When you quit gaming it often means leaving a lot of your old friends behind. Whether it's because you can't cope with them talking about video games all the time, inviting you to play, or because you're trying to shed your old identity as a gamer, it's never an easy process to go through. So what can you do? Ultimately it comes down to one thing. You have to become someone that can attract new friends. If you're living a boring life with no hobbies and spend your free time on YouTube, it's not ...
Jan 31, 2020•13 min
You might think the biggest problem with Twitch is that you're spending too much time on the website, but you'd be wrong. In reality, the Twitch community with their crabs-in-a-bucket attitude is holding you back in more ways than you think. When you spend your free time listening to people talk about how poorly their life is going and being proud of that fact, it's going to wear down your mindset to the point where eventually you're going to join in. If you're trying to quit gaming and you're s...
Jan 24, 2020•9 min
To say Pauline's story is inspiring would be doing it a disservice. Having started her first 'side hustle' at 8 years old by learning how to turn HTML into websites, it seems like she was destined to be a part of the tech world. However, when school came around she found herself at one of the lowest points of her life. Constant bullying, poor grades, excessive gaming and bad eating habits led her to the realisation that something needed to be done. It was at this point that Pauline quit video ga...
Jan 17, 2020•1 hr 15 min
I've relapsed far more times over the last 5 years than I'd like to admit. However, what was once a painful barrier accompanied by months of pain is now an opportunity for me to build self-awareness and overcome my problems much faster than I did in the past. When I relapsed in the past, I always assumed that it was because I was a failure. I wasn't meant to quit gaming, and I should just stop trying to succeed in what I want to do and go back to playing video games. But, over time, my mindset t...
Jan 10, 2020•9 min
We're back! Hope you didn't miss the podcast too much over the new year's break, but after getting severe food poisoning and having to travel across the country, I thought I'd use the opportunity to take a bit of a break. In this episode I'm going to go through my exact process for reflecting on 2019, why you need to do it, and what questions you should ask yourself. I'd recommend taking some time to reflect on these questions and answer them as honestly as possible. Reflection is an incredibly ...
Jan 07, 2020•29 min
So many people struggle to find new things to do after they quit playing video games that it even has its own name - The Void. You're so used to getting a certain level of stimulation from gaming, anything else you do just feels boring in comparison. In this episode, I go over a few of my favourite hobbies that I think you should try if you want to quit gaming. They focus on the major needs that video games fulfil, and they all have a low barrier to entry. You might think they're common choices ...
Dec 27, 2019•30 min
Take a few moments to think about the people who see you gaming every day. Your parents, carers, friends. Whoever it might be. Now imagine you've swapped places. What would you say to this person? Would it be an encouragement? Reflection? A simple "okay no problem"? So, why aren't you saying it to yourself? In this episode of Gaming the System, James explores what life is like for the people outside of your virtual bubble. Oftentimes it's easy to think we're the only ones affected by a gaming ad...
Dec 24, 2019•8 min
In all of my friendship groups, I was always known as the gamer. I never stood out in any way, and whenever someone talked to me it'd usually be about video games. At the time I didn't see anything wrong with it. But, when I look back on how different my life could have been if I just took it upon myself to be more, to do more, to aim higher and really achieve the things that I was capable of... I really wish I'd have known about it sooner. It's a short episode today, but it's in reply to a mess...
Dec 20, 2019•4 min
Growing up, Christmas was always a time for three things; no school, food, and gaming. I'd always ask for gaming-related presents from my family and eagerly look for the game-shaped present in the pile of gifts under the tree. But, after battling against a gaming addiction for the last 5 years, I've come to place a lot more value on how important family is over Christmas. I think about all the holidays I spent playing games and not engaging in activities. How must that have made my parents feel?...
Dec 17, 2019•14 min
When it comes to talking to your friends about your gaming problem, it's really freaking difficult. It's easy to convince yourself that you'll be laughed at and stigmatized, that your friends will kick you out of their life, or even abuse you. So, how do you go about opening up this communication? In this episode, I discuss some of the mistakes I made during my time in university and how you can avoid doing the same thing, as well as whether or not you should think about replacing your friendshi...
