SL Addiction: A Problem?

Yeah yeah yeah, OLD question...I'm bored. I HAVE known, and actually still know some folks who use SL more than me (which is ...well...bein a bipolar psychotic schizo, I hesitate ta use the word "CRAZY". We have all seen folks stay up for 2 days on end, or whatever...buildin' a club, maybe workin on LSL, another project...doin' virtual real estate work...

This woman posted up that her 26 year old son, a college grad like a lotta SL Residents, is pretty much just a drone at the computer, won't call family, no GF, no RL friends, etc.

http://playsquad.commongate.com/post/Second_Life_has_ruined_my_son_s_life/

This is a pretty extreme case, she BLAMES SL, but like I say; it's up to the individual. LL didn't handcuff & chain the guy to the machine, nor does it chain ANY of us to the computer, it's a choice.

Just a curiousity/boredom post:

Are YOU addicted? Do you think you're past the healthy limit?

Probably.

However, I hold down a demanding job, I pay my bills, I see my family and friends RL

There are some SL things I would rather do than RL things, and vice versa... but I dont sweat about it.

I think it depends on how you keep a balance and stay healthy, mentally physically and emotionally.

If you let anything rule your life, its too much... too much is just that.. too much..

imogen

No.

She needs to yell down to her son to come up out of the basement and take out the trash. When he does, she padlocks the basement door, makes him take a shower, get a haircut, burn all his black emo clothes, and go out and find a girlfriend. And point the blme where it belongs. If it wasn't SL it would be some other game or online activity, perhaps even reading a forum....

Well.... I still have a full time job, so my time online is limited by that.... But SL has replaced other, much more expensive, addictions. Odds are... If I'm home, I'm online. (^_^)

I never really had contact with my family. I can't name a name of anyone in RL I could have ever considered a friend. And my one relationship is just that. We live together, but my time has always been spent on the computer/DVD/game machine. (=_=)

Everyone has their own condition and tolerance. Mine allows me to be productive enough to support a house with two people in it. I may lack some emotional involvement, but, we survive every day like any other. (^_^)y

The linked item clearly states that he no longer resides within her residence.

Grown children (also known as "adults" who have left home are under no obligation to interact with their parents (or siblings) nor seek their parental approval. Adults are allowed to make their own choices.

I don't really like SL. I just like bumming around on internet forums and being annoying.

Nice to see someone achieving their goal in life successfully.

I'm schiz too, with mild BPD and a couple of phobias. Thanks for not taking the "crazy" route.

Sorry. I don't cut and paste links. If the code ain't workin' I ain't readin'

i know im addicted.. but the first step in addiction is recognizing the problem..lol

problem is.. im fine with it..lol... like most people on sl.. i work a fultime job.. in addition i have a part time job and im still going to school.. but i do stay up all night on sl..lol.. i love it.. just been here 2 months and i dont see anything changing.. i think its a great outlet for people.. and anyone who lets it get to where they cant function in rl.. just have a problem period.. if its not sl it would be something else in place.. that person just has to deal with themselves period.. not sl fault.

Well that's the mother's story. Maybe the bloke feels he has good reason not to stay in touch with his family. Maybe he moved far away for a reason. Maybe he really IS addicted to SL and needs an intervention. But, that's hardly the fault of SL. *shrugs*


Now, am I addicted? No. If I go visit my mother (cough) I'll miss SL, but I don't get frantic over it. At home I'm likely to let chores slide.. But I do that anyways. I don't socialize with people in RL.. Didn't before SL either. As long as I have access to SL I am likely to be logged on, but if the access isn't there.. Bummer. I'll manage.

(I love to complain and claim the opposite though.)

I don't know about SL but speaking from past experiences there some mmo's that if you're not careful can feel like a ball and chain so to speak. I did 7 years of dark age of camelot and in the early days i would cancel rl friend outings, skip work, and actually found a job that allowed me to play mmo's at work by doing network monitoring for ISP on the nightshift 11pm-7am, so was great. But it actually took its toll on me.

My wakup call was about a year ago, I was a smoker and never had been sick, not even once since I was 16, and I was 30 at the time and all the sudden while sitting in front of pc I had a heart attack.

Since then Ive changed diet, stopped smoking now for a over year, will be 2 years next april and now Ive changed a lot of things...

big thing is you may ignore friends or ignore others, but never ignore your body which was my fault, and it darn near killed me for it.

Lots of people are not "addicted" to SL

Watch the numbers online drop sometime around Nov or so.

A lot of people commented on that blog, saying stuff like "I hate SL, it should be banned, my life is ruined, blah blah."

Here's what I said:

So if SL destroys lives, get rid of it? Didn't work with Prohibition, did it? I've been playing SL for 2 years now, am not addicted, enjoy my time there, met the love of my life there (we've moved in together) and in no way believe that uninstalling a computer game will solve the problems inherent in all the above relationships. You all blame your little problems on SL... have you ever stopped to think that YOU might have something to do with YOUR relationship? Anything can replace you: booze, gambling, pron, hell, even reading or exercise can get addicting if it gets your loved one away from your co-dependent crybaby "blame everyone but me" attitude. Grow the frack up, people, and claim responsibility for your own relationships.

