Video Game Addiction Support Group
Game addiction is a form of psychological addiction related to a compulsive use of computer and video games. People suffering from this form of addiction may experience intense cravings to play the game and may also suffer symptoms of withdrawal when they stop playing the game. Meet with friendly, supportive people sharing their experiences with Video Game Addiction.
My husband is addicted. I'm not here to ask "How much is too much?" or to say "I *Think* he has a problem."
My husband has a problem. It started 18 months ago. He became addicted to The Hobbit. He started sleeping on the couch. I became a single parent. As he sunk into a greater depression because of my nagging that he was not spending any time with his family and all he did was play his video game, and as he realized he prefered to live his life outside the real world.. he then began to buy more gadgets (Ipads, Ipod touches, phones, uses my daughters phone for multiple accounts, has my 5 year old becoming addicted and using my phone etc.) it led him to play even more. I've realized I've enabled him by being the "good wife" and just hoping things change.
He's dealt with alot of mental issues with his brother passing away in a car accident and him not feeling like he was there for him.. his mother having mental depression and never getting help.. a previous divorce before we got married.. lots of pressure with every day life, kids, etc.
The game started as a way out for him.. a temporary escape.
I have to beg him to sleep with me (Sorry, TMI). We'd go months without sex if it were up to him. When things got really bad, I guess him thinking another child brought into this world would somehow help things. I am not 8 months pregnant.. One time occurance, I guess it was just meant to be.
My husband plays around 12 hours a day. Probably even more. I don't know how much he spends on it at work. I do know from 5pm-2am in the morning he is on the game on the couch cut off from the real world.. while I am left to deal. He eats dinner on the couch while myself and my kids talk about our day and eat at the table. If we are lucky he may eat with us 1x a week... but the Ipad comes to the table with him. He's never help put the kids to bed. He's never read them stories. He's never told them goodnight.
He drives the kids to school playing his game. My daughter says he's swerved several times to miss things while playing. I can't do this to my kids any longer.
I'm not a weak woman. I'm strong. I keep my family together. I've dealt with it for 18 months but I'm packing my husbands bags this weekend and they will be on the drive when he gets home on Sunday. (He leaves and hunts every weekend- again, another 3 days of being able to play guilt free without the wife asking him to get off and spend some time with his kids).
He's terrified of life without this game. What will he do? There's nothing to do. He doesn't get that your family is suppose to make you happy.
I made him take his niece (hasn't seen her in 2 years since his brothers death) to the movies last night. It was a fun family night. He stayed on his ipad playing his game the entire movie. He was attacked last night while he was sleeping (he passed out early around 10pm) and wasn't able to defend himself. He woke up this morning cursing out everyone and anything bc of the situation. I know instantly if something has happened on his game due to his aggressive over the top behavior that is an instant negative result on our family.
Thanks for letting me vent and share my story. It doesn't change things, but its nice to get it out a little. I don't want to bash my husband to my friends and family so I hold it all in, I love him but I just want him to get help but he refuses.
Maybe after I make him leave, and his sits in his solitude of loneliness, it will wake him up. I don't know what else to do.
My husband has a problem. It started 18 months ago. He became addicted to The Hobbit. He started sleeping on the couch. I became a single parent. As he sunk into a greater depression because of my nagging that he was not spending any time with his family and all he did was play his video game, and as he realized he prefered to live his life outside the real world.. he then began to buy more gadgets (Ipads, Ipod touches, phones, uses my daughters phone for multiple accounts, has my 5 year old becoming addicted and using my phone etc.) it led him to play even more. I've realized I've enabled him by being the "good wife" and just hoping things change.
He's dealt with alot of mental issues with his brother passing away in a car accident and him not feeling like he was there for him.. his mother having mental depression and never getting help.. a previous divorce before we got married.. lots of pressure with every day life, kids, etc.
The game started as a way out for him.. a temporary escape.
I have to beg him to sleep with me (Sorry, TMI). We'd go months without sex if it were up to him. When things got really bad, I guess him thinking another child brought into this world would somehow help things. I am not 8 months pregnant.. One time occurance, I guess it was just meant to be.
My husband plays around 12 hours a day. Probably even more. I don't know how much he spends on it at work. I do know from 5pm-2am in the morning he is on the game on the couch cut off from the real world.. while I am left to deal. He eats dinner on the couch while myself and my kids talk about our day and eat at the table. If we are lucky he may eat with us 1x a week... but the Ipad comes to the table with him. He's never help put the kids to bed. He's never read them stories. He's never told them goodnight.
He drives the kids to school playing his game. My daughter says he's swerved several times to miss things while playing. I can't do this to my kids any longer.
I'm not a weak woman. I'm strong. I keep my family together. I've dealt with it for 18 months but I'm packing my husbands bags this weekend and they will be on the drive when he gets home on Sunday. (He leaves and hunts every weekend- again, another 3 days of being able to play guilt free without the wife asking him to get off and spend some time with his kids).
He's terrified of life without this game. What will he do? There's nothing to do. He doesn't get that your family is suppose to make you happy.
I made him take his niece (hasn't seen her in 2 years since his brothers death) to the movies last night. It was a fun family night. He stayed on his ipad playing his game the entire movie. He was attacked last night while he was sleeping (he passed out early around 10pm) and wasn't able to defend himself. He woke up this morning cursing out everyone and anything bc of the situation. I know instantly if something has happened on his game due to his aggressive over the top behavior that is an instant negative result on our family.
Thanks for letting me vent and share my story. It doesn't change things, but its nice to get it out a little. I don't want to bash my husband to my friends and family so I hold it all in, I love him but I just want him to get help but he refuses.
Maybe after I make him leave, and his sits in his solitude of loneliness, it will wake him up. I don't know what else to do.
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My 6mo twin DD's are EBF and just started rice cereal on the first. Everything has been going fine except this morning one of them had a diaper rash (lots of redness around her anus). I read this as one of the signs of an allergy. BUT I did just buy a different brand diaper yesterday (which they have used randomly before w/no issues). Do you think its the cereal or the diaper? Im ready to start...
A game activates the same area of the brain as gambling addictions.
It's random reward and hope to win the small percent of achievements.
I was a loser in life in my mind and had no honor, in game I was a epic person beloved by many and respected. I commanded lots of players who followed my lead and trusted me. I was getting so much affirmation there I could not fail them. Sitting next to me was my daughters who I did not feed breakfast, lunch, and were very hungry but We're afraid to interrupt me because I would snap on them..........
Such a pathetic person. Two daughters that I could have plugged into and invested but I ignored them.
I had to lose everything and crash into the rock bottom.
You have a responsibility. You need to care and provide for your children. You can't change you husband but you can hold him accountable to your boundaries, have consequences for breaking your boundaries and never waver. Your most important job is providing a healthy environment for your children. You are also teaching them every day you put up with his addiction that they should also put up with nonsense with people in their lives later in life.
I only healed and became more and stepped up to the plate because my wife left me divorced me and forced me to be alone and game. I fought me way back from this rock bottom part of my life.
If he does not heal the game will fade but be replaced by another and by another and by another. Then one day he looks up and kids kids will have kids and he will wonder where did his children's childhood go?
I am here if you need to talk I hope these words help you somehow.
I wish you much peace.
I hope your husband left and you have some peace about it. I hope you have the support you need. Please email me so we can talk. I'm new to this forum and would like to share with people whose stories I can relate to. Take care.