Dec 14, 2019•9 min
It's time again to talk about everybody's favourite surprise mechanic, loot boxes. Parents hate them, governments hate them, gamers hate them, and yet publishers continue to shove them down our throats at every chance they get. They might seem like harmless fun, but more and more research is being done into their link with problem gambling. So today I'm going to look into what the science is saying and discuss this idea in more depth. If you haven't already I'd love for you to leave us a rating....
Dec 10, 2019•11 min
Are you someone that rewards themself with a week of hard work by sitting down in front of your computer or TV and spending the entirety of your weekend playing video games? Maybe you think there's no harm in playing 2 days a week. You've worked hard, so why not reward yourself? You might be surprised to know that gaming is actually rewiring the internal mechanisms of your brain. It's can cause: - unfulfilled relationships - less enjoyment in new activities - lack of direction and more... Learn ...
Dec 06, 2019•13 min
It's one thing struggling with video game addiction yourself, but what can you do when you see someone you love destroying their life with gaming? Maybe they're still living at home, struggling to get a job, overweight and are losing the will to live. No matter how much you want to help them, the painful truth is that you can't convince someone to change. You can give them all the information you want, but it's not going to help them. If anything, it'll just make them resent you. So, what can yo...
Dec 03, 2019•28 min
I don't usually get too personal on this show. I never really thought it was the place to be emotional... However, a conversation with a friend of mine, shortly followed by him urging me to share my story, prompted me to create this episode. I realised that there are hundreds, if not thousands of people in our community that are in the same position I was just a year ago. I was horribly depressed, anxious, lonely, unhealthy and lacking any sense of clarity or determination. I found myself in som...
Nov 29, 2019•30 min
I didn't want to make this episode. I didn't even EXPECT to have to make this episode. But, here we are... This week I relapsed hard. Although I had been playing in moderation (5 hours a week) prior to it, I didn't count it as a relapse because nothing had changed in my life. However, just a few days ago something happened that altered my perspective completely. Listen to the episode to find out what happened. Your support has been amazing recently, the podcast is constantly destroying every goa...
Nov 22, 2019•15 min
If you watch internet porn, it might be time to start rethinking. Regardless of whether you watch it once a week or 3 times a day, it can have long-lasting damaging effects. Effects that today's guest, Gabe Deem, knows all too well. He started watching internet porn at the ripe old age of 12, and from that, it spiralled into an uncontrollable addiction. It got so bad that he ended up developing erectile dysfunction at the age of 23. Since then, he's undertaken an incredible transformation to bec...
Nov 15, 2019•1 hr 19 min
If you asked me this question 15 years ago, I'd probably answer it with a resounding no. However, in recent years the gaming industry has shifted towards an approach that focuses on broken, microtransaction-filled, free-to-play games full of mechanics that are cleverly implemented in order to keep you hooked. As it turns out, there are a load of psychological tactics game developers use in order to get the most engagement (money) out of their users. I can't talk about them all in this episode, b...
Nov 08, 2019•15 min
If you spend any amount of time on the internet you'll soon start to see how prevalent porn is in our modern world. The rise in smartphone technology and high-speed internet has made porn more easily accessible than ever before in history. This has unsurprisingly led to a huge number of problems. One of those issues is porn addiction. As it turns out, gamers tend to watch a lot of porn. So much so, that a large number of people in our community come to us for help on both issues. In this episode...
Nov 01, 2019•8 min
Nadja Streiter is a therapist, parent coach and Director of Programs at Game Quitters. On this episode of Gaming the System she joins me in a discussion about whether or not parents are to blame for their child's addiction. On the internet, the first thing that people criticize when gaming disorder gets mentioned is the parents. It's eas understand why. The parents are responsible for the child's upbringing, so they will have the greatest impact on whether or not a child develops an addiction. R...
Oct 25, 2019•53 min
Instant gratification is probably the number 1 drug of the modern generation. You really can't escape it. With smartphones always within arms reach, and an unlimited number of worlds ready to be explored at home or on the move, it's no wonder a human's attention span is now less than a Goldfish. The problem with instant gratification, or a lack of delayed gratification, is that once you become accustomed to it you'll stop finding enjoyment in other activities. This is why it's so hard for gamers...
