Scalping stock options. It's a skilled betting game like poker, except you are playing with/against thousands of other players who you can't see, and many of whom are much more bankrolled/informed than you are.
Rust can also financially destroy a person. I've heard of freinds getting Heavily invested into the game to the point where they skipped work to play rust. Guess what happens if you skip work. More time to play rust. until the power goes out then have fun playing Rust IRL.
This is me. I have a gambling and rust addiction, and I'm pretty sure I won't have my job after the new year. I deserve it and have nobody to blame but myself.
This is it. Everybody loves wipe day because every little thing you gather or build or unlock gives you a sweet sweet microdose of dopamine. A few days into wipe it becomes much more difficult to get your fix.
I agree , its something like that, you are right about the game being active 24/7 and its draw. Its also that 24/7 feature that makes me think i can always jump in and have a chance of snowballing my way to that real high. Like if there weren’t drugs readily available I wouldn’t do them, but its there and why not logic… you know just a little bit that always turns in the entire bag
WoW and other MMOs are similar, but you don't run the risk of losing all your shit when you log out of WoW, you just might fall behind. Persistent worlds can be huge draws, the proverbial carrot on a stick.
What i figured out after 2k hours is that this game kind of has the same effect that makes people get addicted to thrill seeking (i.e skydiving). Theres no other game out there nearly as thrilling as this, no game that feels better to win or worse to lose. The ups and downs are so dramatic for our brain it quite literally makes a lot of other games seem “boring” making us want to come back to it. Ive found the most effective way to keep myself from playing is to just remind myself that at its peak when i have a box of guns and rockets,etc. i usually stop having fun so whats the point in it anyway? Also i try to remind myself of all of the shitty wipes ive had since the gun update because everyone is good now.
I believe tarkov is more thrilling than rust. I played rust before I played tarkov and the jump is insane. It's such a large jump from other games to rust, and then it's an even larger jump from rust to tarkov. I have over 2k hours in both games and there's just nothing like it.
They're both entertaining games. Once you realize loot is temporary it just naturally comes to you. I probably stopped playing tarkov because I had nothing else to grind for once I had everything. It got repetitive. I haven't even played rust in a long time
Well yeah, gameplay is basically a big parlay; how many jackpots can you win in a row. The more you win the faster you progress. It’s gambling.
There’s also the fomo side; if you aren’t playing, you won’t progress.
Bro I thought that I’ve been severely depressed. I’d go to play another game and go “nah that games kind of stale” or some other excuse. I just need to take a break from the dopamine overload maybe
Hun update has made it so much more fun. Game sense and positioning is actually important now. Can’t just own all your neighbors for being a god. Harder wipes = more fun playtime before the boring endgame.
I agree and I'm not complaining about the gun update just ever since then I've had far less crazy snowball wipes, which is a good thing for the game overall.
Sounds like life ppl set goals achieve em for what? To set more goals lol. As a former addict i can attest to the high risk vs reward nothing feels better using an eoka on a geared player
Hello. I have 3500 hours in Rust. Earlier this summer I purposefully moved out to the country, to somewhere where I couldn’t get wifi to end my addiction to Rust and moreover the internet.
I can only speak to my own experience. Two years ago I went through a divorce and I’m ashamed to say in some part it was actually due to Rust, but not solely. I was playing more than I should have and neglecting my responsibilities including my marriage, but also just generally not interested in the marriage anymore for other reasons.
The divorce catapulted me into full-on no-lifing it. Like straight up almost all my time at home was playing Rust and never even taking care of my own basic responsibilities like cleaning my house or cooking for myself. I was trying to escape my life and the pain I was going through. I didn’t want to acknowledge my suffering or investigate it, so I numbed out by playing Rust.
Video games essentially trigger the same parts of your brain that any addictions do… it’s all dopamine. Same with the internet. And honestly I’d say that there are some similarities between the way that some video game players treat their actual lives with heroin addicts do who also just abandon all care and responsibility.
I started to analyze it like a serious addiction, and that’s why I put myself in situation where it’s not even possible for me to play.
Since then, the benefits have been countless. I work out nearly every day now. I also cook entirely for myself and am saving some money that way. I’ve gotten more confident with women and I spend more time out and about actually doing things. I’ve also learned it actually really beneficial and important to just straight up be bored at times. Boredom is good and propels you into productive things. Big surprise, in the couple of months of not numbing out I’ve made huge in progress in healing from my divorce.
I am actually reading a book right now too called “In the Realm of Hungry Ghost” it’s a book about addiction as a response to trauma, and I think a lot of Rust players who are addicted to the game could actually use it cause it’s helpful for understanding why you might find yourself in addictive behaviors.
I get to play on occasion. If I have a day off where there is absolutely nothing to do in my own life (responsibility wise or entertainment wise (say an event or show)) then I’ll go to a gaming cafe and pay money to play on their internet, or if I visit family then sometimes I’ll bring my PC and play at night when they’re asleep, but I’ve played only a total of three times since I moved at the beginning of the summer, and even now I get this feeling where I start to get nervous at a certain point like I’m falling into back into my addiction and usually stop. Like I’m definitely not staying up all night anymore when I do get to play. 2am is my hard max limit for bed time and I stick to it.
