Awareness Alone Is Curative?

[IndependantKouhai]

I had been playing computer games for about 8-10 years.  A year ago I decided to quit for good, but the cravings for playing the games still sometimes arise, although they are not that significant. The tactic I used to get over gaming was avoiding them and replacing it with books, meditation, and other helpful material.

If the temptations still arise for gaming, should I bite the bullet and start playing games while using awareness and doing nothing to slowly get out of them? Or should I just continue to avoid them, because there is no reason to start this shit all over again? 

I want to try this because I believe that it will make me less defensive when other people talk about games and suggests to me to try playing them. But on the other hand, I don't want to waste my time and end up doing the same thing - avoiding them.

[Shin]

Gaming isn't bad per say, nothing is particular in bad per say, it's why you do it that counts.

If you do computer gaming as an escape mechanics to avoid following your intuition, it is "bad".

If you do it because you genuinely enjoy it, and don't feel bad about doing it, why not ?

 

I mean, if you take the time to find what life calling you are bound to take everyday, if you do your meditation everyday, if you take a good walk everyday, and if you read a minimum everyday, WHY you do feel forced to stop something you apparently like to do ?

Don't worry, if you really think gaming is bad, and if this isn't for you, at some point you'll stop naturally by adopting new habits that you like more, but trying to stop it in one go isn't gonna work ...

You could, but that would be creating a huge amount of unecessary resistance, and you would have to focus on that for months (more likely years), so again, why ?

 

If you were talking about smoking/drinking/eating and sex disorder, or drugs abuse, that would be an another story, but gaming ?

What's the worst that can happen ? You'll break your thumb ?

 

You also say you want to stop because you don't want to be judged ?

Wrong idea, you'll be defensive on something else then, gaming isn't the problem, your need to be externally approved is.

Only a spiritual/self-actualization work can help you there, quitting a minor addiction/a hobby like gaming won't do shit.

 

 

 

Edited December 25, 2016 by Shin

[IndependantKouhai]

Thanks for replying @Shin  I understand that gaming isn't evil and there isn't anything in particularly wrong with it. However, when I weighed the benefits and the unfavorable factors, I decided it isn't worth my time. Firstly it's become a safe zone and comfort zone for me when the external world is harsh. I used it as an escape instead of sitting down and contemplating my feelings. And it will continue to pull me closer to my comfort zone to the point where I feel I will be scared to do other things. 

There are lots of other reasons too that I won't go into. But in essence, it is quite easier to be attached to stimulation than to go out there in the real world and work on yourself, self-actualize. I know a lot of these issues can be managed, but I just don't see the point in games anymore...Especially the one's I enjoyed playing.

And there seems to be a misunderstanding of what I meant by being defensive. Since like I said I still have the demand for gaming, but I refuse to give myself this "treat," I get kind off defensive by judging people, labeling games as stupid, time wasting and so on. I believe in solving this I should remove the craving altogether, which will eliminate the need to be defensive. 

I think I haven't really gotten over with my gaming habit/ little addiction. I assume that I just managed to sweep it under the rug and it is still bothering me. So how do I remove the habit completely? Should I immerse myself in it again and use the awareness alone is curative technique or isn't even worth my time and I should instead focus my awareness just on judging and attaching labels to things?

[Shin]

14 hours ago, IndependantKouhai said:

 

I think I haven't really gotten over with my gaming habit/ little addiction. I assume that I just managed to sweep it under the rug and it is still bothering me. So how do I remove the habit completely? Should I immerse myself in it again and use the awareness alone is curative technique or isn't even worth my time and I should instead focus my awareness just on judging and attaching labels to things?

 

 

You have two choices:

 

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The YOLO approach:

 

You sell your computer and any devices that comes with it, and buy a crappy laptop, just enough powerful to browse internet and watching videos.

You replace the time you were gaming with other habits, or increase the lenght time of habits you already have.

 

This approach is very effective if you have someone to watch your back until the addiction runs out (after months/years).

Unfortunately, unless you're some sort of god, this approach also never works the first time, you'll backslide A LOT.

 

It's the most effective approach if you always come stronger after a backslide, but you need to be determined, you need to visualize the man you will become if you could erase this addiction from your life.

 

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I recommand this approach if gaming creates problem in your life, like if it takes time that you need to do more important things in order to improve your life, if you notice that you skip habits that are important to you just because you were playing.

 

 

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The middle path approach:

 

You don't stop gaming, but you gradually replace the time you spend gaming with other habits.

Every month, you spend, let's say, 20 minutes more onto your other habits.

Exemple: 5 minutes more meditation, 5 minutes more sport, 10 minutes more reading.
 

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Unless you have a hardcore addiction, it'll work, but only if you have enough consciousness to watch yourself.

After some months, when the craving start to fall, and you only need some minutes per day to fill the need (like 30-45 minutes), you can start the yolo approach if you want to speed things up, or if you see that the middle-path approach does not work for you.

 

 

 

I'm far from being an expert, I'm only sharing my own experiences, hope it'll work for you

 

[IndependantKouhai]

Thanks, anyways follow up question. How to know is curing unwanted behaviors with awareness is working for you? Will you overtime just not want to do it anymore naturally? And how much time does it really take to delete a hard addiction like masturbation? Does anyone have any experience? 
 

[Shin]

20 minutes ago, IndependantKouhai said:

Thanks, anyways follow up question. How to know is curing unwanted behaviors with awareness is working for you? Will you overtime just not want to do it anymore naturally? And how much time does it really take to delete a hard addiction like masturbation? Does anyone have any experience? 
 

As consciousness grows, you naturally do things that authentically makes you happy, so  yes, you wouldn't even think about it after a while.

For me it was hiking, I can walk in a forest for hours, so it doesn't leave a lot of time for other activities (except in winter, where I have to pick up new habits, like piano) ^^

 

 

Edited December 27, 2016 by Shin