a gambling addiction; however, I'd have it on the Over for those who actually respond to this thread on having some form of experience with gambling that could be described as an addiction of some sort, yes?


;-)

Well that's sort of in the realm of 'none of your business', what's the motivation in that observation? But individuals who know addictions first hand will have
empathy and may have practical and useful advice, and people who don't will have what amounts to no advice. Strangely that won't stop them from offering.

And even more strange, some people with no experience call themselves professionals and get paid for that very thing.

[sigma6]

I used to play Duke Nukem till 6am in the morning, I would break out in flu like sweats, thank God I was still young and stupid at the time, it was a thrill back then to get that much mileage out of our PC computers, FREE VIDEO GAMES, and then when we set up the Network and played real live opponents, I was hooked, then I moved up to the harder drug "Quake" with the grappling hook and started playing "Capture the flag" it was like those James Bond scene where the Government agents have one of those all out battles with the forces of Spectre!! Reds against the Blues, when you join you become Red or Blue automatically in different level maps and you have to capture the other colour flag and return it to your flag post.... Total addiction...

The addiction is real, the manufacturers know it, why they spend so much money... treat it like it is a serious addiction, define specific times and curfews for your kids right from the beginning if you care for their mental balance...

I don't play those games any more after watching a few professionals play and realized I would never be 1/4 as good... finally broke the spell (and the illusion) it's a total drug experience... treat it accordingly... total psychological addiction.

As for gambling I have a background in probability and statistics, the only thing I would play is black jack after learning a specific system. And treat it the same way I would scalping in Forex... You have to have a system, no system and you are gambling, that's the difference

[TigaHawk]

I dont have a problem with my "Addiction" to gaming at all.


Tho i will state now that WoW was only good for it's Vanilla release and BC expansion, after that Activision bought out blizzard, and the new CEO openly stated to the public whilst laughing and the biggest grin from ear to ear you could see (practically in hysterics he was) on his plans for the future - ones he's followed to the word. He would take the "fun" out of videogames. Starting with the people that developted them. What WoW is now is a perfect example of that. They've turned the game into a "job". You are brickwalled by absolutely boring, repetative, monotonous tasks, you MUST complete them to progress, you MUST complete them if you want to get close to the equivilant of "finishing the game". It's blatantly designed/built to program people to "like" these tasks at a young age so they will "enjoy" these sort of tasks when they enter the workforce. Contributing to make the perfect drone.


I am very much enjoying DayZ and Heroes of Newerth :D

[Dorjezigzag]

And speaking of helping, does anyone here have a good strategy for transitioning away from this manic, high-paced lifestyle of gaming and staying up all night to do it more, toward a healthy, balanced, and maybe even SLOW lifestyle of working then playing?

Obviously you have to be comfortable with it but I would recommend Yoga.
A lot of addictive personalities have found yoga to be particularly rewarding, it is physical which you need and also it has a spiritual framework as it is blatant from the high quality of your posts that you already have a spiritual awareness.

A famous case of an addictive personality in the UK who found yoga has turned around his life is Russel Brand, he was a hard core heroin addict who now is addicted to yoga, but this is an addiction that can be positive.

I would particularly recommend kundalini yoga for you but perhaps try various types, probably more important is how you can relate to a particular teacher. Try and find one you can relate to

Initialy it may seem uncomfortable and wierd but in my experience and from what I have seen in so many people give it some time and soon you find it will bring so much more quality into your life.

Hope this helps

[Nanoo Nanoo]

Stash $100 somewhere so you cant blow it on loose women and drugs and spend it on some suppliments.. as outlined below. The each day just take one less coffee , one less doobie and curb the bad intake with some good intake.. get exersise , when you reach for something bad just stop and say this is the one thing i have to stop .. just once a day for each bad habit.. get used to denying yoru self the bad habit ... come on ! woo hoo .. now dont be a silly billy and expect to always be creative.. just rely on your memory for a bit while you get through this ( if you can remember anything lol )

Once you recover yoru brain function yoru creativity will come back naturally. It will be a better quality of creativeness too.

Ive been in creative situations where musicians ( stoned off their tree ) think what they are playing is great .. but when you hear it back it sounds like poop ..

hmmm

Good food for L Dopa

Pumpkin seeds , banana , chicken , vitamin b 12 b 17 in apricot kernels ( the bit inside the stone seed ) and Folic Acid to help with absorption .. Try some selenium suppliment too .. this will help the dopa you intake cross the blood brain barrier for better re up take.

Pro-Argi 9 is great too !

The Killer is Caffiene and Milk. Caffiene releases bursts of dopamine and kinda leaves you a bit down about an hour later. If you exhaust it all with lots of coffee then you are running on empty and will feel like some sort of repetitive non mental dream state suits . You should not have more than one or two coffes a day MAX !!!

Milk can line the stomach and bowles and reduce vitamin intake ...

You can see your entire problem can stem from yoru nutrition. If you have a few weeks of being good and following a diet and exersise program with lots of water you will see what happens. Better concentration, you can do things sequentially instead of starting 7 different things and never finishing them ...

and wait tiil you roll a doobey after 2 weeks abstinance and some l dopa in yoru brain ! woo hoo ! something to look forward to.

This roller coaster ride of coffee and sugar hits curbed by pot trying to create a creative tunnel to go into is a lost cause... you have to take some time out and just be ... without all the bells and whistles : o )

i hope this helps .. the best thing is to curb yoru habits bit by bit without pressure but try it and see .. be onto it every day as a 2 week trial .. then if you dont like it you can always go back to your addictions.

Gambling is also a sign of emotional loneliness. Maybe you need someone to hug now and again : 0 ) ill give you one to kick you off ok

HUGSSSSS !!!!

Dont give up on your beautiful life ok !


aaaah


Naniu

[Ultima Thule]

I suggest cold turkey, nevermind the cause, nevermind the reasoning, nevermind the counseling, quit cold turkey and find your kicks in the struggle and pain of withdrawal. Find your kicks from the first day without, give yourself salute from being able to stay away for one day at a time. Learn to enjoy the pain and struggling and feel better about yourself for it. However clever psychological or spiritual reasons could be found, quit first and find them later.
Sorry to be harsh, but I have never seen anybody succesfully quit addictions any other way consistently.

UT
ps. and yes NN does have many valid points biochemically, do read those!

