No, that's when you go into withdrawal and/or debt. At least, that's what happens when I run out of money with which to buy games. I think it's perfectly possible that SuperSonic1990 DOES have a mild addiction to buying games. It can be characterized by an EXTREME weakness to buying, and a total lack of ability to say "no" even when you DON'T always have enough money.
And I warn you, that can be a HUGE drawback to working at a game store. Being surrounded by them all the time, always finding something new and interesting, and having a very hard time leaving a shift without a purchase in hand. So regardless of all the naysayers here, I understand you perfectly, SuperSonic1990.
That's exactly what I mean,but AlexSays is at it again!
I think it's perfectly possible that SuperSonic1990 DOES have a mild addiction to buying games.
I don't. Much more likely a user, who's already stated he's concerned with his popularity on this site, saw how many responses another "addiction" thread saw and decided to make his own. If it's a desire, that's fine, many people have a desire to buy a bunch of games and then they wind up not having the time to play them all, some people just have the money to do so and others don't.
A new bunch of "Oh I have an addiction to this" threads is downplaying the issues of "real" addictions. Addictions that ruin lives, cause physical harm, destroy families. Comparing someone's proclivity for buying video games to something that can carry such a powerful meaning is what I have a problem with.
Thank you for changing the topic title.
SuperSonic1990 wrote:
That's exactly what I mean,but AlexSays is at it again!
I don't believe in downplaying the issues of those who suffer actual problems, so yes, I'm "at it".
Well, AlexSays obviously doesn't understand the concept of a relatively mild addiction. If the definition of addiction applies only to the extremely severe cases in his mind, then he'll give you a hard time about it. Because he doesn't share your problem, he can't hope to understand it, so he ridicules it instead. And of course, his natural tendency towards opinionated posts makes this worse than the similar reactions from other posters.
But you do have at least one ally on this thread, even though I don't have any advice for you. Really, I could use some helpful, non-condescending advice just as much as you, if not more.
EDIT: His new post further proves my point. After all, I feel the same way you do, SuperSonic1990, but I didn't make a thread about it. So he sees preexisting facts about your forum use tendencies and immediately disregards the possibility that this thread may still have a legitimate purpose.
Well, AlexSays obviously doesn't understand the concept of a relatively mild addiction.
Hmm, mild?
I saw "I have an addiction... AND I WANT IT TO STOP" but I'm using Firefox so I guess these things can happen.
Edwin wrote:
If you really feel that you have an addiction or compulsive behavior, go talk to a psychologist. This forum is probably not the best place to get help.
Once I got out of high school and realized that money was needed for other things, too, the first thing I did was go on a selling spree. Every single player game I'd completed and would take more than one sitting to complete again: sold. These games just aren't worth the effort to replay, no matter how great they were the first time. You'll be getting a sequel to most of these by the time you want to play them again, anyway.
Look at Mario Galaxy, for instance. People told me I was crazy to dump it, but lo and behold, a new one is already due out next year. I have no reason to replay an old game when a sequel is around the corner.
If you have a lot of free time, just rent single-player games from now on. I for instance have all weekend off, usually, so rather than buy the next Mario Galaxy, I'll just rent it and play the heck out of it that weekend, and a little bit over the week.
Get in the practice of renting, and you'll find the need to purchase retail games dissipate quickly. I still buy digital releases regularly, but that doesn't add up nearly as much. For the price of 2 retail games, you can get anywhere from 10-20 downloaded games.
If you have old systems that are compatible with current systems or have titles mostly available on VC, sell them. I had a huge library of NES, SNES, and N64 games before the Wii. I have the most important ones (other than EB and SMK) on Wii now. My sold systems and games paid for these and then some. In fact, I've barely paid out of pocket for anything on Wii, though I'm going to have to for NSMB.
I know I have an unorthodox approach to gaming purchases, but I try to budget myself on everything I do, and it takes no extraordinary act of will power or restraint. It helps if you already think the Virtual Console is better than new games, anyway.
If you don't have the will power to make some changes like this, just get a new hobby. Not necessarily to replace video games, but to supplement it. If you find something else to spend your time on (especially something that takes physical energy or more social interaction), you won't be thinking about games so much. It's really not healthy to have one major obsession like gaming, anyway, in my opinion.
Once I got out of high school and realized that money was needed for other things, too, the first thing I did was go on a selling spree. Every single player game I'd completed and would take more than one sitting to complete again: sold. These games just aren't worth the effort to replay, no matter how great they were the first time. You'll be getting a sequel to most of these by the time you want to play them again, anyway.
Look at Mario Galaxy, for instance. People told me I was crazy to dump it, but lo and behold, a new one is already due out next year. I have no reason to replay an old game when a sequel is around the corner.
If you have a lot of free time, just rent single-player games from now on. I for instance have all weekend off, usually, so rather than buy the next Mario Galaxy, I'll just rent it and play the heck out of it that weekend, and a little bit over the week.
Get in the practice of renting, and you'll find the need to purchase retail games dissipate quickly. I still buy digital releases regularly, but that doesn't add up nearly as much. For the price of 2 retail games, you can get anywhere from 10-20 downloaded games.
If you have old systems that are compatible with current systems or have titles mostly available on VC, sell them. I had a huge library of NES, SNES, and N64 games before the Wii. I have the most important ones (other than EB and SMK) on Wii now. My sold systems and games paid for these and then some. In fact, I've barely paid out of pocket for anything on Wii, though I'm going to have to for NSMB.
I know I have an unorthodox approach to gaming purchases, but I try to budget myself on everything I do, and it takes no extraordinary act of will power or restraint. It helps if you already think the Virtual Console is better than new games, anyway.
