I've been playing videogames almost daily since I was young. I'm going to be 29 soon, but I've noticed that balancing games and responsibilities is difficult. Sometimes I waste weekends on just gaming or forget payments because I've been looking forward to a new release. I've also been feeling so reluctant to get out of bed because of the time I spend on my phone, which is mostly taken up by doomscrolling on YouTube looking for long videos to watch. I've been fapping on a daily basis as well, but I mainly get horny when I see YouTube thumbnails, ads, or scroll through 4chan. I've tried cutting down time from my phone a few times, but I always end up back on my old habits. At this point, I think dropping whatever mobile games I play and putting my phone in another room. It'd be painful because I don't want to miss out on any events, but it would be better than repeating my mistakes. I'm not entirely sure what I'd replace the empty time with though. I suspect that last part is what's making me come back to this loop. This might sound like coping, but if I could balance things maybe I wouldn't have to let go? I'm on the fence about it.

Definitely. Mobile games are a waste of time, unless you are world class at one. Maybe pick up art? It’s fun but not as addicting like many vgs if you are struggling. And if you are forgetting payments, just make sure you have calendars/timers to remind you.

>>33265996 (OP)
>empty time
You could get a life, maybe?

>>33265996 (OP)
Take a long honest look at your life. If you're not where you want to be currently, you can reduce your videogame time (or anything else) to work and achieve your goals.

The difficult part is actually being honest with yourself.

>>33265996 (OP)
the answer is not to quit videogames but grow up and assume responsabilities
I have friends who are like you are right now but with parties, drinking and going out, and they are 38
and I have others who still party, drink and go out and can balance it out with being a responsible adult
same with videogames, I game a lot but those days I'm busy with stuff I sometimes just spend half an hour doing something or wrapping some sidequests and leave it at that

>>33265996 (OP)
>mobile games
>missing events
oh you fell for the worst kind of games
uninstall them cold turkey and don't look bad
I was like you with mmorpgs and would agonize over attending every day during christmass events or something and in perspective nothing they gave away was memorable enough that I cherish nowadays, or even remember
most of my good memories of the times playing those games are of random days, not during events
just change games man, so many good games with good story and good mechanics.

>>33265996 (OP)
Mobile games are a waste of time, 100% drop them without remorse

>>33265996 (OP)


When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put away childish things.

>>33265996 (OP)
I'm in a very similar scenario anon.
I'm totally fucking addicted to my phone, porn and to youtube/4chan.
I work from home and my routine is searching for a long essay video or whatever, listen to that shit all day while working, doom scroll in between like 4 or 5 hours a day and jerk off at least once.

In fact, I'm writing this in self loathing, knowing I shouldn't be wasting my time here and that I should reduce my screen time at least in half.

Earlier this month I went on vacation with my family to a resort and almost didn't use my phone for a full week and it felt amazing.
Then once we returned home from vacation I picked up my phone again and I feel like I doubled my screen time average in the last week or so.

If I'm not on the phone scrolling or listening to slop on youtube, I can't think straight.

I'm legitimately thinking of going back to a phone without internet access at this point.

>>33267117
why not just not do it at your own will?
I have a hard time not fapping for many days but if I want to I can leave my phone alone for hours, it's not that hard, just don't.

>>33265996 (OP)
If you can't play games in moderation, go cold turkey on it. Just stop altogether, then find some hobbies other than vidya to do that you love and want to do, or something productive. Then and only then can you even think about going back to gaming. If you still can't moderate it, then quit again but for good

For me, it's gardening. I like growing things from seed, experimenting, I like getting up every morning to check on everything and I like making my garden look cool and I like growing vegetables and cooking them and eating them. I grow loads of herbs too. It leads into another activity, I have started to like cooking because there is so much I can do with food now. When I have played vidya for over 4 hours I think to myself "that's enough for one day. I want to go do something in the garden now". It is also fun to research different plants, especially native wild plants, their uses, and which ones you can eat

I picked some torch lilly seeds off of a plant in the garden centre last time I was there. I put the seeds in my fridge for about 3 weeks now, and i'm gonna sow them soon. They could be hybrid, I don't know, but that is the fun in sowing things. I will homogenise them into a new variety if they are. Maybe i'll sell them if they are any good. I have taken lavender cuttings too, I might start selling them too
I play music too, but It doesn't do the same for me. You will find something

>>33265996 (OP)
You’re supposed to be reading books, doing a constructive hobby, doing job related hobbies or watching tv

Yes video games have a stigma now because America is extremely feminized and they abhor video games because they worship men that never played them, that’s still only 10% of men but they think all men should be like that 10%

>>33265996 (OP)

The #1 problem I'm having with dropping vidya/doomscrolling is that finding replacement activities that don't involve screens.

Working/side hustle? Screens.
Learning something new? Screens, if you want to be practical or not spend money on books.
Spend time with friends? Guess what, screens.
Want a hobby? Need screens to get into it

My only escape is working out