[markpierre]

I suggest cold turkey, nevermind the cause, nevermind the reasoning, nevermind the counseling, quit cold turkey and find your kicks in the struggle and pain of withdrawal. Find your kicks from the first day without, give yourself salute from being able to stay away for one day at a time. Learn to enjoy the pain and struggling and feel better about yourself for it. However clever psychological or spiritual reasons could be found, quit first and find them later.
Sorry to be harsh, but I have never seen anybody succesfully quit addictions any other way consistently.


Well potentially you can see the whole thing and exactly what it is and why it's there for you and not against you and be done. Get on to the next big leap in consciousness.
Potentially.

For most, meaning nearly all of the people who have to look at themselves through it, it takes the ability to learn they can interact with life, which is living.
Engaging with themselves and with others with the care of a lover, instead of abandoned to an addiction. Not some objective to achieve.

Suffer so that you learn. That's the BS we're battling with. It makes us need to find addictions.

The problem is, humans like suffering too much.
.

[Rich]

The problem is, humans like suffering too much.


what makes you say that?


btw, can totally relate to the situation i know what its like to 'waste' the whole day in front of the computer (thou i wouldnt consider myself addicted anymore)

sometimes i used to spend the whole day playing strategy games online

[Carolin]

I too have an addictive personality. I understand this about myself and can see that both consciously and unconsciously I have made choices that keep me out of trouble. Even as a teenager I realized this danger, I wouldn't try certain drugs because there would be no coming back. I chose to marry a man I knew would keep me in line. I will always be addicted to something........God, Avalon, facebook, chocolate, work, etc, etc.

May you and all those struggling with their addictions have the strength to find more positive outlets for them:hug:

[wolf_rt]

Hey WTC, The only way i have found to break an addiction, is to not want to do it any more... ie if it takes more than it gives.

[markpierre]

The problem is, humans like suffering too much.


what makes you say that?



57 years of experience of living with humans and trying to help them to stop. 30 years of working directly with addiction from inside and from outside of the recovery process.
I'm also a human, and I'm also an addict,
and fully understand why they don't even know what they do. None of them. It's a race-wide problem. Human thinking. Humans not really thinking.

Do you see any suffering out there? Since there's no obvious value in it, and no one seems to enjoy it, and it's been going on for thousands of years,
isn't it time to decide not to keep it?

[Carolin]

The problem is, humans like suffering too much.


what makes you say that?



57 years of experience of living with humans and trying to help them to stop. 30 years of working directly with addiction from inside and from outside of the recovery process.
I'm also a human, and I'm also an addict,
and fully understand why they don't even know what they do. None of them. It's a race-wide problem. Human thinking. Humans not really thinking.

Do you see any suffering out there? Since there's no obvious value in it, and no one seems to enjoy it, and it's been going on for thousands of years,
isn't it time to decide not to keep it?

We humans LOVE suffering.............me included! What would we have to bitch and moan about and what would get our juices (adrenaline) flowing without suffering? I recognize the situations I create just to inject some suffering into my life. Like filing my taxes late, not the friendly reminder late the "you have 10 days to file or else" late. Or not paying my hydro until I get the disconnection notice. Or not filling my car with gas until the light comes on and even then I might wait until tomorrow. There is no good reason why I do these things, I can find the money and the time, I choose this behaviour. I guess it's my way of gambling, rebelling and suffering. I'm almost 50 maybe I should grow up.......but what would be the fun in that:o

[Tesla_WTC_Solution]

About suffering:
I finally understand the belief that some gamblers are there not only for the rush of winning, but also losing!

They feed off of the energy whether it's positive or negative!

I've seen many people slapping, knocking, yelling at their slot machines.
People pray to them, talk to the ceiling, all kinds of crazy **** when they are gambling.

It's like a whole separate world in those places, but something about it is so understated --
people don't see it quite for what it is, and keep going back there.
You can lose everything, or win enough to cover two more evenings,
but it still feels wrong and we always end up down somehow.

:( lol

p.s. I wanted to ask, has anyone accidentally (at a casino) hit the "max bet" button and won a jackpot (also by accident?)
I shouldn't talk proactively about slot machines in this thread, but it happened once and it was Lollertime.
We didn't win a whole lot, but the fact that it happened at a $5 wager and immediately was crazy.

About WoW. I haven't stopped playing that yet either. It's not as bad as the other thing. But still a huge part of life, I guess some people would say.

Thank goodness for places like Avalon, where other topics can be pursued!
This place, it's not straight up paranoia porn. There is something very Zen and peaceful about Avalon.
As if that element dominated here.

It's a very nice break from the way the rest of life can be at times.
I guess a good way to approach life is to model it somewhat after the things we see here.
Like eating well to combat chronic fatigue and ADD, or adding hobbies to combat addictions.




By the way. My Shrink told me yesterday,
I saw my "inner Schweinhund" in my dream last week.
He said I am living excessively. How about that.

LOL.

the last memorable dream was getting pinned under a huge cement mixer/fire truck thing.

how come nothing makes sense in my dreams? everything is combined into one perfect hell,
just like real life?

what happened to GOOD dreams, yknow, ones where you can escape for hours and not be miserable the whole time.

XD

[Nanoo Nanoo]

here is something for the ones who made it through ... dont forget to smile

love

Naniu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpBOibusx2M

PS ( the video is meh , but the song is awesome ! )

ennn Joiii

[21CC]

However destructive/ negative to a gambler and those in their lives that are also gravely affected- this maladaptive psychological compulsion serves a purpose to the afflicted. One is self-punishment, a kind of self-injury: the progressive financial devastation that results- the more injurious. "Chasing one's losses" is a drive that is doomed because there never is enough of a win to satisfy the sense of a comeback. Ever.
"...What the winner don't know, the gambler understands..." -Heart

As the addiction advances it becomes a loop of continuous uncontrolled gambling to where any "win" just means more wagers, another pull on the slots, another throw of the dice. With all my will, every bit of self-control, all pre-set plans or arrangements, and intellectually considering all the dire consequences at hand...I (nor anyone else for that matter, so I gambled alone always) neither mentally nor physically could remove myself from the card or roulette table or electronic slot machine...until all my hard-earned money was gone. All gone.

It's not about the win as the win is only justification for more uninterrupted play (like that laboratory mouse pushing the lever, rejecting all other basic innate needs, for another blast of endorphin-raising x-factor). That's all. The high is in that brain-numbing/emotional pain forgetting that occurs under the risk-taking casino experience- an obvious exploitation by calculated mind control. The "zone out" is really scary as hours or even days roll on by like minutes. The purpose served is clearly a disordered way of (not) dealing with life's events and challenges with a low self-esteem that gets lowered each time, every time.

