Addicted to buying video games on digital sales.

[Metalhead]

It is a common problem with console and Steam gamers these days, apparently.

We spend a lot of money on inexpensive games when they go on sale, and we tell ourselves we will get around to each and every one of them eventually. But my gaming backlog currently can last me a decade and I still find myself compulsively adding more to it. This is an addictive behavior at this point. It's not even about the games anymore, it is about the dopamine hit of a new acquisition to sit on my hard drive.

Think of how that money could have been put to better use! I could have taken more weekend trips to Seattle. I could have visited more museums. I could have gone to more social nights out. I could have invested in a better set of kitchen knives, or I could have stashed it all away for a rainy day, even though I am not allowed to save up much since SSDI is my primary source of income.

Buying video games is an addiction in itself, I am recognizing. It is another addiction for me to tackle head on.

 

[Tired]

Buying video games is an addiction in itself, I am recognizing.

Yup, same as many other things people buy or collect, which give them a small dopamine boost. Definitely becomes a problem, when you are low on cash, but can't stop buying those things. Sadly I don't have an advice, I am myself a type of person who hoards money and is afraid to spend it.

 

[Jumpinbare]

My bad habit lately has been buying Arduinos and sensors/output interfaces for them. I now have a lot of solutions in search of applicable problems.

 

[DrBadStrings]

It is a common problem with console and Steam gamers these days, apparently.

We spend a lot of money on inexpensive games when they go on sale, and we tell ourselves we will get around to each and every one of them eventually. But my gaming backlog currently can last me a decade and I still find myself compulsively adding more to it. This is an addictive behavior at this point. It's not even about the games anymore, it is about the dopamine hit of a new acquisition to sit on my hard drive.

Think of how that money could have been put to better use! I could have taken more weekend trips to Seattle. I could have visited more museums. I could have gone to more social nights out. I could have invested in a better set of kitchen knives, or I could have stashed it all away for a rainy day, even though I am not allowed to save up much since SSDI is my primary source of income.

Buying video games is an addiction in itself, I am recognizing. It is another addiction for me to tackle head on.

I feel your pain dude. If it makes you feel any better you are not the only one. I actually bought an extra 1tb drive for my laptop for the overflow. But I swear I'm going to play all my games and read all my books before buying anymore. Chances are that won't happen but that will be the goal.

What's funny is that I have been able to overcome alcoholism and haven't drank in over 11 months, but the games on sale, or books. That is a hard one.

 

[Tired]

What's funny is that I have been able to overcome alcoholism and haven't drank in over 11 months, but the games on sale, or books. That is a hard one.

Maybe you fully accepted the alcoholism as a problem, but not these compulsive purchases?

 

[Judge]

While people can have both substance and behavioral addictions, they are still two different things that can be destructive to overcome.

Behavioral Addiction: Signs, Types, Consequences, Treatment

 

[Outdated]

I am myself a type of person who hoards money and is afraid to spend it.

I am now but I wasn't when I was younger. I always earnt good money and I always spent every penny of it. It wasn't until I was in my 40s and ran away in to the bush that things changed.

I didn't have any where to spend any money. I was only getting unemployment benefit but the bank account kept going up and up. A valuable lesson that I didn't forget.

Once I moved down to a city I remembered that lesson - mostly. I had a problem with getting food delivered for a while, even though I'm a half decent cook myself. That ended though because too many delivery drivers can't find my unit and when they phone you they don't speak English.

Now I'm on a pension which pays a bit more than unemployment benefits, and I have cheap rent through social housing, but I still don't like parting with money. It's become a habit. While everyone else is complaining about the cost of living I think I must be the only pensioner in Australia saving $10K a year.

 

[DrBadStrings]

Maybe you fully accepted the alcoholism as a problem, but not these compulsive purchases?

They are definitely impulse purchases for sure. But I don't really see them as being much of an issue as I have a certain amount allotted to video game purchases in my budget that I do stick within. If it were something that was causing a financial hardship at this point in my life I'm self aware enough to spot these things now before they get out of hand, part of why I have a pretty detailed yearly budget and have every financial transaction I've done this year on a spreadsheet categorized with a constant dashboard showing me where I'm at so far this year and what I have left for the year in various budgets. It sounds a bit neurotic and overkill, but when I was dealing with alcoholism my financials were a mess. So getting that in order has been a tool and a reminder helping me stay sober.