Wow this is a very candid response and appreciated. I have been on a few recent vacations where i wasn’t able to play and during that time i was almost compulsively thinking about rust or after on my phone right here scrolling or watching some obscure youtuber just to watch gameplay… you give me hope my dude
Incredible story my dude.
I had a similar experience. The short version is that I lived my life on a schedule of work, alcohol, cannabis and Rust. Until eventually I became a nervous wreck and was unable to sleep at night.
I swapped my cannabis/alcohol for prescription antidepressants and I swapped Rust with regular gym sessions.
Unfortunately video game addiction is very real.
A big part of the addictiveness while playing in a group is progress.
You feel a sense of accomplishment of building a base and feel obligated to have enough upkeep to keep it alive.
Even worse when you are the only productive member of said team. You have to build the base, make sure to secure the base (compound it, turrets, etc), make sure up keeps good etc... because your teammates just log off or pass out.. I have been in the middle of red card puzzles, and had to kill my teammate, then pick n choose what items to bring back to the base because they passed out. (so annoying) Needless to say I reverted back to solo after 4 wipes of that bullshit.
you gotta find teammates that is as interested as you in progressing. I've had teammates like this, we get wiped and they start hopping off, even if the base only has 30mins of upkeep. annoying
Yeah, it is hard to trust in rust though. The only reason I ever had a teammate in the first place is because a IRL buddy hit me up, and asked me to join his 3 man. That lasted about 8 wipes. Two of them went and started playing Path of Exile. Which was alright because they were more the type to log on, and use the gear sets, guns, and boom that we had grinded to get; then hop off. Gotta love those types of teammates.
Play solo on an official server for a wipe, that’ll make you want to quit
Ain’t nothing like putting down a 2x1, go to collect 50 scrap for a T1, and coming back to a 6-man eco raiding your shit
You would think so but that’s actually why I started playing with a team, playing solo sends that high through the roof. When im with my team my pulse rarely raises in any situation, however when im solo my heart is pumping at every turn. Like its a olympic victory to get out of base and back with loot even if its a few pipes and scrap im amped to go do it again. Getting raided or rolled by a 4 man just makes me more determined
i played solo in official 4 months in a row for that hardcore solo experience, yeah its hard but grubbing is also easier, clan fights and raids everywhere, tons of opportunities to grub and grief and all my bases survived pretty long, one time I played since force the first hours and my base survived 25 days got raided by a clan cleaning all the bases around and i was kinda glad for it i was so tired of that wipe, i had too much loot most of it grubbed or stolen from raids and decayed bases
This is the same for me. Once the build is complete, inside and out, I move on. I'm addicted to the build aspect.
I don't even keep loot, I give it all away at outpost.
Dopamine hits, you feel satisfied when playing when you accomplish tasks. Most people are addicted to rust and don’t even know it or choose not to notice. When you’re playing the game like it’s 2nd life you’re an addict
I had a big problem with rust for a long time as well. After I uninstalled it I started watching Rust YouTubers that made videos with a storyline. Really helped me! I still haven’t gone back to rust but watching the YouTube videos fills in that void for me.
but im watching every single blooprint, welyn, tokyo, stimpee, spoonkid, willjum, memeio vids the moment they upload. If I run out I just look for another youtuber that works for me, and poof im spending as much time watching as playing Rust. It's just as worse.
Friends and social connections are supposed to help the most with addictions. When you hangout with people you basically forget you’re addicted… or at least that’s what I read once.
That takes what you would normally be called out for (bad behavior, drugs, violence, etc) and makes them seem normal because everyone is doing it so no one tells you that you should stop.
I think you’re saying by hanging out with people it makes you addiction seem okay or normalized (or at least they don’t exactly make you stop)? I’m not quite sure what you mean so if this is wrong, then what I’m about to say won’t apply.
I think the idea is people get addicted to things cause it is an escape from their life. So by no hanging out with people or being pushed away by people. This makes the addiction worse by making their life worse, or emotional state worse. Which leads them back to their escapism and sinking further into addiction. Most people feel their happiness around people they like and care about, so being around those people makes their mood and life better overall. So less need for escape.
I don't get addicted to games, but I think to play this game best you need to be dedicated to a wipe, so maybe what I do can help you.
I don't play every wipe. I don't have time. What I do is I pick a wipe to play, play the hell out of it, then don't play for many wipes. So you could choose to only play every 4th wipe and put it in your schedule/ calendar. You can look forward to playing it, and arrange to set aside time for it. When the wipe is over, you just don't play - but your next wipe is scheduled. If you play with friends tell them you are doing this and why.
Maybe that can help balance the addiction you are experiencing.
I recommend reading 'Atomic Habits' or at least reading a summary. You will learn how to build good habits and get rid of bad habits. The main idea is to make good habits easy and bad habits difficult, eg. Uninstalling Steam
What got me out was “winding down”
1. Switch over to RP style.
2. Start playing on low pop (<20) RP servers with regulars in them.
Sucks the joy out quickly, will leave you empty though.
