my brother's everquest addiction

Heners_UK · Post by **Heners_UK** » Sat Jan 25, 2003 6:02 pm

That sucks lee, stories such as yours are the reason I dont play EQ or UO incase I fall into that trap.

My sister has been addicted to a similar extent to a diffrent service. This is an adaption of the chain of events that caused her to loose intrest, although she did this by herself and i dont think she intended it.

My advice would probably be this (* - big fucking asterisk)

* Take him off on holiday, good time etc... at least a week, pref. 2. Keep his mind off it, distract him etc. (this is really the only thing that unaddicted her, so the following are just things ive added that I think will work, read the asterisk). This will disguise the fact that your removing eq. (yeah, I know, its expensive)

* While shes away, have one of your more technical mates come round, change his password, uninstall EQ, cancel his account. If you really want to make sure he doesnt go back on, install sub7 or WinVNC and keep an eye on him.

* When he comes back, dont make a scene if you possibly can, i.e. dont tell him youve removed eq, just dont lie about it, just act normal and sofourth. If he comes downstairs screaming about how his EQ has been royally fucked then be straight and brief with him. Try not drawing attention (possitive or negative, direct or indirect) to everquest and his going cold turkey from it if you possibly can. The last thing you want is him drawing attention to himself with it, as he may use it to manipulate you/your mother into restoring it, or otherwise using it as a tool.

* All being well, his life will get back on track. Bonus points to him if he realises how addicted and sad it was and vows never to get so addicted.

And now a disclaimer:

*I DO NOT know if this will work. Its to the best of my knowledge and I could be utterly wrong. My only assertion is that it is made in good faith, but may not work at all.

EDIT: Reminder, Ive got no garuntee that this will work. This stratergy has just been made up from events that ive seen work on an addiction. Perhaps, if he returns home still raving about EQ, it might be best to let him continue and find another plan.

Sabin · Post by **Sabin** » Sat Jan 25, 2003 6:45 pm

I was going to suggest something similar to heners. Just get him away from the game andliterally hack his comp so that he can't play anymore.

Heners_UK · Post by **Heners_UK** » Sat Jan 25, 2003 7:00 pm

My stratergy involves him not noticing that its dropped off the game. Hopefully, this will be the effect (note: Hopefully):

* He will think he will be away for 2 weeks and will be back.

* He will enjoy himself or at least think about something other than EQ (better yet computers).

* When he gets back, he still wont be thinking about eq. You may want to try and interest him in something pretty instantly so he doesnt go and look at eq. Say, if one of your family/friends doesnt go on the holiday, see to it that they whisk everyone (including him) who was on the holiday down the pub for the night, when he gets back he will be knacked and just go to bed. Keep this up as long as you think nesescary. The idea is to try and make the discovery that hes not on eq anymroe not seem like a loss.

Heners_UK · Post by **Heners_UK** » Sat Jan 25, 2003 7:09 pm

The effect your looking for is somethign like this:

Imagine that your parents have a dog you love to bits. It dies and you cry your eyes out.

Imagne your parents have a dog you loved to bits, but you went of too uni or moved out or something. A year later you are told (over the phone) it died.... I think you know the feeling, your sad its happened, but like it or not, your not as close and your not as affected.

fufet · Post by **fufet** » Sun Jan 26, 2003 7:53 am

heners that would work except:

i went on a weeklong vacation to canada, beer, womenz, and w33d.

every hour or so i was thinking about all the shit i was gona have to catch up on in eq when i got back.

mr_lee · Post by **mr_lee** » Mon Jan 27, 2003 5:28 am

thanks again fellas for all the positive imput and ideas :) i'll let you guys know how it goes...

Heners_UK · Post by **Heners_UK** » Mon Jan 27, 2003 10:58 am

heners that would work except: ?

i went on a weeklong vacation to canada, beer, womenz, and w33d.

every hour or so i was thinking about all the shit i was gona have to catch up on in eq when i got back.

This is exactly why im sticking huge warnings on this plan. If hes addicted as you say he is, it may very well not work. 2 weeks might be better. Its also why I added the part about not letting him race upstairs to EQ when he returns.

Angeldust · Post by **Angeldust** » Mon Jan 27, 2003 1:08 pm

I play EQ. ?Its an huge scale online role playing game. ?You level your character up, kill mobs(monsters), and get new equipment. ?Its also one of the most addicting games out there. ?

Firstly, your brother is a loser, and needs serious help. ?EQ is not a substitute for RL. ?The easiest way to get him off is to pull the plug completely. ?Cancel whatever payment plan he is using. ?If hes paying for himself you got more serious issues. ?If you want to be very tricky, figure out the message board for his guild(He might have it saved under favorites, etc. ?if not watch what server he joins upon log in(Tallon Zek, Saryrn, etc - theres various servers with such names), and see if you can figure out what his guilds name is. ?if his character's name is Pablo, with the surname Picasso, you will see Pablo Picasso <guild name>. ?Search google for server name, guild name, and you should find it). ?Figure out the guild leader by seeing who is the board admin, or reading and and figuring out who is in power, and appeal to them to try to get him help. ?he will probably hate you for it, but its better then ending up like the skitzo who offed himself with a shotgun after playing EQ far too much(of course he had serious mental problems - he thought monsters were chasing him down the road IRL). ?

If he's lying and ditching his friends for a video game, then he's in need of your help. ?Treat it like a drug addiction, because its the same thing, only no real physical side effects, other then lack of excercise. ?He needs to see a psychiatrist regularly. ?

Of course, you have to give him prop's for being that creative, and resourcefull to be able to have everyone thinking you are actually going to school. ?Someone like that could easily be using their talents and proficiency at such acts in a far more usefull way. ?

Get him a psychiatrist, try to kill his EQ addiction NOW. ?Like ASAP. ?Its going to wreak havoc on him mentally, but if you dont do it, its going to hurt him, badly. ?besides, the new expansions have been crap anyway :P hell, the latest is more of a contraction then an expansion

This is indeed a good start on what to do mr.lee.

I hope things work out and if i find anything i'll bring it up.

Angeldust · Post by **Angeldust** » Mon Jan 27, 2003 1:11 pm

It'd be a good idea to forcefully take him on a vacation like heners said. away from anything computer-like.

Heners_UK · Post by **Heners_UK** » Mon Jan 27, 2003 2:20 pm

It'd be a good idea to forcefully take him on a vacation like heners said. away from anything computer-like.

Another tactic could be to get him addicted to something else and then get him down from that.