My Story

I know how addicting video games can be. My fiance lost his job and got hooked and now he won't even go anywhere!! He won't look for a job, he doesn't help me out with anything, he never goes anywhere with me, I can't get him to go to family functions on holidays, and HE NEVER LEAVES THE HOUSE!!! It's ridiculous. Luckily, I handle all the bills but if he did, I'm sure we would have gone through the same thing you did.

I am glad everything worked out for you and you kicked the video game habit. :)

Wow...quite a story Billy! I've had some IRS problems as well...the one thing you never want is for THEM to do your taxes if you don't file!
Glad to hear that you're able to breathe again and share that story with us.
Sounds like you're on your way to becoming debt free, and congrats on winning your IRS battle!

I am glad that you were able to quit the video game habit leading to destruction. You have now learnt to put control over your temptations. Slowly, you will be able to manage your money even better. There are some things that never leave our back if not taken care of. Federal taxes are one of them. You will feel relieved once they are paid off.

Billy, I have been reading your posts for a while and making an impression about you. Never knew, you had such a story behind. Glad to see you here. Would you mind putting your picture here so that we can know you better? :)

Billy---As you are probably realizing addiction to ANYTHING is very powerful and very difficult habit to control or break. I was a pack a day smoker for 11 years and quitting smoking was the most difficult thing I have ever had to do. The difficulty I believe is not what your addicted to, but how it affects you emotionally. That addiction is satisfying some need inside your body emotionally and then when your body can't live without it the addiction becomes both physical and emotional. Your addiction to video games almost sounds like a drug addiction in that you cared about nothing else but that "fix". I am glad you have gotten everything straightened out now and are on the road to a more productive and useful life. Keep us posted on your progress.

I haven't played a video game in months now and I don't miss it. I want to spend more time away from the computer. I washed my car for the first time in 2 years.

I never smoked a day in my life other then second hand smoke. My mom WAS a smoker and I always found it extremly disgusting to look at her smoking. Just the thought of those True 100's she used to smoke would give me a raging headache. Used to lock her outside while she was on the phone and wouldn't let her in until the smokey smell was gone. I think it worked though, as she has not smoked in over 15 years now.
Never did drugs. In H.S I was a big drinker and shortly after but I put a stop to that the day I turned 21 and was legal. The drinking wasn't the same when I was allowed to do it.

Quitting smoking has to be the hardest thing for someone as your around it almost everyday.

Billy--Congratulations on making a change in your life! :) Keep us updated on your progress and feel free to ask any questions along the way! :)

Billy, I really should forward your story to my gaming younger brother, with your permission of course! He has every game console available, every video game out there, he is even the assistant manager of an EB Games store in the local mall! He just lives, breathes, eats, and sh!ts this stuff! Though he does socialize and work hard, it is a bit of an obsession. He buries himself in the games on holidays when family comes over, but he's always out and about with his girlfriend!

Jenn, I hope you've given that dude an ultimatum to get his act together or pack it up. I understand if you still love him, but he's being a drain on you if all he does is play video games and is not even considering looking for a job.

Billy--I bet it felt good to actually get out and do something productive like washing your car. And you are wise to stay away from "slippery slopes" like the computer/internet. My cousin was in AA and his sponsor referred to places where you might be tempted as "slippery slopes". The internet is a little bit different as it controls much of daily life these days. Maybe if you just limited yourself to being on the internet for just a short time each day answering mail, etc. (of course, staying away from video gaming). Incidentally, I have not smoked for over 20 years now.

Billy, congratulations on kicking your habit...That's a very important step.
Lorri, congratulations to you, too, for kicking your habit! I think that if my Dad had quit smoking a few years sooner he'd still be here today.

Well thanks for congratulating me on my 20 years of non-smoking. I will say this though--I was not a willing quitter! I was in the hospital with pneumonia and the doctor came in and CAUGHT me smoking. How stupid was I to be smoking in the HOSPITAL when I had PNEUMONIA? Anyway, he proceeded to chew me out something AWFUL and I wanted to crawl under the covers. I said I would quit and about a month later I quit for good! 1986

Lol, smoking in the hospital! That was back in the days when they had ash trays in the malls and banks. remember that?

YES!!---You really were not supposed to smoke except for one place in this hospital which was in what they called the "Fathers Waiting Room" outside of Labor&Delivery, but I did it anyway. When I had my daughter (same hospital), they made the new moms who wanted to smoke walk down to this Fathers Waiting Room. And yeah--hobbled down there after a Csection, I didn't---just give me that cigarette! :lol: .

I mdean I DID hobble down there after the Csection DUMB

Makes me think of our old father at our church..One day at Mass he was lecturing about the evils of smoking, blah blah blah...We had no idea what that had to do with anything, but he was a babbler anyway. He was on oxygen, carried a tank around with him, we figured he had emphysema or something, and that was why he was so anti-smoking. Well, a few months later, right before Christmas, we saw him in a city about 30 miles away at a festival of lights celebration. he was standing in front of a huge outdoor candelabra that was all lit up. My husband says "idiot, he's got that oxygen tank on and he's standing right in fron of fire." The words just came out of his mouth when Father unhooked the tank, reached into his pocket, pulled out cigarettes and lit up! We about died! Of course we ran up and said "Hi Father!"

OMG....Had he never heard the expression "Practice what you Preach"? LOL

LOL, I know, don't you just freakin' love it!!!