Unplugged: From Addiction to Triumph.

What I learned about dopamine and productivity.

Did you know that the average person spends more time gaming each week than they do on a part-time job? It’s time to reconsider how you invest it!

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Your tether to the digital realm might be holding you back from a life-changing journey. Somewhere inside of you lies the key to personal transformation.

Gaming.

Video games, a timeless combination of art and technology. A hobby enjoyed by 3.32 million worldwide. It’s celebrated for its ability to unite people, no matter their race or gender. Video games let you command an army, win the super bowl, or become a kung-fu master from the comfort of your home.

There aren’t many people who don’t enjoy gaming in some form. Yes, CandyCrush is still gaming. It’s undeniably fun, and has always been my favorite pass-time. Some of my earliest memories include playing Super Mario and ExciteBike with my brother on the original NES.

Gaming has been a part of my entire life.

Responsible gaming is a hard line to walk. There are, of course, many people out there who can game as a hobby and it doesn’t have adverse effects on their life. However, with the rise of Twitch.tv, and professional gaming, more and more souls venture too far from the shores of moderation and into the sea of ignored responsibility and procrastination.

I was one of those souls.

The Escape.

Since I was younger, when things got dark, I always turned to gaming. It was my haven from divorce, being bullied, and not understanding my place in the world. My hand on a controller or above my keyboard always felt like home, and I always felt welcomed in the digital world.

Video games feel safe, because even if there are negative consequences, nothing is permanent. Just start a new game or reload the save point. That’s the reason they offer such a blissful alternate reality. In a game, you are in control. In real life, you can feel absolutely powerless.

From August 2023 until the end of January 2024, I was deep in depression. Completely stuck in a rut, and just could not get the hell out of my way. I lost my job and never came to terms with it. My marriage was suffering, and my finances were teetering on the brink. Homelessness was looming on the horizon, and instead of trying to cope with my reality, I just buried my head and avoided it.

Dopamine.

When your brain associates a certain activity with pleasure, gaming in this instance, mere anticipation may be enough to raise dopamine levels. The constant tsunami of dopamine from gaming creates a cycle of motivation, reward, and reinforcement. Its use of fast-paced action, constant rewards, and immersive environments may be fun while you’re playing, but it heavily desensitizes your dopamine receptors.

Your brain transforms into a high-dopamine blood hound and the infinite search for that satisfaction you get from gaming unconsciously becomes your sole purpose, and that makes even things that used to be fun feel mundane. That’s an addiction, folks. If the thought of coming home from work and gaming gets you through the day, then it may be time to reassess.

Quitting.

January 29th, 2023 I made the decision to quit playing video games and forever altered the course of my life. The results that followed have been nothing short of astonishing.

To be honest, the first 3 days were completely abysmal. The boredom, oh dear god the boredom. I yearned for them. I was missing out on a core part of my being, something that was comfortable. Or so I thought. Dopamine withdrawals were actually with voice whispering in my ear.

I realized I was going to have the same 72 hour battle I did with nicotine. Anxiety, restlessness, irritability. Unbelievable. Withdrawal symptoms are a major factor behind so many people being afraid to stop habits they know are destructive. After the initial challenge passed, I felt myself having an easier time focusing. I am ADHD neurodivergent as well, so being able to focus on any task is impressive to me.

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The Shift.

7 days after I quit gaming, simple tasks that were always annoying, never gonna happen, nu-uh, and can’t be bothered, were actually becoming tolerable. I could sit down to pay bills, make a business plan, and even create a content calendar. The rewiring of my reward system was well underway, and my dopamine receptors were healing.

Without something anchoring me to my computer, I was actually looking for productive ways to fill my time. A craving for the outdoor also began. Yes, I wanted to go outside and touch grass. Told you the results were astonishing.

I started learning Mandarin Chinese, taking advanced Spanish to gain fluency, baking my own breads, cooking new recipes at home, and taking my daughter to the park as many days as I could.

Most importantly, I was no longer my vision was no longer obscured by layer upon layer of doubt and anger. The worst of my depression was fading. After 8 months of languishing in a pit of self-pity and despair, my wife could finally see her husband again. The man she married was slowly returning.

Head in the Game and Out of My Ass.

Originally, I started on Medium last year in September, but all of my pieces were flops. Honestly, it was just me venting toxic waste into the universe about the fall of the culinary industry. Writing is about self-expression, storytelling, and helping others. I failed because no one wants to read complaints, even if it’s a well written one.

I entered the partner program on February 9th to pursue my passion. On February 20th I started my substack, and on the 28th I discovered the real reason I wanted to write. During my life, I have fought against alcoholism, addiction, and depression. There are many more like me, and I want to help them if I can.

During my first month of consistent writing, I earned $52.76. My substack averages 60 reads per post and has 10 subscribers. I go to the gym 5 days a week, and walk 2.5 miles all seven. Using a collection of articles that are a core focus of my mission, I am going to make my first e-book. Small mile stones, all of them, but the minor victories add up to big ones.

Literally, and figuratively, quitting gaming has been a game-changer for me. Please pardon the pun. I have achieved more productivity in the weeks since then I may have in my entire life. It’s hard to imagine myself doing any of this a few weeks ago.

Look, I’m not saying gaming is bad. I love gaming.

Here’s the harsh reality: Unless you are earning something tangible from all of those hours you spend gaming, then you are wasting your time. Sorry.

Its a distraction.

Let’s say you spend 5 hours a week gaming, that’s five hours you could spend on a side hustle, reading to advance in your field of expertise, or honing your craft. You know how many people push books about “1 hour a day side hustles”?

So, how about you go build your own empire or conquer your finances? Give your mind something to chew on that has substance.

If you’re looking to reclaim control over your attention span, productivity, and get out that hole you’ve put yourself in, then consider putting the controller down.

When you don’t have to worry about retirement, keeping your bills paid, or having food in the fridge, then you come back to gaming. It’ll still be there.

Invest your time wisely, empower your future, and make the change now. You’ll be glad you did.

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If you made it this far down, as always, THANK YOU so much for reading!

People like you make it possible for me to pursue my passion.

Be strong out there and don’t forget to HOPE!