Having withdrawls....

[Yygdrasil]

Without so much as a glance behind me... I quit FFXI about 3 months ago. I couldn't say goodbye to the LS... to my friends... to anyone... I wouldn't even allow myself to log out for the last time IN MY MOGHOUSE. Somehow I felt the disappointment would rain from my moogles eyes. I was afraid that it would be too hard to do.

So... I walked away before the most recent server merge and update happened. I figured the new scary changes were enough reason to not look back. The first 3 weeks were surprisingly easy to cope with. I didn't have the urge to play... I didn't bother to even open my laptop. I went about my life... my wife and I hung out... had more time to spend together. We went places... and for once I wasn't constantly thinking in the back of my mind, "goddamn it... I hope I'm back in time for Dyna tonight... everyone's gunna be pissed".

Now... 3 months later... account indefinately in limbo... laptop... collecting dust... I'm having withdrawls.

I've allowed myself to access this site... just not to go to any of the threads that talk about the game. Blissful ignorance. I've been slipping up a lot and checking out some things. Reading reactions to the level cap.... the trial quests... new gear... and mostly... Alex and Odin.

I feel like I'm going into heroine withdrawl... lol.

"Just one Sand Lizard... just lemme kill ONE!!! Thats it... then I'll never touch the stuff, I SWEAR!!!"

It doesn't help that the linear plotline to FFXIII has me reeling in pain. All I want to do is party up and grind my COR more, lvl my SMN past 75 and maybe investigate some of these new NMs I've heard so much about.

I fear a relapse. I know that if I activate my acct... I'll never look back. It'll be over. All my 3 months of hard work... for nothing.

God help me...

[Ryoii/Nonomii]

Re: Having withdrawls....

The desire to return definitely roles around often when you're bored with other things in life outside Vana'diel.

We all enjoyed something about Vana'diel immensely, and we'll continue to miss it until life outside provides greater appeal and more memorable experiences.

Hang in there and just remind yourself you only want to play because you're a little bored or curious.

[Aksannyi]

Re: Having withdrawls....

I quit about nine months ago and sometimes I still get a tickle to log in. It helps me greatly that I no longer have an account, but still ... it was very hard that first month while my account was still active - since I quit in the beginning of the month - to refrain from logging in, popping in LS, and saying, "Hay guyz, iz it can be come back tiem naow?"

I promise it gets easier. I uninstalled the game and everything related to it from my laptop, which made it that much harder to log in if I wanted to, even to create a new account and start over. And now I sit back and realize just how much happier I've been in the time since I quit.

[Yygdrasil]

Re: Having withdrawls....

Man... there needs to be a support group for this kinda stuff...

... or at least a medication

[Chromemage]

Re: Having withdrawls....

Just out of curiosity, why did you quit in the first place?

If quitting the game is causing this kind of reaction, maybe you should just come back? Unless it's a real life addiction problem, where you do in fact ignore RL in favor of the game, then continue your course. We've all heard stories of people losing their spouses, alienating their friends and family, losing their jobs, etc. because of a game. In that aspect, treat it just like alcohol/drugs... abstinence is the only cure.

But that aside, you shouldn't ignore the urges that bring you enjoyment if you are not at the level of needing it compulsively. As far as I'm concerned, nothing should tear you away from doing what you enjoy unless it brings harm to yourself or others.

Wow this turned into way serious of a post

[Kailea]

Re: Having withdrawls....

Man... there needs to be a support group for this kinda stuff...

... or at least a medication

I think there is a support group.....


MMOs Anonymous

[Aksannyi]

Re: Having withdrawls....

Just out of curiosity, why did you quit in the first place?

If quitting the game is causing this kind of reaction, maybe you should just come back? Unless it's a real life addiction problem, where you do in fact ignore RL in favor of the game, then continue your course. We've all heard stories of people losing their spouses, alienating their friends and family, losing their jobs, etc. because of a game. In that aspect, treat it just like alcohol/drugs... abstinence is the only cure.

But that aside, you shouldn't ignore the urges that bring you enjoyment if you are not at the level of needing it compulsively. As far as I'm concerned, nothing should tear you away from doing what you enjoy unless it brings harm to yourself or others.

Wow this turned into way serious of a post

It's like a break-up. At first, you want nothing more than to call the person and apologize, and beg them to take you back. Even though you know that you broke up for a reason, and it was a good one. And that getting back together would eventually lead to the same problems you had before breaking up.

Sure, you want to go back, if only briefly, because even though your head has come to its senses and you know deep down that breaking up was right, some - if not all - of your heart is still there, and it hurts.

The only thing that eases both is time. I played FFXI for nearly six years. It was hard to drop it the way I did, but it had to be done.

[Yygdrasil]

Re: Having withdrawls....

Just out of curiosity, why did you quit in the first place?

If quitting the game is causing this kind of reaction, maybe you should just come back? Unless it's a real life addiction problem, where you do in fact ignore RL in favor of the game, then continue your course. We've all heard stories of people losing their spouses, alienating their friends and family, losing their jobs, etc. because of a game. In that aspect, treat it just like alcohol/drugs... abstinence is the only cure.

But that aside, you shouldn't ignore the urges that bring you enjoyment if you are not at the level of needing it compulsively. As far as I'm concerned, nothing should tear you away from doing what you enjoy unless it brings harm to yourself or others.

