Luna Bliss

Yes I've done that and it's really a lot of fun. Was a bit creepy when some creepy-looking sci-fi guy slipped into the chair next to me though one day. As you know, in VR, you really feel like you're there!

For the most part, what you see as flaws, I see as originality and beauty. I just changed my lighting to noon if the ambience chosen for the overall landscape wasn't suitable for shopping. And I consider the additional items in a small garden for sale a plus rather than a minus. And stores placed in a more hidden manner so as to showcase the overall beauty of the sim is a known feature of Fantasy Fairre, and one I love (not so fond of stores being visible on any sim, really). I do have one criticism though, one PET PEEVE, regarding a particular region where even an experienced builder like myself found it difficult to click on the vendors because the builder of the sim linked all the store structures into one huge link, and the transparent bounding box blocked vendors! The linked structures had an unusual name too, but I'm afraid it would trigger the bad word censors here if I posted it. From the name I had the feeling he didn't give a damm if anybody bought anything from the other stores embedded in his overall design, but could be he just thought it was a funny joke.

And the largest screen EVER!

noooo...I'm busy...and you are retired! ;0

Which fees might change?

Would that stop the dad jokes? hehe just teasing...

oh c'mon, let me feel like some super techie person with my big PC ;0 But seriously, to answer the question @InnerCity Elf posed, I did get a mid to high-range PC for the better visuals in SL, and also for creating mesh and music stuff.

Yeah I can't imagine SL without a big screen. I like to chat too, but only while viewing the landscape. If you haven't already seen it, Fallen Gods @ Fantasy Fairre has the most amazing region this year if you like the long views.

Ajay is the DJ on the Magic Boat!

Does it make you feel sad? Yes it does. I looooveee to see new sim layouts from SL's most talented landscape architects. I need to mention, too, that I am using the forum and exploring FF as an excuse to avoid an important Blender lesson. But then, I might be addicted to Blender too. Confuz.

Exploring the very last region @ Fantasy Fairre... Sobs*

All I know is that I'm on my very last region @ the Fantasy Fairre area comprising 20 regions, and I'm going to be very upset when it's over!! And if I've become addicted to FF then it's their fault!!! ;0 I'm using the forum as an addiction to prevent the ending of my Fantasy Fairre addiction! ...... I better go chant and meditate..

I bought my new one less than a year ago, at the cost of $2000. I wanted a mid-range one that would be adequate longer than the cheaper ones would provide (costing around $1000). I don't really like the hassle of upgrading, so will just run this PC until it dies.

people who are stuck unfortunately remain that way until their eyes are opened in a meaningful way and that simply doesn't from convincing arguments but from within oneself. There but for the ___ of ___, go I. Even then such people will eventually have to look at why they were hiding from aspects of life. Something I could afford to do myself with the amount of time I spend inworld and on the forum. Added to all these insights, is that fact that SL is seldom used in an either/or way in terms of being addictive/not addictive (if we're using 'addictive' in a common usage type of way and not as a clinical definition). What one uses SL for can vary according to any given day or month.

One can grow even from the negative and the unhealthy ways at least can point out they are not as satisfying as one might have hoped. That can take longer for some then others. I'm really slow in that regard! Agreed, you can grow from existing in the negative for awhile -- it points to what one doesn't want in life. What I find upsetting is when people stay stuck in a negative pattern and can't grow/move on. Some do, sadly. One thing for sure, you'll keep butting up against the problem until you do change! It would be interesting to know of those who became addicted to SL and used it to basically hide from life, yet moved on to use SL in healthy ways that fostered a better way of existing.

Please tell that to Luna again. As often as needed. Her repeated amateur diagnoses are extremely insulting, insensitive, and harmful. Can you point me to a comment where I've done such a thing to any individual participating in this thread?

Yes, I understand where you are coming from i think and yes, not something that can be openly discussed here but it is a factor. It is why a 12 Step program worked for me where other recovery methods didn't. I do believe (my perspecctive) that we are all on the planet growing toward a better way of being, or at the very least we should/could be. No need to cite anything religious. It's a shame when our participation in SL becomes a negative experience (an addiction as was cited by the OP) rather than an opportunity to grow in healthy ways.

I need to include what happened later in the story mentioned above (with the SL person addicted to SL, alcohol, and sex). A friend asked me to help this guy and I declined, but later the addicted individual messaged me and asked for a date, complaining he had nobody to 'be with' that day. SL can be a trip some days.

SL content needs to be modifiable in almost all cases. However, I do understand the horror some go through when seeing something they created re-textured poorly, because my name is on it! Hey, I didn't do that!. Case in point, once a partner and myself created the most lovely of houses with our own specially created wood texture. I chanced upon this house out in the wild and the new owner had textured it into brown, shiny plastic!! It looked horrible, I mean even in a Walt Disney caricatured setup it would be colorful plastic! But there it sat, high on a hill, with my name on it. I was working in the area at the time and so had to see it going and coming, and we began forming strange names for the re-textured house just to cope, like "hell house on the hill". LOL

More can sometimes be accomplished by a trusted friend or associate that has had the problem and can relate, then a Professional. It is a trust issue. Professionals are in it for the money or it can seem that way vs a friend who who doesn't have anything to gain from it. Friends who have gone through the issue themselves or understand it well can be just as helpful, agreed. But all professionals aren't in it 'just for the money' -- many have a strong desire to help and even experienced difficulties in functioning themselves (it's what made them choose the profession). However, I would never place total faith in either (friend or professional). One needs to examine carefully the help they receive from anyone, and if it's not beneficial best to move on.

Just to clarify, we are not here to diagnose or treat anyone's addictions or psychological issues. I think the reason we need to make clear distinctions and use words that others understand to mean what we think they mean is to facilitate a productive discussion. Otherwise we risk turning any interesting topic into a quagmire of derails and insults. Agreed, but both you and Love began this discussion with a number of insults about me, pertaining to previous discussions we've had on this topic. It might help for you to follow your own advice.

Interesting article on why we need to stop calling everyone 'addicted': https://www.nirandfar.com/stop-calling-everyone-addicted/

Until someone sees it for themselves, it matters little anyway. A trusted friend might put the idea in one's head that too much time is being spent on an activity and that perhaps friends and family are starting to suffer from neglect alongside other negatives, but until the addict sees the reality of it themself and seeks out help, little benefit will result. I'm speaking to treatment in a professional sense though.

True that, but if we don't make a distinction on the nature of that gorging or the seriousness of it we aren't able to treat it accurately.

Hmmm...you seem to have trouble with any source I cite except the Kathlen Onyx source. In any case, since you seem to have trouble with citing WebMD as a source (fair enough, some do) would this information be more to your liking regarding high-functioning addicts? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3883816/