Dealing with Addiction

No, this is not a post about dealing with a loved one who suffers from an addiction to alcohol or drugs or sex. It is far more serious than that. This post is about dealing with your or your loved ones' addiction to online games.

These stupid games invade your computer and your life. They are on Facebook and in web ads. People send you invitations and emails inviting you to join in their obsession. The take over your thoughts and steal your time. Like a virus the need spreads.

My name is SlightlyInsaneStacey...and I am addicted to online games. There I said it. I'm not alone, this I know. I know others who are also addicted. Some are deeper in than I am and some not as much.

The Germaphob from the Crazy Mamas is WAY addicted. At coffee night the other night she confessed that when she looks at peoples' faces she just wants to move our noses up between our eyes to make a row (if you have played Bejewled you know what I'm talking about). This is bad. When a silly game affects your social interaction with others you are in trouble.

Another lady that I work with has her own choice game that she talks about all day long. She counts down the hours and minutes to when she can feed her addiction again. This can not be healthy.

After my kids were in bed the other night I started playing one of these highly addicting games and lost 3 hours. Just lost them. Gone. Never to be seen again. 3 hours I could have spent doing housework (ha! right) or sleeping or something much more productive but who can stop when you are just 100 point off from having one of the top 10 scores among all of your facebook friends? Not me.

I have to confess that I have stayed up past my bedtime on several occasions submitting to the urge to play some puzzle/word/speed/racing game. I just lose control. I zone in and continue to play "just one more game".

I'm not to the point of wanting to rearrange my friends facial features in order to get a high score or letting these games penetrate into my everyday thoughts like a drug but I do spend far too much time partaking in them.

I don't know how to deal with my obsession except to turn the computer off, step away slowly and find something to do to stay busy...like housework (ha! right).