[faerie_moon_x]

Hello,

I am making a big step because I have finally come to admit that my husband is addicted to video games and most likely the internet.

This has been hard because I really like video games, too. I think they are fun and I like playing them. And video games have been an important part of the relationship I have with my husband. But, I have come to realize where I can have games in my life and still have a life.... he can't.

I don't know what to do or where to go to get him help or even help him to see that yes, he really is addicted.

I have finally realized this because he is a 'streamer,' which means he streams his games live on twitch t.v. He has lots of friends there who are also streamers. Although he always played for long periods, he was still included in family time and the family was still part of his life. But now, he has moved everyone out of the office, and he closes the doors and is in there from the time he wakes up until he goes to sleep. During the week it is his job to take our middle son to school and pick him up. But on nights when he streams until 2 a.m. or longer, he is too exhausted to do this. Due to my job and the strictness of my bosses, I am not allowed or I will lose my job. So our son misses school. Sometimes this happens more than once a week.

The 'streaming' began in August. In December he cut back. But he has started up again. I think part of him really believes it is a job and will earn us money, but he doesn't have the views required to make it into a job. He goes until he's burned out. He also is addicted to the social interaction of people idolizing him.

I really need help to try to help him but I don't know how to turn. He gets extremely deffensive about this. It is something that has been brought to his attention but he doesn't believe it.

I especially would like advice from people who are addicts and how to get past it. I know this may mean giving up a favortie hobby of mine for the rest of my life. But I would rather give up something I love forever than watch someone I love be addicted and lose him to it.

Thank you.

[gma45]

I understand what you are going though as I am living with some people that have chosen to do the same thing. Their excuse is... Well We work so they just do it to relax but I see how they are neglecting the rest of their life. I don't know what can be done either. Hopefully someone will respond to this thread and give us both some answers. From the time they get home until they go to bed which is late they are on the computer. They think waking up a noon is fine and they get upset if the baby wakes them up early. I don't think it is fair to the kids that these gamers think it is more important then getting a kid to school or what have you. Communicating with them is very hard and frustrating. You are diffidently not alone and this is becoming a real problem that I don't think has really been addressed by the general public yet. Speak up get the word out this needs to be addressed!! I feel for you and your son.