How Addiction Happens

Question by Mad Season: Boyfriend’s gaming addiction – I need some advice?
My boyfriend is 24 and purchased World of Warcraft in mid-June.

This has slowly taken over his life, it seems, and it is something I’ve attempted to bring to his attention as an addiction but he laughs it off. It’s consuming what would otherwise be OUR time together. We’ve been together almost a year and a half.
He started a job a couple weeks ago and, as I was worried about and had discussed with him (getting a “no, that won’t happen” answer), he is spending his free time on the game. For instance: He’s played the past two nights for hours straight, and will tonight for roughly 4 hrs. The only other two nights he’ll have free this week where he’d have time to see me, he’s already planned to be playing this game.

I’m attempting to be understanding that he wishes to have some alone time to himself, and this is how he intends to spend it. I’m just finding this hard to cope with feeling that when it comes to seeing me more than once a week, or this game, he’s chosing the game.

Help?
I just wanted to add :

No, we are not having relationship problems (other than those spawning from this game).
We are very much in love and are the best of friends, along with everything else. He complains of no social life, then when we have a party with friends he is an hour or more late because it cut into his gaming “raid”.
He speaks of the game saying that he is NEEDED, as if these were life or death situations.

I’m worried about him?

How can I cope with this, still being supportive and not getting upset?!

Best answer:

Answer by Stephanie
I’ve actually posted this same question today as well…it should show up if you type in world of warcraft addiction. And yes I agree with you that this game sucks!!!! My boyfriend plays it a lot as well and gets crabby with me if I ask him to come lay around with me and get off the damn computer. He says that we are both are own person with our own interests but this game is really seems like his priority. even though he claims I’m his priority. Even worse there is a new one coming out in january (date still to be announced) and he told me today that he plans to spend a whole week doing nothing but playing that and skipping school.. He’s 26! you’d think school would be more of a priority. Sorry I don’t have much advice but I’m in the same boat as you! Even more disturbing…he’s been playing this game for 3 years..and before this game him and the same ‘gamers’ played everquest for 3 years. So I guess I’ve decided that I”m going to have to learn to deal with it..with of course some guilt thrown out there for him. Oh and there is even a yahoo group called world of warcraft widows…its free (my membership is pending) but you should look into that and feel free to email me if you want to vent somemore…I completely understand!
Stephanie

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