Thank you for the response. Not sure what im going to do at this point in terms of gums and such. Ill try to stay strong and avoid the cigs. Its been such a grind so far. I certainly dont want to have to go through this again and i know its for the best so ill keep fighting. Thanks again.
When I’m having a hard time, I like to take a break, have a deep breath, and just turn back to look at what I’ve already done. It usually gives me strength to finish what I’ve started.
You’ve done a very difficult thing for 7 weeks already. It’s so huge ! Congratulations, really. Now you “just” have to finish what you have started.
Here are a couple single player card games on mobile that are very fun and can occupy your brain in a similar way without the $$$.
Void Knight
Pirate Outlaws
These are similar to slay the spire, if you like that.
It’s not just a lack of willpower. You have to accept that you have got some problems. Take it from someone who has 1200 hours on battlegrounds, 16,000 games won in play mode, 1600 hours on mei alone in overwatch, and carpal tunnel syndrome :). My wife is sick and I bury myself in video games to avoid reality when she is sleeping. I’m completely aware of how harmful it is. I’m just sharing this with you so that you can see how harmful this problem can get.
I don’t know how to fix the problems but those are examples of some games which might help ween you off hearthstone. If you are really serious about actually ending your addiction I would recommend seeking the help of a therapist. That’s what I will probably have to do eventually.
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Something like better help or talk space can help you get the addiction therapy process started while you wait to be matched with someone “n person”. There are all sorts of discounts online so it shouldn’t be too pricey to start! Good luck, sounds like you’re doing the right thing!
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While I don’t think you need professional help, I do think you share a common trait with the rest of us.
We all get impassioned with our principal interests and will often dive into them with gusto. This is normal. What is also normal are the conflicting feelings of a codependent relationship. Which is easy to see that many folks here are submersed in (if not with this game, with themselves and something personal - the traits are telling).
I don’t want to offer you suggestions on what you should do, but I’ll share what I do in these situations.
I have found that no one lies to me better than me. I can justify anything to myself, that’s how I make my decisions. I’m pretty sure most everyone that has committed to any decision has had to use some justification process, and even if it’s a simple “I accept the outcome even though I know it’s a bad choice”. So going back to something or making a bad choice is simply just me choosing what I want.
How do I not sink myself in a rut? I try to remember that life still happens around me and sometimes, I put in a little extra effort to be a part of it. Whether it’s a responsibility (like chores), or spending time just petting my dogs (who always love me, no matter how much I forget to thank them), or calling a friend. I think the most important thing I do that helps me to avoid returning to the place you’re in, is to remember that I just need to get out of my own way. Open up to something other than this game. Sometimes it’s another game, sometimes it’s a call to a battle buddy.
IDK what the solution is for you, but for me, I don’t try to ‘white-knuckle’ my will over the choices I think I want to make. I make the choices I make because I want to feel better about me.
At any rate, I think you’re doing just fine. Many would be happy to be able to spend money and time playing games. We get to do that or something else 
Just take it a day at a time. Try something new… before you know it, you won’t be playing it anymore.
BTW: I had almost 4000 consecutive days playing Soda Crush. Never spent a dime, just played it every day for whatever reason. It was only this past autumn that I stopped. I did fill it with another game, but I don’t play hardly as much on my phone anymore, and that makes me happy
Happy Holidays! Things get better
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I understand perfectly and it’s part of the problem actually.
With that said:
Do it like a band aid if you really want. Fast and only once.
It gonna 100% hurt but you need to remember that companies like blizzard only gonna stop those practices if they stop working on people.
man, i have the same problem. I love ragnarok, but when I play I don’t want to do anything else. In games we have momentary achievements and joys that mean nothing in real life. I realized that I had no purpose. You need to exercise your will and change your attitudes, look for your purpose, you didn’t come to this world to play video games and that’s it. Seek professional help, your parents, a church, etc., but don’t get stuck in this vicious cycle. A hug from a Brazilian who knows what you are going through.
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I was in the same boat for years. Started to play back in 2013, early beta, had several accounts and fully dusted couple of times. About three months ago I finally quit playing that soul sucking game by switching to watching YouTube videos of people playing it. You get all the fun plays without all that cortisol. Try that. Best of luck
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When I met my wife in 2001, we were both ex-smokers of 5+ years who still loved to party and carry on. We didn’t smoke for quite sometime until she snuck a cigarette out on the balcony at some party, and I got jealous, so I bummed one. A year later and I’m buying cartons again.
She had an easier time quitting the second time, but it was hell for me, but she really wanted me to so I did. I used the patch, and it stuck for quite while, maybe 3 years.
I went back to smoking “socially” (we know how that works out for most of us) after we had a baby and I got the famous dad’s night out once in awhile–whoo boy would I let off some steam. I was super stressed at the time. Next thing you know I’m back to sneaking them when wife is asleep, etc.
Patched up again and quit when my son was still a baby, never smoked in front of him.
Now I’m stayed quit for 8 years and believe it or not, I run a 5k every day. I don’t think I could run 500 feet when I was a smoker.
You can do it! It’s REALLY hard though, and you will have to sacrifice some immediate joy for long-term benefits. The patch helped me greatly, but I have no idea how it would work for other people. Good luck!
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This is very good on you. Congratulations!
You tell him it is very hard and maybe take more try to make the quit, but you show that the person can reach the goal if they the keep try. This the true advise.