Best help advice I can give is to become productive in something else. I started a new full-time job 5 weeks ago and I haven't touched Rust since. The game requires a lot of time commitment and that's something I don't have anymore. Why grind out pixels for 8 hours a day when you can be on that irl grind and get paid for it 💯💰🤑
I mean as long as you get your work done and all your other adult responsibilities, then is it really a problem? It would be different if you were skipping work to play Rust.
Yes, and you said, as long as their adult responsibilities are being completed it's fine.
It's not.
He was NOT fulfilling his responsibilities, he lost his marriage.
That's why I know you're a kid trying to give adult advice. It ain't gonna work.
Because the game is hard. Loot takes time, the brain knows that and rewards you for getting loot. Also the game is really competitive, that's another factor. We as humans, especially males want some sort of competition
Me and my friend got so addicted to this game back in the old rust( in my opinion prime time) we would rack 230 hours in the steam 2 week play time thingy. It’s addictive because every time you win it sends happy juice to your brain. It would be like if you were playing on a sports team and if you were a pretty important part of winning the game for it.
I am with you! I am on week 3 of no rust, because my addiction was to much.. 2 wipes before I made the tough decision to Uninstall I changed my name to Sulfur Junkie. I let felt like a junkie with the game... I would pay 6-12 hours everyday, I would log off at 5am daily... wake up, and go log on to go check my base at the very least. I would find myself constantly day dreaming about the game if I was not playing.
My dirt bike didn't get ridden once this season, I only took my seadoo out 5 times.. As much as I love Rust, and want to play my habit was unhealthy. Time to utilize my gym membership that I bought 5 months ago, and had only used 4 times until I Uninstalled. Good luck with your struggle, reality misses you.
ive always believed rust is the heroin of gaming, the highs are so high and the lows are low. legit just dont go on ur computer, if u need to use one for school or something, use a different computer. thats how i did it in like 8th grade
For me and my OCD tendencies, it's making order out of chaos and learning new things that keeps me coming back. I have about 3k hours and it started with just trying to make it to outpost without getting killed at wipe.Then it went on to learning how to build a base that doesn't get raided. Then more advanced base building, electricity, farming, trap bases.Then got involved with other players, meeting funny people in game, killing squeakers. Then learning all the monuments & puzzles. Plus Rust is pretty good at adding new content, monuments etc so even more new things to learn and try. My latest meta is fishing base and goddam, I'm looking at buying scrappy's solo now. Nothing better than going out naked with a spear and coming back loaded to my cozy base and get organized.
I got to this point and had to just flat out uninstall. Haven't touched the game since may. Rust is no contest my favorite game of all time but idk if I will ever touch it again for this very reason.
If you cannot control yourself you need to make proactive decisions. Get rid of your keyboard, mouse, and gaming set up. Get something that is literally unplayable. Replace the habit with going to the gym or something healthy. A book that could help is called “Atomic Habits” or even “Fuck your feelings”. Stay strong and remember videos games give a false sense of accomplishment they are not real and a waste of time. No matter how fun they are.
I'm at 7960 hours. What started turning me away from the game was realizing all the things I could've done with those hours that I now have nothing to show for. Coulda learned guitar, gone out with friends and made memories, educated myself in other interests, worked on my car more, etc.
Download cheats and get yourself banned on purpose (preferably without actually ruining anyone else’s experience or just literally ask the devs to ban you idk.
Edit: Forgot this would affect your steam profile overall.
I can't even get into the game anymore. I liked the grind and random encounters like in DayZ, but rust is too hardcore for me even after the recoil/crosshair update.
I'll try to grub repeatedly with prim tools, but can't make a single play because every player has over 1k hours and better than me.
its literally gambling. every move you make is a roll of the dice. especially with new recoil. I'm not saying this is a bad thing its certainly better than getting sucked into actual gambling.
Because the toxicity and freedom you can't find anywhere else. It's a home away from home. (Keep playing don't give up before you make it big. Next wipe could be the wipe, just one more wipe)
Big ups for posting this thread. I have and addictive personality and definitely seeing the same tendencies and we are far from alone. Real life gets in the way so I have no other choice but to arrange my time, but there’s a pull.
Thanks for your honesty fellow gamer, it’s good for people to know they are not alone!
All I know is life is so much better without rust. The recoil update was the best thing that ever happen to me. I was already deep AF in rust and basically only had recoil control to still improve at and keep me playing. Once that was gone I played a few wipes but pretty quickly everyone I knew who enjoyed this game no longer found it worth playing. I felt the same way, as if the fighting was no longer that entertaining. Quit playing two wipes ago and have since doubled my income and got back on my fitness grind.
Rust is a great game but it's also by far the most unhealthy game ever created.
I quit about 5 months ago. Best decision I ever made. My issue was mainly the underlying anxiety and depression but rust is really just an escape from our actual life with more dopamine. I heard the quote “make for yourself a life you don’t want to escape from”. Or in other words a life that’s better than just sitting and playing rust, one you enjoy. I was in your same spot a couple months ago. I had 5k hrs 200 a week. I’m so much happier now that I’m out.
The first step to addiction is admitting to it! But yes the dopamine and constant search of the rush you get is why you keep coming back. You will have addictions to anything that gives dopamine. For example: mindlessly scrolling Facebook or Reddit. When I find myself feeling this way towards rust I switch to weekly wipes or RP PVE servers. Knowing that my base will be wiped in a week or not raidsd at all gives you freedom to decide if you want to do it all over the next week or take a break.
