Why does my girlfriend complain so much about my gaming?

May 15, 2008 by Mercedes Moore

Dear Mercedes, How much time can I buy myself while playing video games before going to bed without pissing my girlfriend off? -GTAguy
Oh GTA... I recently found a boyfriend who doesn't game - much to my initial delight after suffering for years under a post-Mall Rats apocalyptic dating scene where the difference between men and boys is barely discernable. But what I have come to find out is that men will find plenty of other excuses to not come to bed at a reasonable hour, from the innocent (a time sensistive work project) to the horrific (that grandfather in Austria who was busy procreating in the basement.) So outside of the honeymoon period, everyone should expect some delays getting to the bedroom because its just expected that we will wind down at different paces and in different ways at the end of the day. Now whether your girlfriend understands or accepts this is entirely up to her.
Surely, you already know if this is a problem for her. If she's giving you the cold shoulder once you get to bed, or if you have to wear a pair of Bose headphones to drown out her pleads for you to come to bed, she's pissed and has been complaining to her friends for weeks. Stop being selfish and go spend time with her.
If you find it too difficult to give up playing at night altogether, scratch out one or two nights a week where you both do your own thing until 10:00pm (if you live together) or for the night (if you don't). Scheduled time dedicated to whatever activity you both choose gives you plenty of room for the spontaneity needed for the time you spend together as a couple.
There is nothing wrong with spending a couple hours after work playing Xbox , but its not okay to be up until 5:00am playing when you have to leave for work at 8:00am. There will be (or possibly already are) major problems if you're not using your prime communication and sex time with your partner actualy WITH your parter. And wait... seriously? You'd rather be playing video games than having sex? If your answer to that is yes, then its time to take a good hard look at your relationship AND your addiction to gaming. One of the most visible warning signs of addiction is when you start to habitually choose your addiction over your very basic needs like eating, sleeping and yes, sex. So its either that or you're just being a bastard, which is equally not cool and you should probably go get treated for both.
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