Serious: D&D Addiction


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Elric

First Post
I find that many things are addicting. Exercise, for example, seems to be subtly addictive for me, but in a good, not unhealthy, way. I would think that the same would be true for other "addictions" as well. For me, some sign of addiction doesn't have to be a bad thing.

I think that I am probably not addicted to any form of gaming, but I am subtly addicted to the intellectual stimulus that it provides. If this is the case, then gaming would be very similar to exercise, but for the mind instead of body. Hope this makes some sense.
 

maddman75

First Post
I am hardcore addicted to a game, but it isn't D&D. It's Civilization III. Now many people will talk about the allure of Just One More Turn on this game. But I've found I *can't* play it casually. It goes beyond thinking about it at odd times during the day. When I'm on a Civ3 bender, it's ALL I think about. every spare moment is playing civ3. Get off work, play civ until time to sleep, rinse and repeat.

It was just sucking up too much of my life, and I can't play just a bit. So I uninstalled it.

But unless your D&D fixation is that bad I wouldn't worry. You could probably help things just by getting into another, unrelated hobby. Just something else to pass the time :).
 


Tallok

First Post
I can identify, I have the same problem, but with message boards and music, so how do I go to a good school and get good grades? Oh yeah it's that not sleeping thing, don't try it
 

Khas

First Post
Well, I am the DM so I have to do more than think about my character an hour before the game. No, I don't spend an excessive amount of money on the game. I just find that sometimes I would rather stay in and work on my game or read message boards than do anything else. I game every other week but spend a few hours each night working on my game or reading message boards. My job hasn't suffered.
 



Magic Slim

First Post
The realization that you might have a problem goes far into showing that you don't want to have that problem and will find a way to get it under control before it really becomes a problem...

It's easy to become passionate about such a great hobby. I know I go to sleep sometimes thinking about my game (as a DM) or my (many) characters. During class (I'm working on my masters) I take notes and think up of plot elements or character concepts when the lecture becomes boring. I have spent, in my life, in the upwards of 5,000$ on gaming material (probably). Most of my close friends are people I game with (they were gamers before I met them or I have converted them to gaming).

Hm. What was my point again?

Oh yeah. My life is not limited to that. I play music. I watch movies. I write non-gaming stuff. I have a girlfriend that doesn't game. I go out with my gaming friends and we don't talk about gaming.

It's all about balance, and only you can bring that balance to your life.

You don't seem like an addict. In my opinion, you won't become in addict, because you know you could. Work on balance, and you'll be fine.

Slim

PS: My civIII was UO in college.
 

Tyler Do'Urden

Soap Maker
BOZ said:
sounds like how i was on civ2 ;)

Was? I still am hooked on Civ2... none of that cruddy Civ3 for me... (Civ3 lacks my favorite element of Civ2- the extensive module-building and customization...)

As for D&D addiction, I used to think that I had a strange addiction, and then I looked at my father- every evening, he's either watching a sporting event on TV, out golfing, at the ballpark or arena watching a game, reading Sports Illustrated, or headed off to an Indian casino with one of his buddies. And he still finds plenty of time to spend with his family and maintain a successful career.

So he has his gaming, and I have mine.

But I do think that there is a limit. Some of my friends fit the "gamer nerd" stereotype to a T- they never really talk about anything else, they ignore basic hygene, they pay no attention to the opposite sex (unless that attention comes in the form of Internet porn), they can't maintain an academic life or hold a job for very long... these are the kinds that are worrisome. But as long as you can hold a job or maintain your grades above failing, and are able to carry on conversations about other things, it should be fine. Try taking a week or two doing something else... for the last month, I haven't run any RPG's, have played maybe one session, and the extent of my gaming involvement has been reading ENworld every couple days- and I'm finding no lack of other activities to fill my time.

Really, contrary to the beliefs of some, D&D nerds are no different than hardcore fans of other types. But if that's all you are, you can be rather dull. Ever tried chatting with an obsessive "motorhead"? What about a football "superfan"? A romance novel enthusiast? They're all just as bad. There is a line between enjoying something, and enjoying something to the exclusion of everything else.
 

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