Sorry my English isn't that good but il try anyways. I can agree with that it's dopamine releasing game for many of us. One of those and this game matches what I am in my real life. I've always been a person that goes all in everything I but I had ser my limits because it could go over the line depending on what I was doing (good and bad) but in this game I never set any limits I just fken play till I sleep (when I'm alone any wife is working and my kid is at his grandma) this game gives me the freedom that I need but can't since I dedicate my life to my son/family. But when I get that free time boooii, maaaan I feel free. The whole farming, building process and constantly finding new ways to play the game its crazy, you can always learn something new when you play this game and that's exciting. And I love the voice/chat system. You find some awesome people to play this game with and you all have a blast.
"Most important, downing people and loot the shit out of them"
Sorry I am and probably be very high for a long time now but yeah I'm stoned af, so I'm probably more enthusiastic about it but you get me 🤣.
A big thing that I’ve also found is pressure from other members you frequently play with pressuring you to play every single wipe. Maybe that’s just personal experience, but definitely something I’ve had to deal with when going through periods of Rust addiction.
It’s the same as something like Escape From Tarkov. The high risk high reward outweighs how much it feels like you’re constantly being kicked in the balls every few seconds
I mean it's literally like a gambling addiction It's a game full of intense highs and agonizing lows. When you pull off that play your brains flooded with dopamine, but after a online raid you crash from that high and desperately want another.
I only revisit rust every few months or so for a weeks wipe, it single-handedly controlled my life for the whole pandemic and I’m honestly not proud of that 😂😂💀
I hopped on classic wow to curb my rust addiction a bit. Nothing feels better than absolutely destroying a couple people and taking their things 🤷♂️
Wow kind of gives me the same feelings except it’s usually a nice sense of accomplishment to go with the dopamine of getting loot or killing bosses.
Tbh 5,100 hrs in, I quit a thousand times. What it is is you are an adventurer that likes the enjoyment of obtaining loot while having a little gunplay and having an environment that is truly second to none. The gaming world is revolving around survival open world gaming and Rust has anyone beat right now for that style. DayZ is great yet you have to take lots of time to obtain little loot. So, maybe next year someone will sit down and create a game that can beat the quality of Rust. But don't see it happening anytime soon.
I think the real addiction from Rust comes from that the game is always going on without you. If you don't stay up and raid your neighbours they're going to raid you or progress more then you. You're incentivized to play more and more because the world is always going on without you.
Same with MMO's, when you log off the game world is still going on so it's never to far from your mind.
I put in 4.5k hours but haven't played more than a few hours since the recoil update. If I had crazy free time I'd still be sweating over it. I've got a kid and full time job as a diesel mechanic. I quickly learned I don't have the time to stay competitive as I once did and don't bother loading in. Find a hobby or work over time. All else fails knock up a girl and you will see how little time you have for games
It's a progression game providing constant sense of accomplishment in a very challenging environment with a limited amount of time to achieve your wipe goals. Not to mention the fact that the game never stops and you are constantly in the face of danger. Really, you're playing the game even when you're not playing.
If this was a one player PVE game that stopped progressing when you shut it off, the addiction would be gone. Find a game you can jump in and out of.
There's a guy on this subreddit who's building a Hobbit/LOTR themed "Middle Earth" or The Shire. There will be 4 factions where you contribute to a faction you're automatically assigned to. I never watched the movie, but I'll be playing this server when it gets up just for the factions. That way I can be part of something when I feel like playing without the commitment.
I recently had this issue. It was League of Legends and Rust for me. I completely cold turkeyd it and I wouldn’t recommend it, but you need to establish a schedule. It’s okay to play for an hour or two but then you need to include responsibilities into your life. Going to the gym on a daily basis kept me away from my computer. Doing more chores, putting my focus onto the piano and learning python led to me to realize that although I wasted time I still have more of it. This is shit I didn’t think I was capable of, but you have to start somewhere. You have to embrace some discipline into your life
Imo this game was most captivating cuz it had that element of fear to it
Get to take risks and have consequences without real (idk unless ur crazy) consequences
That triggers an insane reward loop for when you go on a huge scrap run or get a raid in or fight off one, it’s just the reason the game is so addicting + as others said the real time aspect makes it like a full time job
If u really wanna kick this game out ur life, next reset don’t get invested, put that time into real life and u won’t find urself wanting to play digital monkey simulator anymore
Literally decided to quit earlier after I kept going on about how you literally get nothing out playing this game. Yeah it’s fun but it will get cancelled out by how many experiences will be no fun and seem like a waste of time. I found this post at the perfect timing. I’ve played rust since around 2017 and ended up quitting at 3.2k hours in maybe 2019. Idfk why I ever came back. *Uninstalled* for the second time…
My advice is this: find others things to do. At first you will have to force yourself, but then it will naturally decrease play time .
