Hello, I'm a university student and recently I have been really addicted to this game called maplestory. I keep wanting to strive for a high level that I think to a point that is too much.

When I wake up, the first thing I do is go on the game and won't stop playing till like 3am and wake up tired for school or neglect to study for exams. I have lost touch of reality and what is "real"whether this world is real or the virtual. My head tells me this world is real yet it does not feel real.

I have also lost lots of time socially. I blow my friends off, and I don't even have many friends to begin with. I can't communicate to people in real life, only through this game. After school the first thing I do is get home and turn on the comp. I need help please. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

Maybe you should block the site, or just keep your computer off for a while. Games are a vitual reality; their not real. Don't let virtual realities over take the real one!!

When any activity begins to affect your life in negative ways, it is time to make some changes. If you have tried to stop, and cannot, and things are out of control, addiction counselling might be a good option for you.

Physically, you are probably exhausted with lack of sleep. Negative consequences (poor marks, not keeping up with studying) are also a sign that the game has taken over your life, because the consequences are not enough to make you modify, or stop playing.

There is always the potential for any addiction, to cause a lot more problems than what you are experiencing now. With your focus only on the game, life is not on an even keel, and will only continue to spiral out of control, until you learn how to control it, and the associated behaviours.

It sounds to me that this has already gone on too long, without you getting some help for it. From what you have described, I urge you to seek counselling, and figure out how you got to this point, understand how harmful this is, and learn the skills you need to overcome it, and get your life back on track.

But making that choice is up to you.

Learn to balance it with the rest of your activities... you might be afraid of letting it go completely, and in turn you avoid facing that particular solution all together by diving even more into playing it and ignoring the real world and all it's horrible problems.
Have you played this game before and had this happen? Or any other game?
If not it might be just the first time you've realized how great these games are... and so just are over doing it. These games are great and really enjoyable when in moderation, and honestly MORE fun that way.
I've gone through my gaming "binges" hurting my marks at school my sleep and physical health just to keep going get to that max level.. spending hours in conversations with people online... and over time learned to integrate it with my life, and I function normally in society now so it's possible!
Think about if you can, make time for everything you have to do and this game, try it out... if you can't manage your time after that, maybe it would be good to seek help?