Popular Post KentVillan Posted September 7, 2019 Author Popular Post Share Posted September 7, 2019 36 minutes ago, tonyh29 said: i worked at an investment bank for a few Year’s and you could see it’s usage was rife , good luck to anyone needing a poo around lunchtime as the cubicles were always full but daft as it sounds before then I thought cocaine was something you took to sorta make you feel invincible and full of confidence ... to my eye it looked like they literally needed it to function through the working day ... It's a very "alpha" drug. That's where a lot of its glamorous reputation comes from - because it's expensive and it appeals to needy egos, people who are very gluttonous in their approach to life, and like to have their ego stroked. The public image of cocaine is very much what you see in the early stages, when it's still done in public, so you mainly see young, beautiful people doing it. The rock stars and models and actors and cityboys and so on. I suspect the truth is that most of the money spent on cocaine is actually sad, middle-aged men flirting with heart disease, chewing someone's ear off in a bar, and then going home to have a wank or ordering in a prostitute (something I've never done actually, but I know the two are a popular meal deal). To be honest, I'm cautious about sharing too many of the fun time stories, because they really are just tempting nostalgia for anyone who has ever done this stuff. (I remember watching Wolf of Wall St, which supposedly exposes the dark side of cocaine abuse, but really for any cocaine user it's just a massive advert for it. It's very similar to seeing an obese person enjoying a Big Mac. You don't think about the obesity, you just think about the delicious Big Mac.) Anyway, for every amazing experience, there's 100s of dreary nights (and days) of moronic, narcissistic chat finished off with a neverending wank and heart palpitations, followed by several days of bleak living hell. Broken relationships and failed jobs. It's such a pointless existence. And of course you're risking a heart attack or a stroke on top of the effects on your mental health. By the way, if there's a slight tone in my posts of me blaming the drug or blaming politicians or blaming dealers, then that's not really how I feel about my own situation. I know that it's my responsibility, even if I have a genetic predisposition or whatever. Everyone has their weaknesses, and life is all about overcoming them. Also I don't want this thread to be dominated by cocaine. I'm genuinely interested in other people's problems and how they've dealt with them. I find that part of the problem with talking about addictions is that addicts tend to be raconteurs and tend to get nostalgic about the glory days, and there's always a little part in an addict's head that kind of enjoys the gallows humour of the dark days (shitting my pants while waiting to board a plane is my favourite). But what's really important is to be solution focussed. Whenever I focus on today, and tomorrow, and the week ahead I tend to find I'm more powerful. When I start storytelling it can give me that little rush of anticipation. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugeley Villa Posted September 7, 2019 Share Posted September 7, 2019 Brilliant insight there mate. You are bang on the money with your posts about cocaine. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villan-scott Posted September 7, 2019 VT Supporter Share Posted September 7, 2019 FIFA Ultimate Team, and the ease with which you can buy FIFA points trying to get decent cards/players. In previous additions of the game I spent probably a couple grand over the life cycle of the game buying FIFA points, without my wife knowing. Very much addictive. So easy just to think one more go, my luck will change. I’m convinced pack luck isn’t luck at all and it’s controlled by EA, not like walking in your local shop for a pack of football stickers anymore when it’s controlled digitally. The last game I did buy FIFA points, but also worked on the trading side and that was so much rewarding playing it ‘properly’ without injecting loads of money and lining the pockets of EA. I’m hoping to keep a lid on it if I bother buying the next game, and doing it the right way. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugeley Villa Posted September 7, 2019 Share Posted September 7, 2019 I used to love gaming but I grew out of it years ago. Just too many buttons for me now. I don’t really have the time for it now either. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted September 7, 2019 Share Posted September 7, 2019 3 hours ago, Rugeley Villa said: I used to love gaming but I grew out of it years ago. Just too many buttons for me now. I don’t really have the time for it now either. This doom was left , right , up , down and fire , I could cope with that ... time Duke Nukem came about a couple of year later you needed 12 fingers to play and alas I’m not from Norfolk ... kids got an x-box a few years back and I thought I’d be all over it , but those controllers are beyond me and I spent my plants v zombie time mostly shooting at my own feet ... and I just don’t have the time to get emerged in games any more .. haven’t even played poker for a good few years quick game of who wants to be a millionaire on my phone is about the extent of my gaming nowadays 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lapal_fan Posted September 7, 2019 Share Posted September 7, 2019 9 hours ago, villan-scott said: FIFA Ultimate Team, and the ease with which you can buy FIFA points trying to get decent cards/players. In previous additions of the game I spent probably a couple grand over the life cycle of the game buying FIFA points, without my wife knowing. Very much addictive. So easy just to think one more go, my luck will change. I’m convinced pack luck isn’t luck at all and it’s controlled by EA, not like walking in your local shop for a pack of football stickers anymore when