"Gaming" and behavior like it (for me anyway :yield: ) is just one insidious manifestation of chronic mental illness. It exponentiates fear and shame from deep core issues of needs not being met. Surely there is a high incidence of suicide from this disease. It's all the more diabolic that government, tribal, corporate and private entities derive profit from the turmoil of the tortured losers who can spend/lose a month's hard-earned wages in less than one day. The shame, the stigma, the lack of understanding and resources for support in recovery. Dead end. :(

[Tesla_WTC_Solution]

This situation is fairly dire because my spouse is actually the one with years-long history of slot machine addiction.
I am fairly new to it but see myself as totally enabling this sick cycle of losing everything we have at the casino.

We've lost our son to the system (for now), our house (bad mortgage), our job (wtf!), now about to lose everything else to this void.

He won't exercise or do anything normal with me except eat out,
he won't take me to music or movies or anything comparable in price to gambling, or even less, he won't do it for me or for himself.


should i be considering a divorce?
is life alone better than this hell together?

[Tesla_WTC_Solution]

I was very close to going to a local Gamblers Anon on Friday but was talked into going to the casino instead hours later.
can you believe that i am so weak that i chose to go there instead?

but we lost so horribly i hope we don't go back, LOL

thanks to the people who sent messages with helpful advice.
there are a lot of hotlines i could call right now for any number of reasons.
but i hate the damned phone.
i would rather just go to a group.

maybe the VA can hook me up -- i need to go there for some unrelated reasons anyway.

[Camilo]

I never had that addiction so there is nothing I could say about it, but you ask how could you turn yourself into a person who cares more about people than things?....Have you tried disciplined meditation?....stop eating red meat?........getting involved in community activities to help the less fortunate than you?......quitting smoking weed?

[Tesla_WTC_Solution]

Most of my concerns for humanity actually developed WHILE I was smoking marijuana,
so although I agree with you that my immediate family etc. might benefit from this,
I might be altogether less inspired without that.

I think that taking marijuana to a casino is without exception a very bad idea!
Casinos are designed to both relax you and stress you out, to the point where I feel the need to participate --
marijuana can make this perception feel a bit worse, a bit more miserable!

I agree with you about red meat! Yuck! Can anyone say **** fast food?
And guess what lots of casino addicts end up eating on their way to and from a casino?
Fast food with red meat (at least I hope it's meat lol).

My therapist has recommended both meditation and swimming as sources of stress relief and self stimulation.
I haven't done those yet. :(

I've always cared more about things than people in some ways!
How do you cure that?

:cry:

[161803398]

I have a friend who is or was (hard to tell) a compulsive gambler. He was also addicted to sugar and coffee. I think it goes together somehow. He always played to lose so I think he was also addicted to poverty. Something seemed to snap him out of it a bit. Who knows what it was but it seemed to happen when his cat had kittens. He loved those kittens.

[Tesla_WTC_Solution]

As it happens, one of the casino's #1 products is COFFEE.

they have coffee and sugar everywhere in the casino,
even at the alcohol bars/windows!

they keep everyone wired to the max and totally stimmed out
so that they keep pushing those buttons like rats on cocaine!!

:(

about the kittens, that is good that he cared enough to devote time to them.

[161803398]

Well the kittens changed his life. He hadn't realized that they are real living breathing little persons with personalities. After that he actually started becoming a little spiritual. If you knew the guy it was a big change. Then he started hanging around health food stores and became vegan --- but he still drinks coffee.

[161803398]

Another friend of mine owned a bunch of casinos. I hardly even went there because I dislike the atmosphere. But there were two really beautiful ones so I went a couple of times. But I can't stand to lose money -- my "limit" is pretty low. I used to tease people in the restaurant by saying I had a dollar and I was going to eat something and think about what slot machine I was going to play and then go home.

I went to Las Vegas once only because I was invited. I really hated it but I made myself useful. A friend and I used to go around to people who had semi passed out at the slot machines...take their little tub of money, do our sisters of mercy routine, and get them up the elevators. Another thing we did was my mind reading joke with the slot machines.

[161803398]

Oh Oh -- I had another friend who liked to play black jack. This was the first time I went into a casino. I hated the energy so much I actually got sick and had to be taken to the hospital. Apparently, I had a really high fever that mysteriously came and went and no one could tell me what it was. Anyway, my friend kept asking me to go back and play black jack. I never went until one day I was reading the paper --the astrology section -- it said I would be lucky at gambling that day. So I told my friend I'd go just to prove to him that astrology worked (it was kind of joke because I don't believe those little blurbs they put in the paper either). Anyway, I was joking the whole time but I went to a table where three little old ladies were playing black jack. I said (all BS) just stick with me ladies and you'll be rich...or something like that. Then I told the dealer "just let me cut the cards". It was ALL bluff because i really had not much of an idea what I was doing. Anyway, no ones gonna believe this...we couldn't lose. On 2$ bets I won $120.00 (i should have bet more). The old ladies won too. Finally, the dealer refused to allow me to cut the cards anymore because she thought I was doing something. (Dealers NEVER lose like that.) I must have had help from the spirits that day.

[DevilPigeon]

-----

I used to be addicted to fruit machines (aka slot machines) found within pubs (similar to casino machines, but smaller jackpots). Typical jackpot at the time would have been £15 (with a small chance of a repeat), but there were times I'd [hypnotically] feed the damn things with several times that amount chasing a win.

The buzz isn't the actual "winning" of money, it's the sights/sounds that accompany a win. Even if the elusive jackpot was a mere £5 it wouldn't really matter, as long as the visual/audible sensations that accompany it followed it pretty much guaranteed me to continue playing. Even after a machine was pretty much dead, as long as I had money available I'd usually carry on playing... until the inevitable empty pockets were turned inside out.

I eventually weaned myself off them, more through necessity than through choice, as I'd literally ran out of cash, and no means of getting any more from any of my available options. I remember the night that forced it very well, even now ~10 years later. It was horrible. It was the start of the weekend, I'd gone to the pub as usual, had a few drinks and started playing. That night, the machine was playing very badly, taking lots but giving little, and early on I'd run out of money. I was maxed on all of my cards. I hadn't even got enough for another drink. Horrible. Forced to go home, potless, money was short for several weeks as a result.

If I go out now, I don't even look at them. Not tempted at all. It was only getting to the lowest point that forced my hand, but sometimes that's the best way. Short sharp shock.

[Tesla_WTC_Solution]

Oh my gosh. That sounds like a shock indeed.