Wow this turned into way serious of a post

Yeah it was, lol.

I quit for a few reasons.
1. Money... every little bit helps
2. Time... the game was eating it
3. Patience... mine was wearing thin
4. My wife wanted me to hang out more. The most reasonable thing to give up in order to free up a lot of time was... well... ffxi

All things considered... I wish I could just come back casually... but thats not gunna happen and we all know it. Best I just stay clear. It's not a ZOMG SRSLY BAD ADDICTION... lol not at all. I'm over-dramatizing it, call it... poetic lisense. I more or less just wanted to vent and get it off my chest. Sometimes it's just good to hear that other people went through the same thing.

---------- Post added at 08:09 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:05 PM ----------

It's like a break-up. At first, you want nothing more than to call the person and apologize, and beg them to take you back. Even though you know that you broke up for a reason, and it was a good one. And that getting back together would eventually lead to the same problems you had before breaking up.

Sure, you want to go back, if only briefly, because even though your head has come to its senses and you know deep down that breaking up was right, some - if not all - of your heart is still there, and it hurts.

The only thing that eases both is time. I played FFXI for nearly six years. It was hard to drop it the way I did, but it had to be done.

So in Aksannyi's terms... basically what I'm trying to avoid doing is making the... "booty call".

[Aksannyi]

Re: Having withdrawls....

Yeah, pretty much.

[Neverslip]

Re: Having withdrawls....

This game like no other causes a kind of... well... Stockholm syndrome. We are trapped by an abusive entity, we make excuses for their abuse, we take it (hard) and say "Please sir, may I have another?".

When I see the:

"I quit!! >> I'm back >> I quit NOW!!! >> I'm back again... >>> ...this time for realsies, guys. I'm done. >> JJK... guess who... >> F this, it's mom, and the chocobo it rode in on. I'm out. >>> Why me god WHY??? back...again.... I loves my precioussssss"

~ it truly reminds me of watching someone in a abusive relationship who should leave but cannot completely get away.

Anyway... {Good Luck} dude. I hear withdrawl halucinations are some of the best... but I don't have the willpower to find out.

[Ketaru]

Re: Having withdrawls....

I suspect me quitting would require me to quickly find an alternative, time-consuming hobby that doesn't cost much money.

I have "taken a break" the game several times and came back to it for the same reason every time. At first, it would be great. I would think, "Wow, it's like something has lifted off your shoulders by no longer feeling the need to 'get things done' in a video game."

I would do things like walk around the block more (and it would feel enjoyable, rather than like a commitment to health), I would get caught up on things like movies that I thought about seeing but didn't bother, my mind wouldn't wander to it throughout most days.

Ah...most days anyway...

But when I'm bored, it's always the same. "Final Fantasy XI would've been great to do right about now, when I have absolutely nothing to do." When I was in college, I would cancel my Content ID every time I went back to college and I lived without Final Fantasy XI just fine. But then, in college, there was always something to do and I didn't need to go for a car ride to do it.

And I don't know about others' spending habits, but Final Fantasy XI is a painfully inexpensive hobby. For 15 dollars a month, I have something that I can get deeply engrossed in indefinitely. No Final Fantasy XI? DVDs cost about $20 a pop (and many of them are imports!). Theater tickets are about $10. Everything I like to do costs a lot.

But this time it's different. My account is still active on the game, but I log on maybe 5 times a month now because I'm just not interested most of the time. Maybe it's a sign that I really will quit for good soon.

[Chromemage]

Re: Having withdrawls....

/shrug... and thats fine. The game has been out since 2003 and like most, it loses its appeal after awhile.

I applaud those who are waiting for the "next best thing"...which I imagine to most here is FFXIV. Or even if its FFXIII, all the same

Just don't take for granted us peeps that wasted 6 years on WoW instead of FFXI... ugh it still haunts me. But if you read the news, WoW has much more haunting addiction stories then FFXI. I'm just sayin'.

[Yygdrasil]

Re: Having withdrawls....

I'm just sayin'

Who are you? RayWilliamJohnson?

Props for anyone who gets that joke.

[Zoltar]

Re: Having withdrawls....

You can changed your title to Retired SMN now.

lol

[Takelli]

Re: Having withdrawls....

/shrug... and thats fine. The game has been out since 2003 and like most, it loses its appeal after awhile.

I applaud those who are waiting for the "next best thing"...which I imagine to most here is FFXIV. Or even if its FFXIII, all the same

Just don't take for granted us peeps that wasted 6 years on WoW instead of FFXI... ugh it still haunts me. But if you read the news, WoW has much more haunting addiction stories then FFXI. I'm just sayin'.

Its also because WoW is a more popular MMORPG than FFXI (More accounts on it, and a lot more play time in the game.)). Its also so easy to play the game, and so on. WoW was addicting at first then it just became a boring "Grind and Quest" type of thing then I just flat out quit. I came back to it once to see if it was any different, and it was still the same, and I lost all appeal for it.

FFXI how ever, I a addicted to it. Tried quitting a few times, and just can not quit. I need another game like FFXI to help me quit. But a more casual type of game where I can actually log on for 2 hour, get something done, then log off for about a week or so.

When I didn't play FFXI, I'd buy PS3 games to keep me entertained when there was nothing to do, and go out and watch movies. When I started up FFXI again, I started to spend less money as I am not looking for anything to do with my time.