it’s controlled digitally. The last game I did buy FIFA points, but also worked on the trading side and that was so much rewarding playing it ‘properly’ without injecting loads of money and lining the pockets of EA. I’m hoping to keep a lid on it if I bother buying the next game, and doing it the right way. Genuinely sad. Not sad as in "haha look at the sad man", but sad because it is sad you spent your cash knowing it was a gamble, but without the prize of winning money back, but unearthing a digital footballer who you could play with for a maximum of 12 months before the next game comes out and you have literally nothing to show for that couple of grand. I mean, if you can afford that, then maybe it's not so bad, but I just took my family to Disney land for £1500. I bought every FIFA from FIFA international soccer in 94, to FIFA 2015. The reason I stopped buying them was because ultimate team was taking over the game, and I had no interest in spending hours upon hours of saving up for a player when I knew some person could dump hundreds and buy the best team anyway, which is exactly what EA want. I hope you get over it, I think it should be illegal to be honest. I get it if you can spend 5 quid on Messi. But people spend thousands in the HOPE they get him. There's going to be a generation of heavy gamblers in 10-20 years and it's because of this stuff. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xela Posted September 7, 2019 Share Posted September 7, 2019 15 hours ago, KentVillan said: moronic, narcissistic chat finished off with a neverending wank and heart palpitations, followed by several days of bleak living hell. Broken relationships and failed jobs. Or as I call it, Monday! I jest of course, but really enlightening to read your experiences mate. I've done the drug before but a long time ago and never really took to it, thankfully. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villan-scott Posted September 7, 2019 VT Supporter Share Posted September 7, 2019 1 hour ago, lapal_fan said: Genuinely sad. Not sad as in "haha look at the sad man", but sad because it is sad you spent your cash knowing it was a gamble, but without the prize of winning money back, but unearthing a digital footballer who you could play with for a maximum of 12 months before the next game comes out and you have literally nothing to show for that couple of grand. I mean, if you can afford that, then maybe it's not so bad, but I just took my family to Disney land for £1500. I bought every FIFA from FIFA international soccer in 94, to FIFA 2015. The reason I stopped buying them was because ultimate team was taking over the game, and I had no interest in spending hours upon hours of saving up for a player when I knew some person could dump hundreds and buy the best team anyway, which is exactly what EA want. I hope you get over it, I think it should be illegal to be honest. I get it if you can spend 5 quid on Messi. But people spend thousands in the HOPE they get him. There's going to be a generation of heavy gamblers in 10-20 years and it's because of this stuff. That’s the thing I know it’s a daft think to spunk loads of money on but I had the bug. I’m not a big drinker, never done drugs or bothered much with gambling with bookies, but for some reason that was my Achilles. I’d definitely do things different this time around. Like you say, such a waste of money for no return. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PieFacE Posted September 7, 2019 VT Supporter Share Posted September 7, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, lapal_fan said: I hope you get over it, I think it should be illegal to be honest. There's going to be a generation of heavy gamblers in 10-20 years and it's because of this stuff. Absolutely. It's utterly disgusting to have this form of gambling in video games and it needs to be called out, and banned. To think, these games are rated at being fine for 3 year old children. I agree, we're going to have a generation of gambling addicts because of shit like this. Edited September 7, 2019 by PieFacE 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xela Posted September 7, 2019 Share Posted September 7, 2019 Its only recently I've heard about buying in game boosts or packs for games to make you better. What a disgusting thing to do from the makers. What happened to just letting people play the game 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villan-scott Posted September 7, 2019 VT Supporter Share Posted September 7, 2019 (edited) I think that they have actually banned pack buying in Belgium, think I read somewhere. Edited September 7, 2019 by villan-scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PompeyVillan Posted September 7, 2019 Share Posted September 7, 2019 5 hours ago, lapal_fan said: Genuinely sad. Not sad as in "haha look at the sad man", but sad because it is sad you spent your cash knowing it was a gamble, but without the prize of winning money back, but unearthing a digital footballer who you could play with for a maximum of 12 months before the next game comes out and you have literally nothing to show for that couple of grand. I mean, if you can afford that, then maybe it's not so bad, but I just took my family to Disney land for £1500. I bought every FIFA from FIFA international soccer in 94, to FIFA 2015. The reason I stopped buying them was because ultimate team was taking over the game, and I had no interest in spending hours upon hours of saving up for a player when I knew some person could dump hundreds and buy the best team anyway, which is exactly what EA want. I hope you get over it, I think it should be illegal to be honest. I get it if you can spend 5 quid on Messi. But people spend thousands in the HOPE they get him. There's going to be a generation of heavy gamblers in 10-20 years and it's because of this stuff. I downloaded an android game the other day called Alien Shooter. It's great fun, really 'addictive' gameplay. Every 5 minutes you are