If you don't have the will power to make some changes like this, just get a new hobby. Not necessarily to replace video games, but to supplement it. If you find something else to spend your time on (especially something that takes physical energy or more social interaction), you won't be thinking about games so much. It's really not healthy to have one major obsession like gaming, anyway, in my opinion.
I've been working my way towards realism with what I'm likely to ever replay, and slowly weeding out my collection. I can't bring myself to dispose of the real top-notch stuff like you can, though. I DO think that the VC has the potential to be better than new games, but VC games I actually want to download trickle out too slowly for that to help much.
As for your last paragraph, I agree wholeheartedly. Problem is, I've been utterly unable to get myself anything else to fill time or take my mind off games in a positive way. Lack of travel capabilities severely limits my options in this regard. Even now, you can clearly see that my #1 source of socialization is video game-centric. sigh
EDIT: @Will: Actually, that was my first attempt at weaning off of a game-centric lifestyle. Let's just say it didn't go well...
I'm clearly just performing an emotional dump now. I don't expect any kind of useful reply, but do request that people don't start insulting me for my problems. Thank you.
It's an insult to those being medically treated for actual addictions.
First, of all thank you, AlexSays for telling us all that video gaming is not an addiction, and that I am clearly wrong with all of my opinions.
Addiction is a choice. When you drink that beer or you smoke the cigarette you are accepting the possibility of addiction. Can you name one addiction you don't have a choice to avoid? Didn't think so. These people being treated for addictions, so be it, they accepted their fate, as long as they pay for it. And for you, AlexSays, I'd be the one worrying about your popularity here. Oh, and don't get me wrong it's an issue. It's a very serious issue. Warning- Mention of politics But of course, we need to legalize marijuana so people in California can get addicted legally. Yeah, right...
Get yourself a girlfriend, then you wont have any time or money for games! Lol!
Hey,that is wonderful advice! But,I will STILL play video games even if I had a girlfriend.
Yeah, it doesn't work for me either. She makes a godawful racket in Wii Music (anyone want her dog/cat rendition of Jingle Bell Rock? No?) and I get made fun of when I jump while playing Resident Evil 4.
But it's nice to have a hobby I can share with people. Reading and writing are solo efforts by default, and though I play an instrument I can only jam with others who ALSO play instruments, which isn't many people where I live.
Get a house, pay the rent/mortgage and all the bills tied in with it, buy your own food. That is the quickest way you'll ever learn to regulate money.
man oh man, my first apartment was a real eye-opener for me. when it comes down to buying something you want and paying your electric bill that's a month late, which you need, you really start to figure out what's important in life.
also, SuperSonic1990, the core of AlexSays' point here is when he said this:
AlexSays wrote:
It's an insult to those being medically treated for actual addictions. It's not cute, nor funny, and it would bring shame to this site if a new spring of fad threads such as this one mocked those who suffer from actual ailments.
Actual addiction is a very serious issue. If you think you're actually addicted to this, but you're not willing to go to a psychologist or a doctor about it, you're only going to make things harder on yourself.
BEST THREAD EVER future of NL >:3
[16:43] James: I should learn these site rules more clearly
[16:44] LztheBlehBird: James doesn't know the rules? For shame!!!
I have a similar condition too, an unrefrainable desire to buy videogames, that is worsened by the fact that I'm also a collector, then my family got into this financial problem, and I have to say Adam is right, when there's no money you have to get the strength from wherever you can to stop it, because the feeling of wanting all those marvellous games and being totally unable to get them is awful, I felt bad, desperate, anxious, it's not nice I'm telling you.
At the end is all about WILL power, you can't let it control you, before buying a game, pay attention if you only buy that game because is there and you can afford it, or because you want it, you really feel like playing it and enjoy all that it has to offer. I'm glad you don't have any financial problems, but perhaps you should restrain your budget for videogames a little, it may help .
I don't know what personally interests you, but almost every hobby of mine other than video games is quite cheap. There are lots of cheap and easy-to-learn musical instruments that will give you years of entertainment at a fraction of the cost gaming turns out to be. Hacky sack, frisbee, etc. are all extremely cheap activities. You could always join Chicken's writing group. Take up some type of art or craft (sounds kiddy, I know, but who cares). Learn something useless like origami. Etc., etc.
I find the simple pleasures to be the most gratifying, though even if I stop playing video games, I'll always remember my childhood time with them fondly. Personally, whether I'm at home or on the road, I always have a hacky sack and/or a book, and I often take my ukulele around with me. If I had to choose between Super Mario Kart (my favorite multi-player game) or walking around the French Quarter late at night singing drinking songs off key, I would not have to be asked twice.
After owning probably over a hundred games, I was surprised at how quickly I was able to convince myself to get rid of them and adjust to a more casual approach to gaming.
Your just buying on impulse. Try this...ONLY buy DLC on Points cards and do NOT use a credit card. If you have a credit card...cut the damn thing up. If you cant afford to buy it then dont. As for selling all your games. Dont unless its a money issue. I use to have the same problem myself. ITs was like the more games I got behing on playing thru the more I kept buying. I usually play around about 5 games at once. I cant just play one game still. If your buying on the internet. STOP. Its way more fun to actually go to the store an buy them by taking weekend days to go somewhere that sells games and try to find something your wanting. Oh and dont buy multiple games at once. The biggest help for me was this. DONT BUY GAMES ON A CREDIT CARD.
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Topic: I have an uncontrollable desire to buy video games...AND I WANT IT TO STOP!
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