Oct 18, 2019•13 min
If I had a dollar for every time someone said to me "playing video games is no worse than watching Netflix" I'd probably have about $200 give or take... But, is there any truth to it? Well, kind of... The problem is television isn't designed to be hyper-stimulating, unlike video games. You don't get pop-ups rewarding you for playing for a long time, you're not being challenged, and most of the time it's not social. I had fun making this one! As always thanks for listening. If you enjoyed it I'd ...
Oct 11, 2019•7 min
Ed Latimore is a heavyweight boxer, author, and physics major who transformed himself from someone battling with a heavy alcohol addiction into the inspiring, passionate, and knowledgeable man he is today. Using the experiences he has gained throughout his life, he regularly provides advice to thousands of people every day through his Twitter page, his live speaking events and his regular newsletter. In this episode of Gaming the System, I talk to ed about the struggles he faced during his journ...
Oct 04, 2019•1 hr 7 min
How many times have you tried to take up a new activity, only to give up after a few weeks or months? You're not alone. So why is it that you can go for 16 hours straight on a video game but can't maintain the focus to build new skills? By the way, the podcast is only a fraction of what's contained in the blog post! Make sure to read it here ! In this episode of Gaming the System, James explores how gaming has desensitised your mind and how it affects your ability to make certain choices concern...
Sep 27, 2019•11 min
While in the middle of recording another episode, it dawned on me that it has been exactly 30 days since I embarked on a new chapter in my life and moved to Thailand to work for myself. It hasn't been without its struggles (listen out for the story of why I burst into tears in my flat), but comparing myself now to who I was 2 months ago is like night and day. I'm happier, more focused, relaxed, determined, passionate, confident and every other word I can think of. I don't think there has been a ...
Sep 21, 2019•15 min
As someone that has struggled with both depression and gaming addiction, I've definitely had thought about whether or not they're connected. I've even been asked a number of times "did gaming make you depressed?". I've had a lot of time to think about this question, and that led me to make this podcast episode. Spoilers: Gaming doesn't make you depressed. However, being addicted to gaming is definitely fostering a perfect environment to amplify any existing problems you might have. The key is to...
Sep 13, 2019•15 min
When people quit gaming, they're suddenly left with so much free time they have no idea what to do with it. As a result, they deem their detox a failure and go back to gaming. "I don't think I was meant to quit gaming." Usually, people end up going back to video games because they didn't put the systems in place beforehand to enable them to maintain a sense of direction after they quit and start the detox by hitting the ground running. In this short episode of Gaming the System, James discusses ...
Sep 06, 2019•9 min
This episode is a must-listen whether you're a gaming addict, parent, or loved one. There's so much information and great advice it's hard to know where to start. 2 years after arriving on Episode #14 of the Game Quitters podcast, Jared Webb comes on to talk to James about his journey through the ups and downs of conquering gaming addiction. We discuss what it's like to raise a son and how he's going to limit his children's tech use, how Jared went from running 3 hours a week to 3 hours a day an...
Aug 24, 2019•43 min
ESports. You either love them or you hate them. Or, in most cases, you have no idea what they are. With the recent success of the Fortnite World Cup, which saw 16-year-old 'Bugha' walk away with $3,000,000 in prize money, a number of discussions have been brought up around the topic of electronic sports. Should the be banned? Are they bad for our health? They're good for us... You get the idea. In this episode of Gamin the System I chat to the founder of Game Quitters, Cam Adair, about the posit...
Aug 16, 2019•16 min
The first episode of our new podcast, Gaming the System! We've kept all of the old Game Quitters podcast episodes that you loved, we're just adding to them with these. On this episode, James discusses the recent controversies in the crossover world of gaming and gambling. Covering topics such as the GTA Casino, manipulating users to spend more money, and the prevalence of gambling in games marketed to children. Thanks for watching, and if you enjoyed the episode don't forget to give it a review ...
Aug 08, 2019•17 min
This week BBC Radio5 Live did a full feature segment on video game addiction featuring Game Quitters Founder, Cam Adair, member from the UK, Matus, and a parent from our community named Giovanna. It also featured Head Counselor of The Cabin's Edge Program (residential treatment for gaming addiction)John Logan, and Headmaster Robert Tegan from The Cedars School in the UK. Hope you enjoy it, and if you do, please share it on social media, like it on SoundCloud, and subscribe. More podcasts availab...
Dec 20, 2018•23 min