People here are really addicted to that Asian game I mentioned.
it has the most hypnotic and dramatic sounds in the casino.

in fact you can hear the music over everything else because during its bonus rounds it is so shrill and loud.

[161803398]

For someone who doesn't gamble I have a lot of strange stories about it. When I was going to university my casino owner friend got me a job for a day working as a shill at the PNE...one of those spin the wheel put your money on a number games. I had to stand there and put quarters on a number. It was ridiculous because when I went down there I didn't even know what a shill was. So I stood there watching people lose their money. Then around 5 o'clock the owner of the enterprise called me in the back. He said something I couldn't hear. I asked him to speak louder. I still didn't hear it...on and on until he finally yelled..."TAKE WHAT'S BEHIND MY BACK AND GO PLAY IT OUT FRONT". Everyone must have heard that. It was bills. I thought he was crazy no one is going to play bills. So I put down $5 and this is where I really learned a lesson. Everyone else started putting down bills. OMG. There were two ladies - the bird sisters - I thought. They played, won, and departed quickly. There was a guy there and I think he spent all the rent money.

[161803398]

There was something strange about my mother. I'll never know what is was but the whole family has it to a degree. She liked to go to the PNE and play those win a big stuffy animal games. Anyway, she could never lose. Once she asked me to go to play this one where they throw a big dice and it lands on a number. My mother always picked birthday numbers. We could hear the guy yelling out the numbers as we were walking. It was a bit Stephen Kingish actually because as I was walking with my mother I heard the numbers change to our birthdays as we got closer, 4, 13, 4, 13 etc etc. I was always suspicious of mom. Anyway, those stuffed animals are crap.

[Mozart]

I have it on the Under that most people in the forum would not have such a gambling addiction; however, I'd have it on the Over for those who actually respond to this thread on having some form of experience with gambling that could be described as an addiction of some sort, yes?


;-)




Well that's sort of in the realm of 'none of your business', what's the motivation in that observation? But individuals who know addictions first hand will have empathy and may have practical and useful advice, and people who don't will have what amounts to no advice. Strangely that won't stop them from offering.

And even more strange, some people with no experience call themselves professionals and get paid for that very thing.


Markpierre, et al,


Please forgive me for my intended-to-be-humorous post to come across wrong and without empathy. I'm sorry.


I had lost THOUSANDS of dollars in sports betting and have suffered terribly from sports betting. I did not bother with any other form of gambling, as I knew from my research that the house always has the edge there in those endeavors.


Only in blackjack does someone have a very slight edge, but one would have to persist in playing the game for several hours in a row before one could finally wind up in the black, even big in the black. There's one guy in Las Vegas...

http://gamblingresults.com/internet-gambling-facts/20120104-modern-day-robin-hood-helps-families-in-need-with-blackjack-winnings/

... who has publicly succeeded with betting and winning against the house. There are others who have succeeded, but they are not public people; however, the rate of those who beat the house is in an extreme minority, compared to those who have lost against the house.


So even though I've lost thousands of dollars in sports betting -- it's the one form of betting that a well-informed bettor could have an edge, yet despite that small edge, the vast majority of bettors lose against the house in sports betting, and that can be brutal, as I found out in my first two years of trying to make money in this brutal and tough biz.


But with my few forays into slot machine gambling, I actually am on the plus side when, after sinking in $50, I won $250, so as soon as I won, I quit and walked away, knowing that the odds fell on my side by chance, but over time, the house would win, always. But then I lost that money on sports betting, sheesh.


So I'm sorry if I came across as crass. That was not my intention.


Gambling, like any other addiction, can cause serious problems and knowing when to stop is the key. One can get into a vicious "win-it-back" cycle of betting in order to make up or cover initial losses when one wanders into gambling. It becomes a personal thing and that can cloud one's judgement.


~Mozart

[Camilo]

My therapist has recommended both meditation and swimming as sources of stress relief and self stimulation.
I haven't done those yet. :(

I've always cared more about things than people in some ways!
How do you cure that?

:cry:

Definitely meditation will help you turn things around. Try it, it works wonders.

[161803398]

No one ever thinks of this: is there anything useful in addiction? Couldn't that energy be diverted to something productive. What if someone got addicted to removing plastic from the ocean or feeding hungry kids? I am sure there are people who are.

Maybe addicts or compulsive people are really a special kind of warrior -- just need to shift direction.

[161803398]

An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. "A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy.

"It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego." He continued, "The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you - and inside every other person, too."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

[Tesla_WTC_Solution]

Thanks to all of you for the encouragement.

We are apparently not the kind of people who would spend our food money,
just the rent money, LOL.

We've been away from the "bad place" for close to a week (I think).
But you would not believe how much money can be lost there.

We sat next to a woman once who had lost over 2,000 dollars in one evening.
there are people who bet 10 to 25 dollars per spin on certain games.

it is the most degenerate thing you can imagine,
and worse yet, can you visualize the collective waste of time and talent going on,
unseen by the rest of you, inside these gambling hovels?

it's pretty scary when you factor the size of the parking lot,
the number of people inside,
and the sheer walls of slot machines/tables/bars/etc everywhere.

it's surreal.

[Warlock]

It is the "action" that you crave.

Either find different "action", or reduce the amount you need from the present type of "action".

Warlock

[Tesla_WTC_Solution]

You're right about that.

We've had a pretty hard time with it lately.

But we're getting better at redirecting the energy (somewhat).

It's a very difficult addiction to overcome.

My psychiatrist says it's as bad as cocaine when they do a brain scan. LOL

[Tesla_WTC_Solution]

Guess what, I've given up gambling, I can easily decide to go for days without it,
but my idiot husband can't stop talking about it.

He is the source of this trouble in my family,
the beginning and the end of it,
in fact now that it's been a little while,
I don't miss the casino at all!

He is the one who keeps driving us over there,
making excuses, and talking about it.

I really do think it's time for a divorce,
if it wasn't already time because of the CPS crap.

This guy is a real piece of work.
A real life-wrecker.
He ruined his dad's mortgage and lost the house for him.
and he still wants to gamble!!!!!!

w t f

[Tesla_WTC_Solution]

i am a bitch, aren't I?

:( omg

[donk]

i am a bitch, aren't I?

:( omg

Stop it...don't ask anyone else, and try not to beat yourself up anymore. You gotta do what you gotta do (or not, only you know)...but either way it does NOT make you a bitch....or MAKE YOU anything--so try to stop worrying about that.