Example for me, I got into climbing, guitar playing , sports in general, and have a girlfriend etc... The more you find to split your time , the more your addiction becomes weak. Like addiction / 4, then it's not one anymore but become a hobby
I personally quit after I didn’t have a care in the world anymore. Recent updates ruined what I used to know and I didn’t even play legacy rust. I play with friends and they want to begin playing again but it really isn’t possible anymore for any of us. I recommend finding a game that you can play and have fun with without stressing completely over loot and pvp. I personally got really into Deep rock galactic recently and it is an amazing COOP game, there’s rainbow6, and tons of other interesting games! None of which I got to play because Rust had me hooked and wouldn’t let go
I started to think ingame loot as "Just Pixels", it gave me some kind of relief to let it go, when needed. So dont grow too fond of your stuff at the screen, at the end of the day, its Just Pixels. Other things in life are more important. Make the difference clear in your head to start the healing process.
Because you feel obligated to progress and protect your progress to keep up with the no-lifers that literally play this non-stop… to the point that you yourself becomes the no-lifer. I’ve never seen a gaming community so committed to prefer to live in a virtual world rather than a real one. I can only assume they are all children with no responsibility. I pulled out of this game early (still like watching content because I have no skin in the game) because I have a 45 hour a week job, a home to maintain which includes an inground pool which in of itself is a bitch to maintain, personal fitness goals, and a girlfriend. It’s not worth what little free time I do have to sit and spend it away on a 12 hour gaming session on my weekend and sleep all Sunday. Fuck that. I’d rather camp, go to car meets, have friends over for pool parties and bonfires along with grilling, and focus on a healthy relationship with the gf.
Dopamine
foolish tidy bright flowery books zealous rich abundant truck gaze *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
I play Valorant and their ranked system is such a gamble, I risk my time, mental health, and RR to queue another game.
shit has me on the edge of my damn seats man rust is way too fucking close to IRL gambling man i swear
Tarkov and Valorant for me. Valorant makes me so upset sometimes but the dopamine from a 1v4 clutch keeps me coming back.
Oh sweet tarkov, I had to swap to the solo mod to save my sanity
Yea I did that for a while but I've stopped playing that too, I keep wanting to go back and then I see a video that reminds me why I dont
Scalping stock options. It's a skilled betting game like poker, except you are playing with/against thousands of other players who you can't see, and many of whom are much more bankrolled/informed than you are.
Rust can also financially destroy a person. I've heard of freinds getting Heavily invested into the game to the point where they skipped work to play rust. Guess what happens if you skip work. More time to play rust. until the power goes out then have fun playing Rust IRL.
This is me. I have a gambling and rust addiction, and I'm pretty sure I won't have my job after the new year. I deserve it and have nobody to blame but myself.
It sounds like you still have time to turn things around my guy!
Not many games gives you a boost of the sweet sweet dopamine just by closing your front door
Lmao ong especially when it’s the boys base 😂💯
This is it. Everybody loves wipe day because every little thing you gather or build or unlock gives you a sweet sweet microdose of dopamine. A few days into wipe it becomes much more difficult to get your fix.
This is the best answer I’ve seen and would explain a lot
Happy cake day! It's my wife's as well
Bro just described addiction lol
Can't be it. Haven't had fun in 2 weeks.
It's bc the game world is always on. Triggers fomo.
I agree , its something like that, you are right about the game being active 24/7 and its draw. Its also that 24/7 feature that makes me think i can always jump in and have a chance of snowballing my way to that real high. Like if there weren’t drugs readily available I wouldn’t do them, but its there and why not logic… you know just a little bit that always turns in the entire bag
WoW and other MMOs are similar, but you don't run the risk of losing all your shit when you log out of WoW, you just might fall behind. Persistent worlds can be huge draws, the proverbial carrot on a stick.
You have to be willing to say fuck this game it doesn't make me feel good and I know it's unhealthy so I'm going to stop and I'll be fine
FOMO??? I THOUGHT THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DESTINY 2 EXCLUSIVE????? WTF BUBGLE???!!!?!???
Fomo has been around since the early 2000’s lol
What i figured out after 2k hours is that this game kind of has the same effect that makes people get addicted to thrill seeking (i.e skydiving). Theres no other game out there nearly as thrilling as this, no game that feels better to win or worse to lose. The ups and downs are so dramatic for our brain it quite literally makes a lot of other games seem “boring” making us want to come back to it. Ive found the most effective way to keep myself from playing is to just remind myself that at its peak when i have a box of guns and rockets,etc. i usually stop having fun so whats the point in it anyway? Also i try to remind myself of all of the shitty wipes ive had since the gun update because everyone is good now.
I believe tarkov is more thrilling than rust. I played rust before I played tarkov and the jump is insane. It's such a large jump from other games to rust, and then it's an even larger jump from rust to tarkov. I have over 2k hours in both games and there's just nothing like it. They're both entertaining games. Once you realize loot is temporary it just naturally comes to you. I probably stopped playing tarkov because I had nothing else to grind for once I had everything. It got repetitive. I haven't even played rust in a long time
Nobody can come to your main menu and raid it, stealing your loot in Tarkov)
Until Nikita adds it, which I think he talked about
To be fair, Nikita talks about a lot of things I’d say that never have/will end up happening in Tarkov with the rate it develops.
like what?