bombarded with advertising for gambling websites. You get in game bonuses by spinning a roulette wheel, you can spend in game currency to have another go on the wheel. You can spend real money to buy in game currency to spin the wheel or to upgrade your spaceship. You can upgrade your spaceship for £3.99 and then £9.99 and then £29.99. I saw an advert for a £99.99 bundle. What the actual fudge? It's obviously not worth spending so much money on what is an arcade game you play on your phone. But people obviously so. The game is ridiculously fun, but it gets quite difficult if you don't spend any money. I mean, it's possible to win, but it's a grind and it's difficult. It's a thinly veiled gambling app. It would be so easy to click 'buy' when you lose, they flash it up in front of you every new times you lose. I didn't because I'm a cheapskate, but I can see why people do. I've come to think that these sorts of things are morally questionable. It feels a little bit like when a drug dealer offers someone free drugs, they know they'll be back for more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KentVillan Posted September 8, 2019 Author Share Posted September 8, 2019 One thing that interests me is how much addicts seem to be people who like doing repetitive skill-based tasks (I'm not talking about wanking anymore btw). There's this concept of "flow state" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology) Quote In positive psychology, a flow state, also known colloquially as being in the zone, is the mental state of operation in which a person performing an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity. In essence, flow is characterized by complete absorption in what one does, and a resulting loss in one's sense of space and time. Also hyperfocus https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperfocus Quote Hyperfocus is an intense form of mental concentration or visualization that focuses consciousness on a subject, topic, or task. In some individuals, various subjects or topics may also include daydreams, concepts, fiction, the imagination, and other objects of the mind. Hyperfocus on a certain subject can cause side-tracking away from assigned or important tasks. Psychiatrically, it is considered to be a symptom of ADHD together with inattention, and it has been proposed as a symptom of other conditions. I'm not an expert on any of this stuff, so don't know how true it all is. I'm kind of sceptical about psychiatry as a discipline, but interesting nonetheless. I think gaming addiction is strongly related to this. But there are elements of it in other addictions, too. Like all the ritualistic behaviour that surrounds addiction. Is it maybe because as humans we evolved mainly to do repetitive tasks? Farming, fighting, marching, building, riding, etc. And only a very small number of people did the higher level strategic thinking and management. But now we've turned into a society where most people's working life revolves around project management and the dreaded "stakeholder management". I get quite a lot of flow / hyperfocus from just writing a post on VT tbh. It's kind of pointless digging up 3 seasons' worth of Grealish stats, but it's a nice, strangely enjoyable distraction. It's interesting that apparently two of the best cures for addiction are gardening and owning a dog. Simple things that keep you to a daily routine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted September 8, 2019 VT Supporter Share Posted September 8, 2019 56 minutes ago, KentVillan said: It's interesting that apparently two of the best cures for addiction are gardening and owning a dog. I'm glad I'm not an addict, then. Neither has the slightest appeal. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted September 8, 2019 Share Posted September 8, 2019 I’ve knocked booze on the head today. Try for a month. Day 1. So far ok, I know first week hardest. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted September 8, 2019 Share Posted September 8, 2019 On 07/09/2019 at 07:01, Rugeley Villa said: I used to love gaming but I grew out of it years ago. Just too many buttons for me now. I don’t really have the time for it now either. I lost patience. I still buy games and get all excited but then switch it off after 5 minutes. Red Dead 2 was the last game I played for 5 minutes. I was so excited about it too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maqroll Posted September 8, 2019 Share Posted September 8, 2019 I'm a born addict. Before I ever used drugs I would sniff Vick's Inhalers all day, as a 13 year old. Luckily I always catch myself before any of my adventures with dangerous things have destroyed me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A'Villan Posted September 13, 2019 Share Posted September 13, 2019 On 05/09/2019 at 12:08, KentVillan said: I know we already have the drugs thread, but not all addictions involve drugs, and not all drug users are addicts. What are your views and experiences? Do you believe in addiction? Is it a useful concept? How can people avoid or overcome it? Great questions! About all I have to contribute at this point is that mindful meditation is actually getting quite profound results. People who have battled lifelong drug abuse, alcoholism and gambling are walking away from the binds of their habits and rituals. No supplementary drug, or intensive rehabilitation required, although detox prior to entry a prerequisite, just a peer group mindfulness meditation based therapy program. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjw63 Posted September 13, 2019 Share Posted September 13, 2019 My addictions all concern rude things. And I don't care 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted September 13, 2019 Share Posted September 13, 2019 6 days without a drink and I have an amazing amount of energy. Unfortunately I can’t sleep.! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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