Brazilian Is Addicted to Video Games

Hello there, Papabear! 

A furry friend of mine that has previously sent a letter regarding about going into an furcon has indicated this site for me to use if I have any questions. Anyways, let's cut to the chase.

I live in Brazil, Campo Grande, and I think I play videogames. A lot of videogames. My daily basis consists of playing shooter games, and the like. The real issue is, sometimes I put videogames above everything. Family, friends and even job. I used to skip job just because I had a event scheduled named 'Destiny'. 

But since I know my boss, and he knows how videogames really are addicting, he gave me a second chance and I am still going to work daily. However, last day, I almost skipped work again due to another event I scheduled up. I went to work normally, did the stuff I did, but sometimes I fear that I might fire myself from my job just to go sit on the couch and play videogames. I literally can't stop playing those, and I have a vast variety of them, so if I get bored of one, no problem, I have another just ready to play ... but that's where the real bad things come in play.

I got this job out of total luck. When I was in college, I skipped so many hours of study for tests just to play a videogame. I have no clue how I took good grades (A to B) on the tests, but I wasn't worried that time. All I wanted was to arrive, sit, and play. And in case I had to turn off the computer to do something ... sometimes it better had to be important. Sometimes I ignored parents or friends while they were talking to me. I literally do not know how to stop with the videogames. I just keep playing them, more and more, yet I haven't contracted anything bad (sight issues and the like) Please help, because since my friend said so well about this website I decided to come take a look.

Anonymous (age 22, Brazil)

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Olá, Furiend,

Obviously, you have a videogame addiction. So, we know what the problem is, and that’s a start. I’ve known quite a few furries with game addictions, including to the point of not paying the bills and instead buying games to play. Financially speaking, such behavior is doomed, because eventually you will run out of money, get fired from your job, lose your friends, and then you won’t be able to play games anymore because you’ll be living under a bridge somewhere eating garbage from a dumpster. That’s one way to end a videogame addiction.

Videogame addictions are like any other addiction. You become obsessed with them because they offer you a reward that makes you feel good. And, just like an addiction to drugs or alcohol, you will eventually suffer from lack of money, friends and family leaving you, poor health, and so on. The first step in quitting—again, just like these other addictions—is that you have to want to quit.

You sound like you want to quit, but you’ll really need to commit to quitting if you wish to break this very bad habit. Here are some things you can do:

1. Create a schedule for yourself that includes work hours and 8 hours of sleep, as well as half an hour of physical activity of some kind (anything from going to the gym to taking a walk). I’m not sure how much time you currently spend playing games, but let’s say it’s 10 hours. In your schedule, reduce that time to 8 hours for two weeks, then 6 hours for the next two weeks, and then 4 hours for the next two weeks. Then, 2 hours for the next two weeks, and, finally, one hour a day.
2. Start replacing the time you now spend on games with doing something else fun or productive.  Take up a hobby, do volunteer work, or take the time to learn a new skill. A wonderful example of this came to me from a furry I once knew named Coony. Coony was addicted to cocaine. Then, one day, he discovered the furry fandom. He fell in love with the idea of fursuiting, but he was spending his money on crack. However, his desire to fursuit became greater than his desire for drugs, so he reduced and then stopped using them and took that money to buy himself a fursuit. Today, he is drug free and furry happy.
3. Seek the help and support of friends and family. Tell them you are struggling with game addiction, and it would help you a lot if they could make time for you to do things together that don’t relate to games.
4. Sell off the games you no longer play and put that money in the bank. 
5. Create a budget plan for your life. Begin by listing all your current expenses (rent, transportation, utility bills, food, etc.). Now, to that list put in how much you spend each month on buying games and game equipment. Total that budget, and then take the amount you spend on games, divide by the total, and come up with a percent. Whatever that percent is, next month make it your goal to cut it in half. Eventually, your gaming budget should be no more than 1% of your entire household budget. Even better if it’s 0%, but we won’t go that far.
6. Set up goals in your life that you want to achieve that do not involve gaming. For example, getting a promotion at work, earning an advanced degree, or achieving a physical goal such as running a marathon. Make it a challenging goal that takes up time away from games.
7. Join Online Gamers Anonymous. Unfortunately, they don’t have a chapter in Brazil, but you can still benefit from their online services, such as chat rooms and forums.
8. Put your game system someplace where it is not easily accessible. Whenever you have finished playing games, unplug it from the television and put it back on a top shelf in a closet somewhere. Next, find a jar or empty box. Now, whenever you take down that game system, place a dollar in the box or jar. In addition, for every hour you play games, place another dollar in the box. At the end of each week, count the money and see how you did. Then, take that money and give it to a charity. This is not money for you; it is money out of your pocket for doing something unproductive that you are then turning into money that is productive.

By employing these strategies, you should be able to wean yourself slowly off gaming. You could try cold turkey (stopping completely all at once), but that’s usually too rough for most people.

I hope you will find the above suggestions helpful. Good luck to you!!

Papabear