I hope you find some of the peace soon. I am the sorry that you are the miserable and I wish that I the more help to give. Be well and good lucks.
This game is only worth playing f2p and IF you play constantly and keep up. Otherwise, you aren’t missing much.
Good for you for knowing yourself well enough to make that assertion.
Amoeb0id, it’s important to understand that addiction is a thing into itself, and that “what you’re addicted to” is merely a means. People with addiction compulsively run away from responsibilities, and what they run TO isn’t as important as why it is they’re running FROM. The reason you keep undeleting your account is because you’re still avoiding the same things, and without Hearthstone there’s nothing to fill the void left over, no time sink for the time NOT spent attending to the responsibilities you’re afraid to attend to. The destructive magic of addiction is that the mind distracts from the source of the fear such that the trivial time sink becomes the primary focus.
If you want to fix yourself, my friend, you will have to confront that fear. Perhaps it is best to do so with the assistance of a professional counselor or psychiatrist; perhaps not. But agonizing over Hearthstone will never truly fix things one way or another.
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What does being a marine (welfare recipients) have to do with this conversation? Are you addicted to welfare?
This is a wonderful comment. Thank you for trying to help someone who needs help.
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I posted a similar thread a few months back. I totally feel your pain, my friend. Trapped is the best word to describe how I felt as well. I still somewhat feel that way. But since the new system has been put in I haven’t spent money on Arena since. Here’s my take on why this game is hard to quit. It’s so casual that it just doesn’t die. It’s there when you are bored…it takes less than 30 seconds from when you load the .exe to pressing play and jump in a match. New crap, new cards, new wealth, but the same old story. I can’t count how many times I’ve said to myself, holy crap this game is just right…please don’t drop an expansion and FUDGE it all up blizzard PLZ! But ya know the end of this story. In order to quit this game, you must find a replacement. I know a lot of people won’t agree with that, trading one problem for another…but who says the next game will be a problem? It might be the solution!!! And it’s obviously better than the actual known problem that exists now… which is you stuck in love with a game that won’t let you quit. His problem is real…and it can beat! All in all, bro you got to make yourself stop spending money on this game…period. If you don’t get 150G shut the game down…play standard or wild…build a deck that’s ridiculous and enjoy it…but when you stop paying…you stop caring as much…and there is less to do. Give it a shot bro I really hope you figure it out…it took me a couple of years to do it but it can be done!!!
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Hey I stumbled upon this post on accident but really felt your post. I have had similar problems and knoe the situation you are in. It is very easy to go down the rabbit hole like that. Now I am by no means a mental health professional but I have some experience counseling and working with people on such problems. If you really want to go through with it, you really should not have to care about the value of your account. The way I see it you spend money for the pleasure of the game. Not to “convert your money into another means of currency”. So if you really want to do it do the following: delete your account and for the 5 days until it is finalized start every day by drawing a black dot on your right hand that reminds you of the goal you set for yourself. If that does not work for you, you could choose a confidante a person that you message for those 5 days whenever you have the urge to reinstall the game
Maybe that helps
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there are some therapists that do on-line counseling, definitely try other ways, just quit the crappy game
First off, thank you so much for your honesty and bravery. It’s a pretty big deal to put this out there publicly.
A lot of time with addictive personalities people tend to tell you that it’s about building up willpower and saying no to whatever you’re struggling with. I tend to find this maybe a good starting point but ultimately ends in failure for people with strong “addictive” tendencies. It’s not enough to say no to something you have to find something else to say yes to instead.
Getting distance from gaming in general will probably be a good idea, thats only half the issue. You need to find something that you have enjoyed in the past or know you do enjoy that is constructive and utilize that to build good habits in a positive direction. All the negativity that you see coming out of gaming is simply because it’s all of your strengths applied to something that isn’t lasting. It’s not that you’re a weaker person it’s that your strengths aren’t being utilized to help yourselves or help others, no lasting effects for you to be proud of. An addictive personality is not simply weakness but also a great strength. You just have to be careful what you apply yourself to and allow into your life.
Professional help can be great but professional help is just like anything else there are good and bad workers in every field. I’m not downplaying the need for professional help but putting your soul trust in someone else to fix you isn’t going to solve your problem. The best of professional help will tell you it’s a two-way street, they give you the tools but you have to apply them.
So while you are waiting start with distance. Desperation is a great first motivator but it fades. Before it does apply yourself to something constructive you know you enjoy while you look for professional help. A lot of times there are free clinics with wonderful people working there. I know there are several in my city. Take a look around your area and see what’s available.
Thanks for this post. I think this is a problem that is generally overlooked in the gaming community and overshadowed by issues of a lesser weight or importance. Gaming companies like Blizzard and EA are aggressively moving in this direction of designing their games to be addictive using human tendencies and human biology to hook people into their games. It’s something we as a community need to realize and be actively against.
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I’m the same way it became a addiction and are to stop playing even those you say you want to quite.
Ironically I’m back but only to tell you all this because I feel like I owe it to everyone. I took your advice and I’m currently being processed to start treatment and addiction counselling at the CMHA, “Canadian metal health association”. Thanks for all your support, I couldn’t have worked up the courage to do this without you. I’ll be seeing a psychiatrist today and getting my life back on track soon. So with that being said, take it easy and stay safe everyone, see ya!
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