There are casual gamers, hardcore gamers and then there are those that are addicted. Today we have an interview with Croc, a World of Warcraft addict that has been clean for 6 months. I asked him a few questions about his addiction and how its been since he quit playing.
So, my first question is how long did you play WOW?
I was playing it full time for 2 and a half years. I added up all the play time once, the actual time i spent in game and it went near 200 days
And how long did it take for you to get addicted?
That happened almost instantly, a couple of days after i was introduced to the game I just couldn’t stop playing it. I just had a feeling it was this best game i’ve ever got to play
Did you realize you were addicted right away, or did it take some time for you to admit it?
I’d say it was pretty obvious from the start but for a long time I didn’t even care enough if i was addicted or not. I was just enjoying the game
How did you eventually quit playing?
Well, six months before I actually did quit, I decided to stop playing WoW because I had already realized what it had done to my life. I didn’t play for about a month that time but I just couldn’t manage and went back playing, anxiety got the better of me
What got me to quit for good was reflecting on the past two years and all the things I could have done but was rather in World of Warcraft got me feeling really bad and I just decided to say goodbye to all the friends I had there and just stop it
How many times did you try to quit, just two?
Yes, when I was serious enough about it, it was just those two times. I guess I was aware of the addiction for a longer time before that but couldn’t get myself to even think about quitting.
When you were at your peak addiction, what was your daily life like?
Well, I guess you could say I was living just so I could be in WoW. I used to get up in the morning and it was straight to the PC and play WoW, there is always something to do there and I couldn’t help myself but to rather do stuff in WoW then most of the things I had to do in real life. I even skipped college classes so much I failed two consecutive years.. just cause I couldn’t cope with the anxiety of not being in WoW.
You mentioned that you felt bad when you reflected on your time playing WOW. Do you regret playing as long as you did?
I definetly do, that was a huge loss and I wish I knew better.
The first few days after quiting, what was that like? Did you know what to do with all the extra time?
The first days or first couple of weeks even were the worst. I had already deleted WoW and frozen my account and was determined not to start playing again but that didn’t stop me from thinking about it, or missing the game, the friends I made especially.
Yeah, I did end up with alot of new free time and I started doing all the stuff I would usually do but I’ve spent alot of time on the PC aswell, just chatting with the people I’ve played with or reading WoW news, looking at screenshots I took and such, that lasted a while but I managed not to start playing again and I’m happy about it.
Does talk about new expansions make you want to start playing again?
No, actually not at all. I think over this time I haven’t been playing WoW I’ve got to not just dislike the game but in a way hate it for all the time I was consumed by it.
My next question was going to be, would you ever go back, but from that answer I’ll take that as a no.
That’s right :)
Have you been playing any other MMORPG? Would you?
No, WoW was my first MMORPG and the last. I still enjoy playing games and read on the new games, some of them MMORPGs and even tho they look awesome and all that simply for the fact it’s almost impossible, for me anyway, to play such a game casually I don’t get interested.
Do you have any advise for our readers that might be addicted to a MMORPG?
Yeah. I’m sure you’re all aware how being a part of that virtual world can and will out throw your real life and get you to neglect your friends and your obligations. And even so it’s hard to quit, but as hard as it, it’s also very simple – just quit it. Say good bye and move on.
Well that does it for the interview. Thanks Croc.
I’d like to add something if I may please.
You asked me if I would ever go back to playing again.
It’s a bit hard to answer because of all the bad things that went with it I’ve made some good friends playing there and with a few I’m still in touch and that’s one thing that came out good about it.
Thanks for the interview. As much as I love gaming and as much time as I spend gaming, it’s generally not very productive. Entertainment can be precious for its inspirational or educational value. But, in general, the time could usually be spent better do something else.
April 1st, 2008 at 12:58 amQuote
There is a balance for the game, for instance. If its a weekend or your not tired. Just play at night when nothing else is left to do.. its very simple.. You can enjoy the game and yet it wont ruin your life
April 25th, 2008 at 3:21 pmQuote
I started playing WoW the summer of 06. My older brother had been playing for already close to a year and was hopelessly addicted with already two level 70 toons. My brother told me I HAD to try this game. So I started a Human Paladin: Palimale on the Gurubashi Server. I leveled it to about 12-15. But I was never hooked, I never really got the feel for the game. I played again maybe once or twice total for the next year. That is, until the summer of 07. I got really bored and played it once out of sheer boredom. I started playing 5 hours a day, but I could only play at about 2 AM because that was the only time my brother wasn’t on. I adjusted my sleep schedule to fit WoW. This continued for the rest of the Summer (about a month and a half). Then My brother moved out and took his computer with him. I stopped playing and eventually stopped complaining… My brother ended up moving back in because his room mate moved to Alaska after he joined the military and my brother on a part time job couldn’t afford rent. I started playing again. It didn’t interfere with school because I’d never had to try at school and my Freshman year was no different. My brother was usually working from two till ten so I had free rein over his computer when I got home after sports practice. I had just gotten my toon to 58 and ventured into the expansion… Outlands! After gwetting to Zangermarsch (however it’s spelled), our neighbors we had been pirating internet from moved. I wasn’t able to play again until a patch or two before Wrath of the Lich King. They’d redone pally seals and I was pumped. I played insessently barely not hitting the 70 level cap before it was raised to 80 by less than a week. After which I proceeded to explore new content. I was by then starting to see the effect WoW was having on my life. I’d completely crippled the relationship between myself and a very special girl that, to this day I still hold dear (I’m also still trying to make up for my actions… Someday… Maybe), was growing increasingly distant from my friends, and was no longer the kind and thoughtful child I was raised to be. I promised myself that I would level my character only to 80 then stop. The leveling process took me about two weeks. When I reached 80 I did not quit. After about a week longer my brother left on a vacation to North Carolina. He took his computer and I was in a state of panic. All I could think about was WoW. I visited forums on my Wii internet channel, and checked the stats and gear of my fellow guild members through armory. And I got so desperate that I cleaned my insanely messy room and hauled my families old computer into my room hooked it up and waited 28 HOURS for the game to download off the internet and patch on our insanely weak connection pirated from a DIFFERENT neighbor. I slept hardly a wink, it was the beginning of Christmas vacation 08. After downloads I attempted to play and found myself disconnecting about every five mins. But it was okay because I was still able to play. I then dropped about $100 into the computer to better it’s performance. That I don’t regret because this computer that I am typing on is in fact the instrument of my torture and the symbol of my redemption and recovery. In this madness I saw myself as I was and before I lost my senses again, I deleted WoW. The best move of my life. I am writing this to finally relieve myself of the weight that I was never able to fully admit I was carrying until now. To this moment, my addons folder for WoW still exists. In my finally act of recovery I am deleting this folder… There, it’s done. I hope that I can somehow help someone else see the truth, we can only be who we are and nothing less.
I have been free over two months, I’ll never make a mistake like that control me again.
April 26th, 2009 at 5:30 pmQuote