It's 10 pm. Do you know where you and your loved ones are? Here is a collection of experiences from those who live / have lived with an obsessive MMOG gamer and from those who have lived the experience of obsessive MMOG gaming.

Monday, November 15, 2004

"I spent Friday timing him. I asked for all the stuff I usually do. Help me carry the groceries, take out the trash, come eat. Saturday, my son went to a play date and we talked. I gave him the list of how many times I had to ask for things to be done, and how many things just didn't get done at all. (FYI...I'm also ... pregnant and can't do a lot of things I want to do.) So...he looked at the list and just about started to cry. We came to a mutual agreement that we would keep the computer and just cut off the internet connection. We spent the rest of the weekend catching up and playing with my son. It was so nice to be a family again. Except for the time I got hit with a light saber. Boys will be boys! ;) We haven't decided if he's gonna go back online or if it's best to stay away from the computer all together. We have decided that EQ and DOAC will be out of the question....

He told me he was glad I stood up and wished I wouldn't have waited so long. He had no clue as to what was going on around him. I'm betting that's the problem with a lot of the other EQA's out there. My advice is to write a big list of everything that passes them by. The thing that hit my EQA the hardest is that everyone I know has felt the baby kick except for him. He didn't even know my baby shower was next week. He couldn't believe all the things that he hadn't seen. He even missed the ultrasound! Every EQA might not miss such milestones but, every second they miss with their family will mean something once they realize they are missing it. And, if they still don't care...yank the plug and move on. Not just for the EQW's but, for the children as well. No one wants a family with a ghost in a computer chair. Keep in mind children need LOVE from both parents not just their presence.

I think it's better to have one loving and caring parent. Than two that are either wrapped up in a game or unfulfilled and miserable. Children pick up on things really easily. They know when Mommy is upset or Daddy isn't "all there". They may not know whats causing the tension but trust me, they know it's there.
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I know...I know...all of this is easier said than done. I never dealt with addiction before but, I have dealt with abuse. This is mental abuse. No one deserves to be pushed aside for a game. It hurts. Maybe not physically, but it hurts none the less. Sometimes it's hard to walk away. But, afterwards you're always glad you did."