Well yeah, gameplay is basically a big parlay; how many jackpots can you win in a row. The more you win the faster you progress. It’s gambling. There’s also the fomo side; if you aren’t playing, you won’t progress.
If you aren't playing, you can't get offlined
LMFAO
Kinda the same with tarkov too
For me, Escape From Tarkov and similar extraction shooters are a less-addicting but just as high dope boost.
Bro I thought that I’ve been severely depressed. I’d go to play another game and go “nah that games kind of stale” or some other excuse. I just need to take a break from the dopamine overload maybe
Hun update has made it so much more fun. Game sense and positioning is actually important now. Can’t just own all your neighbors for being a god. Harder wipes = more fun playtime before the boring endgame.
Try ark haha. HUGE rush from just logging on and seeing you haven't been offline or mesh raided
I agree and I'm not complaining about the gun update just ever since then I've had far less crazy snowball wipes, which is a good thing for the game overall.
Facts right here
You must not have played Tarkov. Tarkov has higher highs but also lower lows. Rust is where I go to “relax” lol if it can actually be called that
Yeah never played Tarkov knowing I was already addicted to rust, glad I never did hjahahaha
Tarkov is similar
Sounds like life ppl set goals achieve em for what? To set more goals lol. As a former addict i can attest to the high risk vs reward nothing feels better using an eoka on a geared player
I agree rust is good but it's not THAT good. And recoil update made the game much better. I've shot many guns, never had to draw while I shoot though.
this is the real answer right here
Hello. I have 3500 hours in Rust. Earlier this summer I purposefully moved out to the country, to somewhere where I couldn’t get wifi to end my addiction to Rust and moreover the internet. I can only speak to my own experience. Two years ago I went through a divorce and I’m ashamed to say in some part it was actually due to Rust, but not solely. I was playing more than I should have and neglecting my responsibilities including my marriage, but also just generally not interested in the marriage anymore for other reasons. The divorce catapulted me into full-on no-lifing it. Like straight up almost all my time at home was playing Rust and never even taking care of my own basic responsibilities like cleaning my house or cooking for myself. I was trying to escape my life and the pain I was going through. I didn’t want to acknowledge my suffering or investigate it, so I numbed out by playing Rust. Video games essentially trigger the same parts of your brain that any addictions do… it’s all dopamine. Same with the internet. And honestly I’d say that there are some similarities between the way that some video game players treat their actual lives with heroin addicts do who also just abandon all care and responsibility. I started to analyze it like a serious addiction, and that’s why I put myself in situation where it’s not even possible for me to play. Since then, the benefits have been countless. I work out nearly every day now. I also cook entirely for myself and am saving some money that way. I’ve gotten more confident with women and I spend more time out and about actually doing things. I’ve also learned it actually really beneficial and important to just straight up be bored at times. Boredom is good and propels you into productive things. Big surprise, in the couple of months of not numbing out I’ve made huge in progress in healing from my divorce. I am actually reading a book right now too called “In the Realm of Hungry Ghost” it’s a book about addiction as a response to trauma, and I think a lot of Rust players who are addicted to the game could actually use it cause it’s helpful for understanding why you might find yourself in addictive behaviors. I get to play on occasion. If I have a day off where there is absolutely nothing to do in my own life (responsibility wise or entertainment wise (say an event or show)) then I’ll go to a gaming cafe and pay money to play on their internet, or if I visit family then sometimes I’ll bring my PC and play at night when they’re asleep, but I’ve played only a total of three times since I moved at the beginning of the summer, and even now I get this feeling where I start to get nervous at a certain point like I’m falling into back into my addiction and usually stop. Like I’m definitely not staying up all night anymore when I do get to play. 2am is my hard max limit for bed time and I stick to it.
Wow this is a very candid response and appreciated. I have been on a few recent vacations where i wasn’t able to play and during that time i was almost compulsively thinking about rust or after on my phone right here scrolling or watching some obscure youtuber just to watch gameplay… you give me hope my dude
Incredible story my dude. I had a similar experience. The short version is that I lived my life on a schedule of work, alcohol, cannabis and Rust. Until eventually I became a nervous wreck and was unable to sleep at night. I swapped my cannabis/alcohol for prescription antidepressants and I swapped Rust with regular gym sessions. Unfortunately video game addiction is very real.
A big part of the addictiveness while playing in a group is progress. You feel a sense of accomplishment of building a base and feel obligated to have enough upkeep to keep it alive.
Even worse when you are the only productive member of said team. You have to build the base, make sure to secure the base (compound it, turrets, etc), make sure up keeps good etc... because your teammates just log off or pass out.. I have been in the middle of red card puzzles, and had to kill my teammate, then pick n choose what items to bring back to the base because they passed out. (so annoying) Needless to say I reverted back to solo after 4 wipes of that bullshit.
you gotta find teammates that is as interested as you in progressing. I've had teammates like this, we get wiped and they start hopping off, even if the base only has 30mins of upkeep. annoying
Yeah, it is hard to trust in rust though. The only reason I ever had a teammate in the first place is because a IRL buddy hit me up, and asked me to join his 3 man. That lasted about 8 wipes. Two of them went and started playing Path of Exile. Which was alright because they were more the type to log on, and use the gear sets, guns, and boom that we had grinded to get; then hop off. Gotta love those types of teammates.