Just be honest with yourself. Make a good decision, follow it all the way through. Know yourself, love yourself. Labels or insults or whatever's wont help, neither will self-loathing.

Thinking about you and sending love your way!!

¤=[Post Update]=¤

By dont ask anyone else (not sure what the hell I was thinking) I meant don't worry so much about anyone else will thinks...definitely get advise if you need it and have someone you trust...

[Tesla_WTC_Solution]

Hello all,

I just found an article that reminded me of this thread and why it's here. However, unlike the biased journalist who defends the game itself while demonizing addicted parents, I wanted to point out the fact that Blizzard made money while these little girls were neglected in the home. Blizzard will never take responsibility for designing a game that is as damaging to family morale and finances as gambling. World of Warcraft was designed in order to fascinate and entrap people who are easily addicted in general. The game is centered on random awards despite earnest play, favors the mob mentality, and provides no penalty for overplaying.

http://live.drjays.com/index.php/2013/06/03/california-couple-arrested-for-neglecting-imprisoning-children-to-play-world-of-warcraft/

California Couple Arrested For Neglecting, Imprisoning Children To Play World Of Warcraft

Submitted by Ben Glaser on June 3, 2013 – 9:24 am

Lester Louis Huffmire and Petra Huffmire, both 41 and of Anaheim, were arraigned this week on charges of child abuse and false imprisonment for confining and neglecting two girls, ages 5 and 10, in a filthy motorhome for two years. The Huffmires were reportedly unemployed, and spent all of their time playing the Blizzard MMOG World of Warcraft.

The District Attorney’s press release describes the terrible conditions:


Between May 21, 2010, and May 20, 2013, the defendants are accused of keeping the mobile park home unsanitary and uninhabitable, including kitchen appliances covered in mold and cobwebs, stacks of trash, debris, mold, and feces throughout the home, a pile of used condoms under a stuffed teddy bear, and inoperable toilets. They are accused of keeping the mobile park home in this condition while Jane Doe #1 and Jane Doe #2 lived there.

It adds that the girls were not allowed to leave for any reason, and did not attend school; and that when discovered, the girls had ”dirt crusted on their feet, matted hair, damaged teeth beyond repair, and [were] malnourished.”

The reports are unclear as to how the Huffmires are related to the girls.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time negligent parents have been found to be fans of WoW. In 2005, a Korean 4-month-old infant suffocated to death after her parents left her alone for hours to play the game at a cafe.

And in 2011, Rebecca Colleen Christie was sentenced to 25 years in prison for allowing her 3-year-old daughter to die of malnourishment and dehydration. Christie was an avid WoW player, and her computer showed continuous activity for fifteen hours on the day her daughter died.

______________________________________________________________

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/02/lester-and-petra-huffmire-imprisoned-children_n_3374998.html?ir=Crime

Lester And Petra Huffmire, Anaheim Couple, Allegedly Imprisoned Children In Mobile Home

The Huffington Post | Posted: 06/02/2013 12:42 pm EDT

A husband and wife in California were charged with child abuse for allegedly locking two children in their filthy mobile home for three years, according to multiple reports.

The married couple devoted much of their time to playing the video game World of Warcraft while the girls went without attending school.

Lester Huffmire and Petra Huffmire, both 41, were arraigned on Friday after two female relatives, aged 5 and 10, were found in their garbage-strewn residence, said prosecutors, according to CBS Los Angeles.

Kitchen appliances in the home were said to be covered in mold and cobwebs, while garbage, mold and feces were found throughout the residence. A pile of used condoms was also found under a Teddy bear, the local outlet notes.

Read the full story at CBS Los Angeles.

An officer found the two children with matted hair, rotted teeth and dirt crusted on their feet last month after a neighbor tipped off police.

The Huffmires' video game obsession consumed hours and hours everyday, allowing the home to deteriorate into filthy conditions,, CBS LA reported.

"Neither child has ever attended school," Deputy District Attorney Lori Smith said, according to NBC Los Angeles.

The Huffmires were charged with two counts of child abuse, two counts of false imprisonment and a sentencing enhancement for great bodily injury.

Both Lester and Petra Huffmire are being held on $100,000 bail, according to NBC LA. If convicted, the couple could each face up to seven years in prison, the Los Angeles Times reports.

[eric charles]

http://imageshack.us/a/img441/4636/triplefortunedragonhero.png

I wanted to ask if there were any people here on this forum who not only enjoy posting here and playing on the internet some, but who struggle with addictions in the area of online/computerized gaming and/or online & offline gambling/wagering/games of chance, etc.

I was wondering, what is it about these visually stimulating, reptilian-brain-thrilling randomized games, that keeps us humans crawling back to the machines for another helping?

And speaking of helping, does anyone here have a good strategy for transitioning away from this manic, high-paced lifestyle of gaming and staying up all night to do it more, toward a healthy, balanced, and maybe even SLOW lifestyle of working then playing?

I seem to have a lot of trouble with processes, lists, things with an order to them, i.e. scheduling, remembering, etc. Part of the time, I try to suppress a lot of this energy by smoking weed and puttering around the house. But it's just not enough. I want something and it's not getting any easier living with out.

What is it that I want, do you think? Outside more? A sport? Some kind of extreme hobby or technical pursuit? Should I get into garage stuff like making bikes and experimenting with wires n stuff?


http://imageshack.us/a/img72/3356/wall11600x1200.jpg

What is a mad scientist without a lab to do? Start re-educating myself by reading lower grade school texts instead of playing all these games? The game in question is WoW but what really bugs me is, I have a new gambling addiction at these WA Indian rez casinos, and I like it about 1000% more than WoW. I could spend my whole SSDI check in three days at a casino, believe me! It's a terrible addiction and added to my problems could very well be the straw that breaks the camel's back!

How can I turn myself into a person who cares more about people than things?
I am like the dragon from the Hobbit! I acquire all this loot and have no use for it, and get out only when I am motivated by the wrong reasons, like violence, restlessness, or greed! I don't pursue social or healthy activities and everyone who knows me thinks I am "off".

I hate being the black sheep in the family, but God they are so boring! What is it about humans that some of us are "ON" and some of us are "OFF", and it's so hard to make the switch between on and off so that our lives bear some semblance of a balance?

Over and out,
/endrant

lol! :baby:

P.S. I've actually put WoW before my family and I started feeling postal. :(

The best thing is to find a hobby . I have many hobbies , fishing,canoeing,camping , hunting , Bow , woodworking , gunsmithing , playing guitar .

