I had a realization a while ago that completely killed any interest I had in gaming. I don’t expect the same for you but it could help.
A video game is like junk food. Junk food is fucking delicious. That’s the only redeeming quality it has. Junk food is physically engineered trigger your brain to go, “yum!” The problem with junk food is that we evolved these hungers and desires because they were once useful survival tools. If something tasted sweet it meant that it was rich in energy. The danger is that this signal is no longer reliable, something being sweet no longer means it’s nutritious.
Video games operate on the same exact level. Video games will give you thrills and excitement that a modern life doesn’t easily provide. I used to play games because it gave me a sense of accomplishment and competency. I was more of a RTS & FPS kind of guy. Hitting the top of a score board communicated “you are strong and competent” to my brain.
Of course it’s all a sham. Of course hitting the top of the FPS score board doesn’t mean you’re the stronger than everyone else. Of course collecting a ton of loot after a raid doesn’t mean you’ve actually become wealthier. It’s more than common sense. But when we play video games we are allowing ourselves to believe this illusion, that we are actually doing something worthwhile. This is why the most desperate people hide in their basements and do nothing but game. They are desperate because they have nothing to live for, because they’ve accomplished nothing. And video games are offering them the illusion of accomplishment and success. I can’t blame addicts, it’s more tragic then anything.
What you need to do is get off sugar and start a diet that will actually nourish you. Fill your life with meaningful activities that will actually make you stronger, more competent and wealthier. The problem with real life is that it isn’t engineered to be winnable. It isn’t designed to hit that sweet spot of accomplishment and ease. Whenever I get the craving to play a video game I treat it the same way I crave a sweet. My brain is being bamboozled to no good end.