Sick Addiction

[Anonymous]

I gave up TV for Lent and now I'm addicted to solitaire. Every new game feels like a new chance at life. The Jacks turn up, their faces either enthusiastically ready to win or snide and pinched, as if being a minor royal gives them the right to look entitled, whether we win or lose. When I realize I could have played a card a few turns back that would have made a difference in the outcome, I feel like the guy in The Road -- the book, not the movie -- who realizes his kid left the valve on their camping stove open and now they're out of fuel. "He squatted there with his hands folded into a fist against his forehead, his eyes closed." The screen is burning holes in my eyes but I can't stop playing. It's not all bad tho. I used to be upset when our neighbor left for work at 6:30 am, loudly slamming the door, or at 6:30 am on the weekends opening and closing all of his car doors to fit his skiing gear in before turning on the radio and backing out, but now I don't care -- I'm already up, playing solitaire. When my kid texts me 5 minutes after he's supposed to be home telling me he's running late and will be home in ten minutes then 45 more minutes go by, I don't care -- I'm playing solitaire. Soon I'll be one of those people who walks across the street not looking up from their phone.

Thanks for nothing, Jesus.

[Anonymous]

You need a good long walk in the sunshine.

[Anonymous]

Play with an actual deck of cards

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Play with an actual deck of cards

Uh oh 😟……

Don’t give the OP any ideas!
Lol!!

[Anonymous]

This is so funny, I literally became addicted to solitaire myself this month after not playing in over 20 years.

It’s so much more addictive now because you can go back to the point where you could have won and get hints, so now I’m winning like 90% of the time, when before you’d win only 1 out of maybe every 10 games. It’s also WAY faster so you get dopamine hits more frequently.

It’s also great when I have to be stuck on the computer to show I’m logged in and “working”.

Switching to a regular deck of cards is a good idea.

[Anonymous]

Solitaire with cards got me through COVID shutdowns.

[Anonymous]

At least it's not candy crush?

[Anonymous]

There are much better online card games to play against bots. Canasta, Pinochel, Spades…ask me how I know.

[Anonymous]

Cold turkey is probably the best way to quit.
But if you want it to be less appealing, turn your screen black and white. There's something about the green background that makes it extra addicting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cold turkey is probably the best way to quit.
But if you want it to be less appealing, turn your screen black and white. There's something about the green background that makes it extra addicting.

I wonder if this is why they use green felt on casino tables.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cold turkey is probably the best way to quit.
But if you want it to be less appealing, turn your screen black and white. There's something about the green background that makes it extra addicting.

I wonder if this is why they use green felt on casino tables.

Yep, exactly!

There's very little in casinos that is NOT optimized to keep you there losing money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cold turkey is probably the best way to quit.
But if you want it to be less appealing, turn your screen black and white. There's something about the green background that makes it extra addicting.

I wonder if this is why they use green felt on casino tables.

Yep, exactly!

There's very little in casinos that is NOT optimized to keep you there losing money.

This is OP. One thing I've noticed about my sick addiction is that it's a lot harder to put it down when I'm losing than when I'm winning. Maybe it's human nature to keep fighting and another reason why the house always wins (and wins and wins and wins).

[Anonymous]

I am jealous…..

Watching people play Solitaire makes me want to learn how to play myself since it looks so engrossing ➕ fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are much better online card games to play against bots. Canasta, Pinochel, Spades…ask me how I know.

I'm addicted on online spades.

- np

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cold turkey is probably the best way to quit.
But if you want it to be less appealing, turn your screen black and white. There's something about the green background that makes it extra addicting.

I wonder if this is why they use green felt on casino tables.

Yep, exactly!

There's very little in casinos that is NOT optimized to keep you there losing money.

This is OP. One thing I've noticed about my sick addiction is that it's a lot harder to put it down when I'm losing than when I'm winning. Maybe it's human nature to keep fighting and another reason why the house always wins (and wins and wins and wins).

Absolutely! Computer games are designed so you win just enough to know what that dopamine hit feels like and get close enough to winning often enough so that you have to okay "just one more, until I win."