The one thing I Find helps best past the time is to play an instrument , you will never ever end learning and will always push for "another helping " of self amelioriation , this I promise you . Find the songs you love , go find the tabs(learning sheets) for your favorite songs .

If you need help learning guitar I will help you . But unfortunately I do not read Sheet music . You can get a very good basic guitar for a mere 100$ , best to start with an acoustic and work your way up . I have been playing for 20 years I love Pearl Jam and Lynyrd Skynyrd,Led Zeppelin and Red Hot Chilli Peppers are my prefered music to play . Its kind of fun , I have the bike path that passes in front of my house and i play on my front porch sometimes , and the high school kids give me request hehehehe , and when I have time i learn it and play it for them .

Psssst if you go for a electric guitar , might I suggest a Fender Telecaster , its what I have been playing for 20 years and would never touch another brand of guitar , NEVER !

[eric charles]

Hello all,

I just found an article that reminded me of this thread and why it's here. However, unlike the biased journalist who defends the game itself while demonizing addicted parents, I wanted to point out the fact that Blizzard made money while these little girls were neglected in the home. Blizzard will never take responsibility for designing a game that is as damaging to family morale and finances as gambling. World of Warcraft was designed in order to fascinate and entrap people who are easily addicted in general. The game is centered on random awards despite earnest play, favors the mob mentality, and provides no penalty for overplaying.

http://live.drjays.com/index.php/2013/06/03/california-couple-arrested-for-neglecting-imprisoning-children-to-play-world-of-warcraft/

California Couple Arrested For Neglecting, Imprisoning Children To Play World Of Warcraft

Submitted by Ben Glaser on June 3, 2013 – 9:24 am

Lester Louis Huffmire and Petra Huffmire, both 41 and of Anaheim, were arraigned this week on charges of child abuse and false imprisonment for confining and neglecting two girls, ages 5 and 10, in a filthy motorhome for two years. The Huffmires were reportedly unemployed, and spent all of their time playing the Blizzard MMOG World of Warcraft.

The District Attorney’s press release describes the terrible conditions:


Between May 21, 2010, and May 20, 2013, the defendants are accused of keeping the mobile park home unsanitary and uninhabitable, including kitchen appliances covered in mold and cobwebs, stacks of trash, debris, mold, and feces throughout the home, a pile of used condoms under a stuffed teddy bear, and inoperable toilets. They are accused of keeping the mobile park home in this condition while Jane Doe #1 and Jane Doe #2 lived there.

It adds that the girls were not allowed to leave for any reason, and did not attend school; and that when discovered, the girls had ”dirt crusted on their feet, matted hair, damaged teeth beyond repair, and [were] malnourished.”

The reports are unclear as to how the Huffmires are related to the girls.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time negligent parents have been found to be fans of WoW. In 2005, a Korean 4-month-old infant suffocated to death after her parents left her alone for hours to play the game at a cafe.

And in 2011, Rebecca Colleen Christie was sentenced to 25 years in prison for allowing her 3-year-old daughter to die of malnourishment and dehydration. Christie was an avid WoW player, and her computer showed continuous activity for fifteen hours on the day her daughter died.

______________________________________________________________

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/02/lester-and-petra-huffmire-imprisoned-children_n_3374998.html?ir=Crime

Lester And Petra Huffmire, Anaheim Couple, Allegedly Imprisoned Children In Mobile Home

The Huffington Post | Posted: 06/02/2013 12:42 pm EDT

A husband and wife in California were charged with child abuse for allegedly locking two children in their filthy mobile home for three years, according to multiple reports.

The married couple devoted much of their time to playing the video game World of Warcraft while the girls went without attending school.

Lester Huffmire and Petra Huffmire, both 41, were arraigned on Friday after two female relatives, aged 5 and 10, were found in their garbage-strewn residence, said prosecutors, according to CBS Los Angeles.

Kitchen appliances in the home were said to be covered in mold and cobwebs, while garbage, mold and feces were found throughout the residence. A pile of used condoms was also found under a Teddy bear, the local outlet notes.

Read the full story at CBS Los Angeles.

An officer found the two children with matted hair, rotted teeth and dirt crusted on their feet last month after a neighbor tipped off police.

The Huffmires' video game obsession consumed hours and hours everyday, allowing the home to deteriorate into filthy conditions,, CBS LA reported.

"Neither child has ever attended school," Deputy District Attorney Lori Smith said, according to NBC Los Angeles.

The Huffmires were charged with two counts of child abuse, two counts of false imprisonment and a sentencing enhancement for great bodily injury.

Both Lester and Petra Huffmire are being held on $100,000 bail, according to NBC LA. If convicted, the couple could each face up to seven years in prison, the Los Angeles Times reports.


MY GOD WTF !! I am not one for government intervention but jesus christ , mold in the kitchen , FECES all over WOW WOW ! I do a flip out when the kids leave the bathroom in dis-array ,disarray is not much in my opinion , A non used Q-TIP on the floor spells catastrophe for the kid who left it there LOL

[Tesla_WTC_Solution]

It's almost as if those people were conditioned to ignore the filth due to the perceived "reward" of playing the game!

That's how Blizzard makes money off of stupid people! And the gov't is fine with that because WoW is another way to accomplish online SPYING (thanks obammy)!

I agree, the conditions in the house described above were HORRIBLE.
But without WoW, would those two parents have descended so deeply into their filthy lifestyle?

Watching a friend do the death spiral into a computer game addiction is really sad,
but WoW seems to take the cake (maybe not over Everquest, but still) for "time played".

What is it about WoW that ensnares so many people? The cheapness of the game? The ease of acquiring items?
The ability to be "heard" by other players?

I just wonder what those girls did to occupy themselves while the parents let POOP and MOLD take over their trailer.

As a former WoW addict I do have to admit, people who spend all their time playing wow are NOT cleaning their homes enough or cooking balanced meals often enough.

Nothing in my entire life experience has robbed me of more time or opportunities than WoW.
I can't blame the game for my personal choices, but every time I read a story like the last one in the papers,
I think of the letter I wrote to Blizzard before the Batman Theater Shooting happened and how their game would be likened to a drug.

It couldn't be worse, and we are not hearing all of the stories, either.

WoW can track your every keystroke and spoken word, but Blizzard won't notify authorities -- they just take their 15 a month and let the children be damned,

[eric charles]

It's almost as if those people were conditioned to ignore the filth due to the perceived "reward" of playing the game!

