This is a guest blog written by Alex, a participant in my cyber recovery groups, and the subject of several pages of my book (159-163). In the piece that follows, Alex gets to the heart of his problem. Alex will also be posting tomorrow. At about ten years of age, I reached a tipping point… Read more
I had a lengthy phone discussion today with an NFL defensive lineman, Quinn Pitcock. At first glance, the two of us could not be more different. But, striking similarities emerged in the first few minutes of conversation. Like me, Quinn has struggled with depression and anxiety and views his video gaming behavior as an attempt… Read more
Alex is a member of one of my cyber recovery groups. He is a 23-year old with a very high IQ, but whose life has gone nowhere. He has been booted out of numerous living situations, lost jobs and alienated friends and family, mostly due to his obsession with multiple aspects of video games. Peeling… Read more
Over the years, hundreds of cyber-addicted folks have trusted me with their stories. I am sure that one of the big factors in such trust being placed in me comes from my willingness to share my sordid tales of cyber madness. I am not just someone who helps cyber junkies; I am one myself. I… Read more
Every participant in my cyber recovery groups shares one thing in common: escapism. Video games, online social networking, and the Internet provide us with alternate realities, different worlds that allow us to avoid the unpleasantness and dissatisfaction of the world we inhabit. The extent to which we avoid our problems mirrors, in many respects, our… Read more