Speaking as someone who is currently in detox from an addictive substance (caffeine--please don't laugh, I just found out that I'm both hardcore addicted and pretty definitely allergic, which makes me a very sad panda indeed) ...I'd say no, I'm not addicted to SL.

I might be addicted to the internet in general, but I don't even want to know what the withdrawal symptoms might be for that. I have enough to do just keeping the top of my skull on during this week. *sighs and sips her %$%#@&% water*

What i see is that she complain that her grown up son burned the bridges with his family.

So in essence the only person that see a problem is her.
You can't force your kids to socialize with you, especially when they live their own grownup life now.

Aspergers for what i understood have a really hard time living their first life with other peoples, but seems to greatly enjoy their second life.

Assuming she isn't just scapegoating SL for her failure to keep in touch with her son, if it work for him where is the problem?
Today many peoples confuse the well being of the peoples they care with their own well being, what please her might not please him. And as i repeat he isn't a kid anymore and isn't depending on her anymore.

Absolutely Correct.



Wb Elex.

--------------------------


Elex ...

Never gets the joke.

Never.

LOL

it's easy to call SL "an addiction"... meh... I was the exact same way about Legos and SketchUp 3 years ago... 'cept I wasn't getting PAID to build.

I'm sure that it's gonna be hard to give up, when the day comes.. but then again maybe that day won't come. I'm still playing Halo, and I still have my legos.

I'm jealous of my avatar. she's everything I loved about barbie.. great (if impossible) body, plenty of shoes, successful, got loads of friends, and more awesome clothes than she could ever wear. (god, I want my avatar's fetishwear collection).

SL is like Barbie + Legos.

Screw real life. What has it ever done for me anyways?

How come nobody asks if anyone is addicted to television and whether that is a good or bad thing? Personally I think actively participating in something rather than being force fed your entertainment is much healthier regardless of the time you spend there. Like everything in life there should be a sort of balance.
For me personally, it comes and goes. I sometimes spend a lot of time inworld, sometimes not - it really depends on everthing else going on in my life. Not saying I have reached a healthy balance but its not like I don't go to work, clean my house or forget to eat or stuff.

yep.

Lots of things are addictive, can't ban em all.

SL certainly has an allure that people can get wrapped up in. But then so does WoW and Gambling and cigarettes and porn...... and you get the idea.

I spent way too much time in SL initially....because I was intrigued and greedy about learning and doing more. It was also due to circumstances....being very isolated and working only part time.....my fiance being away....my family and friends being far away too. SL filled a void but also afforded me some unique ways to be creative.

I don't spend nearly the time in SL as I used to.....things have changed a lot for me....new home...new full time job.....closer to family (fiance is still away but that will change by the end of the year too) SL simply isn't at the top of my list now that RL has become that much more interesting and fulfilling. Addiction is a strong word....infatuation might be better because it seems a lot of the folks who initially jump in feet first and stay nose deep in SL...ultimately get bored or move on...or at least find a better balance.

I love computers and gaming and it's kind of a de-stresser for me to sit in front of the computer......the interaction is far more stimulating than watching tv. I get restless if I sit and watch tv.... and I know a few people who are so hard core into tv they actually pass up really important life events to watch some sports event or fave show. (my X husband actually made us leave his best friends wedding reception right after dinner so we could make it home to watch a hockey game) To me that's just nuts.

Anyway..... yeah SL can be consuming..... but it's not any more dangerous than a miriad of other things we are exposed to that can suck us in and turn our lives upside down. Part of growing as human beings is learning balance.... priorities, and ultimately we make those choices for ourselves whether those around us agree, approve...or not.

Prior to here, I had been an electrical engineer, project manager and then managed an engineering department. 60 to 80 hour weeks, stress-related illnesses constantly, rough issues at home because of it.

Now I run a tiny corporation of my own (import/export) and manage an estate in SL in tandem.

I can drive my kids to school, pick them up, spend afternoons with them, and even spend time with family like never before.



Of course, it may sound more socially acceptable to be working my tail off in a supposedly 'professional' environment, making some anonymous corporation owner rich. Ah, no thanks.

Been there, done that. Spoilers ahead! For those still tuned to that channel, yes, the flirty executive secretary is going to be promoted to something that normally requires a management-related degree, and yes, those were her panties in the CEO's Lexus. The hardworking older guy in IT is going to be passed over for promotion yet again, in favour of the sort of incompetent but 'cool' guy who goes dirtbiking with the manager. And yes, you are under consideration to be laid off. Again.

Well. Not even 5pm but guess what, I'm going to go take a nap.

Thank you, internet

No. Obsessed maybe, but not addicted.