That's how Blizzard makes money off of stupid people! And the gov't is fine with that because WoW is another way to accomplish online SPYING (thanks obammy)!

I agree, the conditions in the house described above were HORRIBLE.
But without WoW, would those two parents have descended so deeply into their filthy lifestyle?

Watching a friend do the death spiral into a computer game addiction is really sad,
but WoW seems to take the cake (maybe not over Everquest, but still) for "time played".

What is it about WoW that ensnares so many people? The cheapness of the game? The ease of acquiring items?
The ability to be "heard" by other players?

I just wonder what those girls did to occupy themselves while the parents let POOP and MOLD take over their trailer.

As a former WoW addict I do have to admit, people who spend all their time playing wow are NOT cleaning their homes enough or cooking balanced meals often enough.

Nothing in my entire life experience has robbed me of more time or opportunities than WoW.
I can't blame the game for my personal choices, but every time I read a story like the last one in the papers,
I think of the letter I wrote to Blizzard before the Batman Theater Shooting happened and how their game would be likened to a drug.

It couldn't be worse, and we are not hearing all of the stories, either.

WoW can track your every keystroke and spoken word, but Blizzard won't notify authorities -- they just take their 15 a month and let the children be damned,

Here a cheap and quick supper , something I make when i really dont feel like blasting the oven on or standing in front of the barbecue in 100 deg weather , Ill just make a quick bacon and eggs , or fried egg sandwiches , sometimes French toasts . And i feel cheap like s*it serving this but hey , if they dont like it they can make their own supper hahahaha
But to not make anything or serving mold to your kids becasue you want to play video games , that merits a good hose beating behind the barn !

[TargeT]

Hello all,

I just found an article that reminded me of this thread and why it's here. However, unlike the biased journalist who defends the game itself while demonizing addicted parents, I wanted to point out the fact that Blizzard made money while these little girls were neglected in the home. Blizzard will never take responsibility for designing a game that is as damaging to family morale and finances as gambling. World of Warcraft was designed in order to fascinate and entrap people who are easily addicted in general. The game is centered on random awards despite earnest play, favors the mob mentality, and provides no penalty for overplaying.





That's how Blizzard makes money off of stupid people! And the gov't is fine with that because WoW is another way to accomplish online SPYING (thanks obammy)!

But without WoW, would those two parents have descended so deeply into their filthy lifestyle?

Watching a friend do the death spiral into a computer game addiction is really sad,
but WoW seems to take the cake (maybe not over Everquest, but still) for "time played".

What is it about WoW that ensnares so many people? The cheapness of the game? The ease of acquiring items?
The ability to be "heard" by other players?

I just wonder what those girls did to occupy themselves while the parents let POOP and MOLD take over their trailer.

As a former WoW addict I do have to admit, people who spend all their time playing wow are NOT cleaning their homes enough or cooking balanced meals often enough.

Nothing in my entire life experience has robbed me of more time or opportunities than WoW.
I can't blame the game for my personal choices, but every time I read a story like the last one in the papers,
I think of the letter I wrote to Blizzard before the Batman Theater Shooting happened and how their game would be likened to a drug.

It couldn't be worse, and we are not hearing all of the stories, either.

WoW can track your every keystroke and spoken word, but Blizzard won't notify authorities -- they just take their 15 a month and let the children be damned,




You have a difficult choice to make here.


You can choose to be a victim, or you can choose to self analyze and evaluate your own actions and decisions.

The ego will gladly accept being a victim, as it considers there is nothing wrong with itself; the ego will steer to victimization long before self analysis.


This is a difficult subject for someone who is personally affected by a topic like this, however rational thought (if allowed) will win out.

When emotion flares, when indignation and anger spur you to action (even if it's just a rant) be very sure you know the source of those emotions and the agreement you are making to act on them is something you can look at later and be proud of.


I think you have more work to do, the Zen garden of your mind needs its sands smoothed & once a calm center is reached, perhaps the lay out needs to be re-evaluated.


Hopefully I worded this correctly, with out facing the beast the hero is not a hero, but sometimes just pointing out the beast can be a battle of its own.


best of luck!

[Tesla_WTC_Solution]

Hm, this is a difficult topic to discuss,

but I see TWO problems: the weakness of the consumer and the EVIL AMORALITY of the capitalist.

If it wasn't for the addicted players who seek maximum in game achievement,
Blizzard would have no carrot to dangle in front of the noses of the "normal" players.

It's like layered feeding. Some people get more crap than others, so to speak.
And it's not fair.

But by God believe me, it's 100% intentional and completely engineered.

A company that gives power ups for drinking Mountain Dew should already be burning in Hell,
but a company that ALLOWS and encourages constant play without penalty KNOWS FULL WELL that players of all ages and abilities might be snared in the trap.

The PEER PRESSURE in wow is the ONLY control aside from very meager and basic policing of the "airways".

One of the people who commented on the huffpost version said,
"I hope while in prison they get counseling for the addiction",
which is exactly right,

it's no different than drugs or gambling.

Some of us are wired differently than others and the simple truth is that it's harder to "stop" or say "no".


1,000 years ago this trait might have been useful but in a capitalist world it's really bad.

[DeDukshyn]

I started getting caught up in EVE online a few years back .... hours and hours sucked out of my life just so I could get enough ISK to buy a fricken Battle Cruiser (played solo -- don't ever play EVE solo ... join a corporation), only to have it lost in a stupid battle that I didn't want, (PVP). I almost won then at the last minute his backup arrived. That's what sucks about EVE but also what is awesome, if you get in these battles the stakes are often extremely high. Not like Warcraft or Conan, where if you die you just respawn again. In EVE, when you lose you tend to lose a lot of stuff - at least one ship every time and likely it's goods.

Anyway I lost my ship, and that pretty much ended my playing! lol. I guess this story isn't helping at all ... Don't play EVE!

What if you started smoking? That might take your mind off of gaming ...

Seriously though it should be best done by not planning, spontaneously. I read some stats once that said addictions are more often and more easily won in the spur of the moment cold turkey. An instant conviction that you can apply in the moment and go from there, more often than not works best and is more successful. You could force your hand, uninstall the game perhaps, make it hard for yourself to play so that if you do find yourself setting it back up again you have some time to think about what you are doing.

[TargeT]

One of the people who commented on the huffpost version said,
"I hope while in prison they get counseling for the addiction",
which is exactly right,

it's no different than drugs or gambling.

Some of us are wired differently than others and the simple truth is that it's harder to "stop" or say "no".