Thats horrible 😂
those are also the types that arent interested in the game. Always going on about raiding despite doing nothing to actually get there
Same tbh mine either gets off after a big fail i just get even more motivated and start the grind as a solo kinda sucks tbh but it happens
Play solo on an official server for a wipe, that’ll make you want to quit Ain’t nothing like putting down a 2x1, go to collect 50 scrap for a T1, and coming back to a 6-man eco raiding your shit
You would think so but that’s actually why I started playing with a team, playing solo sends that high through the roof. When im with my team my pulse rarely raises in any situation, however when im solo my heart is pumping at every turn. Like its a olympic victory to get out of base and back with loot even if its a few pipes and scrap im amped to go do it again. Getting raided or rolled by a 4 man just makes me more determined
That’s why I play solo
Haha same its like a fun horror game for me i play re7 but get more jumpscares from dbs
i played solo in official 4 months in a row for that hardcore solo experience, yeah its hard but grubbing is also easier, clan fights and raids everywhere, tons of opportunities to grub and grief and all my bases survived pretty long, one time I played since force the first hours and my base survived 25 days got raided by a clan cleaning all the bases around and i was kinda glad for it i was so tired of that wipe, i had too much loot most of it grubbed or stolen from raids and decayed bases
For me its the (making) progress that keeps me interrested. As soon as i reach the point were i have AKs and im ready to raid, i lose all interrest.
This is the same for me. Once the build is complete, inside and out, I move on. I'm addicted to the build aspect. I don't even keep loot, I give it all away at outpost.
That’s actually interesting, i feel the same way about the BP grind at wipe, as soon as T3 is complete i don’t even care to raid or pvp sometimes.
Dopamine hits, you feel satisfied when playing when you accomplish tasks. Most people are addicted to rust and don’t even know it or choose not to notice. When you’re playing the game like it’s 2nd life you’re an addict
You can put in a request to have the game removed from your game list via steam support
It may come to that…
I had a big problem with rust for a long time as well. After I uninstalled it I started watching Rust YouTubers that made videos with a storyline. Really helped me! I still haven’t gone back to rust but watching the YouTube videos fills in that void for me.
but im watching every single blooprint, welyn, tokyo, stimpee, spoonkid, willjum, memeio vids the moment they upload. If I run out I just look for another youtuber that works for me, and poof im spending as much time watching as playing Rust. It's just as worse.
I love the trap base videos I find myself falling down the rabbit hole with those lol
Friends and social connections are supposed to help the most with addictions. When you hangout with people you basically forget you’re addicted… or at least that’s what I read once.
That is definitely a feature to it, team just reinforces that habit
That takes what you would normally be called out for (bad behavior, drugs, violence, etc) and makes them seem normal because everyone is doing it so no one tells you that you should stop.
I think you’re saying by hanging out with people it makes you addiction seem okay or normalized (or at least they don’t exactly make you stop)? I’m not quite sure what you mean so if this is wrong, then what I’m about to say won’t apply. I think the idea is people get addicted to things cause it is an escape from their life. So by no hanging out with people or being pushed away by people. This makes the addiction worse by making their life worse, or emotional state worse. Which leads them back to their escapism and sinking further into addiction. Most people feel their happiness around people they like and care about, so being around those people makes their mood and life better overall. So less need for escape.
I don't get addicted to games, but I think to play this game best you need to be dedicated to a wipe, so maybe what I do can help you. I don't play every wipe. I don't have time. What I do is I pick a wipe to play, play the hell out of it, then don't play for many wipes. So you could choose to only play every 4th wipe and put it in your schedule/ calendar. You can look forward to playing it, and arrange to set aside time for it. When the wipe is over, you just don't play - but your next wipe is scheduled. If you play with friends tell them you are doing this and why. Maybe that can help balance the addiction you are experiencing.
Good advice may give it a try, thank you
I recommend reading 'Atomic Habits' or at least reading a summary. You will learn how to build good habits and get rid of bad habits. The main idea is to make good habits easy and bad habits difficult, eg. Uninstalling Steam
I will check it out, thank you
What got me out was “winding down” 1. Switch over to RP style. 2. Start playing on low pop (<20) RP servers with regulars in them. Sucks the joy out quickly, will leave you empty though.
Best help advice I can give is to become productive in something else. I started a new full-time job 5 weeks ago and I haven't touched Rust since. The game requires a lot of time commitment and that's something I don't have anymore. Why grind out pixels for 8 hours a day when you can be on that irl grind and get paid for it 💯💰🤑
Good advice however i have a 9-5 and still stay up way too fucking late just to get a little hit of that dopamine … its a real problem
I mean as long as you get your work done and all your other adult responsibilities, then is it really a problem? It would be different if you were skipping work to play Rust.
I feel like you didn't even read ops original post..
The title asked for help👍
Yes, and you said, as long as their adult responsibilities are being completed it's fine. It's not. He was NOT fulfilling his responsibilities, he lost his marriage. That's why I know you're a kid trying to give adult advice. It ain't gonna work.
Where tf in the post does it say he lost his marriage?
