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Old 08-19-2019, 09:03 AM
Xulia Xulia is offline
Sarnak

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Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Charlotte
Posts: 221
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To answer your question: Yes

Bit of backstory; I'm a dad working full-time. I have no interest in a social life with the people who live around me and most of my long-time friends live elsewhere. P99 helps to provide social interaction without having to expend the effort to drive somewhere and spend money. My wife also plays FFXIV so its nice to be able to spend most of our free-time playing our respective games without any hard feelings; she's in a similar boat and her guild (free company in that game) also serve as her social circle. As parents we don't have the time or energy to go out and have an adult social life, so our games help fill that part of our lives.

As someone who also lives with mental illness, P99 also provides a place of serenity. I can choose what chat channels I read, who I interact with, etc. and having that control brings peace of mind and allows me something to focus on that's a fun fantasy romp, but in a world that's quantifiable and measured. For all of the barbs and flames that some people see on this game, by and large most of the people I've encountered are understanding and even supportive. In one of my worst spells, my guild leadership even reached out to make sure I was doing ok. It's rare to find people that genuinely care about you like that.

I've never struggled with addiction as you have, OP, but some of these responses already show that same support. You're stronger than the booze, and one relapse doesn't undo the progress you've made as long as you keep fighting and never give up.
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