1,000 years ago this trait might have been useful but in a capitalist world it's really bad.

well you are definitely right there, Addiction is never about the substance or activity, addictive personality types will find something (and a lot of them hide under publically acceptable guises, for example running addicts, or exorcize addicts; the endorphins from those activities are very addictive. Same with food addicts, the endorphins from eating are addictive.)


How many heavy cannabis users would be dead now if the plant didn't have a built in protection mechanism? People find things they enjoy & once the contrast of enjoyment has been shifted out of the "normal" boundaries then it seems obvious to the individual that "more is better" thus wow, alcohol, gambling, exercise, food, sex, control, being controlled... anything that gives us pleasure can become an addiction and "bad for us" and even some things that don't even really seem to give us pleasure.

So the question really becomes, what is addiction, why are we (a lot of us really) susceptible to it.

and WHAT a question that is... there's many professions based on that question, how to deal with it's implications etc...

Personally, I think all addiction has roots in control. Our minds are very complex, what we consciously know does not reflect what we unconsciously understand; I think there is a lot of despair out there, a lot of deep understanding of how little "control" we have over our lives and since we are trained (both through ego and society) to think the opposite we have a major cognitive dissonance formed that expresses itself in various ways.

Substance addiction, Activity addiction, Social addiction, they all come down to control (IMO).

You can control when you get high, YOU can control when you eat, when you play a game, when you exercise. YOU are the one making the choice to do the activity & that is comforting at some level (not to mention the activity itself probably is pleasurable, as most addictions are).

I've had brushes with addiction (substances for me) and was able to pull myself out of it, after overcoming a lot of self deception & ridiculously circular logic thought patterns.


Will any of this help you? Maybe, we are each so unique and yet so similar that it’s frustrating when one thing works for a person, or a group of people and does not for everyone; but don't let that get you down, persistence is the key to life (which is deliciously ironic, since we are so short lived).

[Tesla_WTC_Solution]

My last big years of WoW were as a "solo" player, DD.
Something (rude people? lol!) caused me to lose interest in belonging to a guild,
but even the loss of access to raiding content did not overpower my addiction to WoW.

I think when I experienced the Cata expansion and heard that the next one was already coming out,
it got a lot less fun. I mean, 3 expansions behind, and I don't even know how to play my class anymore.

We log in maybe 5 times a month now, if that. I don't know what it is that makes it hard to just throw it all away.
Maybe because it accentuates the size of the hole in my life made by the addiction.


Right now, gambling is the real baddie.
A person can lose everything they have in only a few days!

[TargeT]

My last big years of WoW were as a "solo" player, DD.
Something (rude people? lol!) caused me to lose interest in belonging to a guild,
but even the loss of access to raiding content did not overpower my addiction to WoW.

I think when I experienced the Cata expansion and heard that the next one was already coming out,
it got a lot less fun. I mean, 3 expansions behind, and I don't even know how to play my class anymore.

We log in maybe 5 times a month now, if that. I don't know what it is that makes it hard to just throw it all away.
Maybe because it accentuates the size of the hole in my life made by the addiction.


Right now, gambling is the real baddie.
A person can lose everything they have in only a few days!

I was a heavy wow player for a while (actually I have played MMORPG's since 1995, when I beta tested Ultima Online & it was "down hill" since then) I've played a lot of titles however; I think the "first love" is the hardest to give up, now I can play casually with little issue and do it as a family thing (cheap entertainment, social interaction etc..)

Since we live in a fractal reality there are no wasted activities, you just have to look for the lessons in what you are currently engaged in. I'm currently sitting at work sick & thinking on how it is a lesson in perseverance (the ONLY thing I want to do is go home and curl up in a ball, but being uncomfortable at this moment is worth it to me for what I gain from it, which ties into previous studies on a "no pain no gain" theory I've been batting around lately).

you know yourself and your relationship, you will either overcome gambling or have to avoid it (for some things I choose to just completely avoid, the desire is still there but it grows muted and insignificant with time, I imagine this is what it's like to be an alcoholic in recovery, though I do not know.) Gambling might be a good one to avoid due to the risk involved.

[Tesla_WTC_Solution]

We've lost thousands of dollars in 2 months.

We could almost be on TV reality show about gambling :( lol

For people in horrible stressful transitions, gambling seems like a "homey, comfortable, fun, normalizing" thing to do.
What it really does is mess up your emotions, makes you impatient and envious of others, and desperately sick afterwards when you realize,
that money could have paid a month's rent in Walla Walla.

We did pay 5 grand in owed child support too, which took at least 1/4 of our liquid money away,
but the rest of the expenses were excessive food, motels, beer, gambling, etc.

It's almost like we are afraid to take care of ourselves by committing to ownership of actual items,
like kids who are afraid the bullies will take their toys away if they actually own something...

gambling makes your life feel pointless.
it's fun for a few minutes and miserable for months or years!


I really hate that some of the people in my family are into gambling and that i didn't know what an addict i could become.
Some people overextend because they are desperate to "win their money back",
and when that happens you don't even get to play the game for very long,
because your money has already been spent at a high bet and there is nothing left to do but rage about it.

@@

listening to the other people talk is sobering though,
for example this really annoying kid at the bar commented on his spending limit in the context of how much my husband and I managed to gamble in front of him.

we act like high rollers but we are practically homeless.

please pray that someone rents to us this week!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tesla_WTC_Solution]

I wanted to share a detail of the gambling issue with some friends here.

My spouse oversaw the loss of over forty thousand dollars, about half or more of which we gambled,
Since December.

That is more money than I made in my best year in the air force.

What would you do at the point he started asking his dad to cover his losses?

My father in law is almost homeless himself.

How can a relationship survive self entitlement?

[Carolin]

Hi Tesla,

Thinking of you with love and compassion. May both of you find peace.

Love
C

[Tesla_WTC_Solution]

We have been drinking too much lately. Yet another arm of the octopus.

[TargeT]

We have been drinking too much lately. Yet another arm of the octopus.

sounds like you tend to lean toward excess;

have you watched this video?

dbh5l0b2-0o

the brain is a muscle, self reflection and self analysis is a very important exercise; one that can help you to guide your life with more conscious control instead of random reacting.

[camper]

Hi Tesla-WTC-Solution I'm new here but I have followed many of your post and my heart goes out to you and your son. I understand you have some family issues but do you have any good friends that you might confide in? Someone that will be there for you when you need help. I know It might be easier to talk to people you don't really know personally but it's always better to have that big hug from a friend. Best of luck to you.