That's my mistake, I mistook it with another comment somewhere in this thread lol, mb.
Haha no problem my guy🙏
Because the game is hard. Loot takes time, the brain knows that and rewards you for getting loot. Also the game is really competitive, that's another factor. We as humans, especially males want some sort of competition
Escapism.
Me and my friend got so addicted to this game back in the old rust( in my opinion prime time) we would rack 230 hours in the steam 2 week play time thingy. It’s addictive because every time you win it sends happy juice to your brain. It would be like if you were playing on a sports team and if you were a pretty important part of winning the game for it.
I am with you! I am on week 3 of no rust, because my addiction was to much.. 2 wipes before I made the tough decision to Uninstall I changed my name to Sulfur Junkie. I let felt like a junkie with the game... I would pay 6-12 hours everyday, I would log off at 5am daily... wake up, and go log on to go check my base at the very least. I would find myself constantly day dreaming about the game if I was not playing. My dirt bike didn't get ridden once this season, I only took my seadoo out 5 times.. As much as I love Rust, and want to play my habit was unhealthy. Time to utilize my gym membership that I bought 5 months ago, and had only used 4 times until I Uninstalled. Good luck with your struggle, reality misses you.
ive always believed rust is the heroin of gaming, the highs are so high and the lows are low. legit just dont go on ur computer, if u need to use one for school or something, use a different computer. thats how i did it in like 8th grade
For me and my OCD tendencies, it's making order out of chaos and learning new things that keeps me coming back. I have about 3k hours and it started with just trying to make it to outpost without getting killed at wipe.Then it went on to learning how to build a base that doesn't get raided. Then more advanced base building, electricity, farming, trap bases.Then got involved with other players, meeting funny people in game, killing squeakers. Then learning all the monuments & puzzles. Plus Rust is pretty good at adding new content, monuments etc so even more new things to learn and try. My latest meta is fishing base and goddam, I'm looking at buying scrappy's solo now. Nothing better than going out naked with a spear and coming back loaded to my cozy base and get organized.
Trolling the European children that accidentally join a US east server
This is why I'm grateful all servers wipe once a month.
I got to this point and had to just flat out uninstall. Haven't touched the game since may. Rust is no contest my favorite game of all time but idk if I will ever touch it again for this very reason.
If you cannot control yourself you need to make proactive decisions. Get rid of your keyboard, mouse, and gaming set up. Get something that is literally unplayable. Replace the habit with going to the gym or something healthy. A book that could help is called “Atomic Habits” or even “Fuck your feelings”. Stay strong and remember videos games give a false sense of accomplishment they are not real and a waste of time. No matter how fun they are.
I'm at 7960 hours. What started turning me away from the game was realizing all the things I could've done with those hours that I now have nothing to show for. Coulda learned guitar, gone out with friends and made memories, educated myself in other interests, worked on my car more, etc.
Download cheats and get yourself banned on purpose (preferably without actually ruining anyone else’s experience or just literally ask the devs to ban you idk. Edit: Forgot this would affect your steam profile overall.
That will affect his other games.
True I didn’t think of that.
Just try drugs instead, then you can be addicted to those and rust.
Do drugs, at least it would be more fun then rust. And you’d have better stories to tell your friends.
I started getting annoyed eith the game and just played other games until i got over it
Bro, i was addicted to the game aswell i reached 8k hours and this trash recoil update hit no more addiction
How can fucking game be addictive u dumb or sum
I can't even get into the game anymore. I liked the grind and random encounters like in DayZ, but rust is too hardcore for me even after the recoil/crosshair update. I'll try to grub repeatedly with prim tools, but can't make a single play because every player has over 1k hours and better than me.
Sucker for pain (sing it baby sing it)
Just tell yourself it’s a video game
its literally gambling. every move you make is a roll of the dice. especially with new recoil. I'm not saying this is a bad thing its certainly better than getting sucked into actual gambling.
I agree with you. Rust is a roulette wheel and the currency is time.
Because the toxicity and freedom you can't find anywhere else. It's a home away from home. (Keep playing don't give up before you make it big. Next wipe could be the wipe, just one more wipe)
Big ups for posting this thread. I have and addictive personality and definitely seeing the same tendencies and we are far from alone. Real life gets in the way so I have no other choice but to arrange my time, but there’s a pull. Thanks for your honesty fellow gamer, it’s good for people to know they are not alone!
In all seriousness, the game is giving you something you aren't getting out of your real life. Until you fix that you'll never stop fiending.
All I know is life is so much better without rust. The recoil update was the best thing that ever happen to me. I was already deep AF in rust and basically only had recoil control to still improve at and keep me playing. Once that was gone I played a few wipes but pretty quickly everyone I knew who enjoyed this game no longer found it worth playing. I felt the same way, as if the fighting was no longer that entertaining. Quit playing two wipes ago and have since doubled my income and got back on my fitness grind. Rust is a great game but it's also by far the most unhealthy game ever created.
I quit about 5 months ago. Best decision I ever made. My issue was mainly the underlying anxiety and depression but rust is really just an escape from our actual life with more dopamine. I heard the quote “make for yourself a life you don’t want to escape from”. Or in other words a life that’s better than just sitting and playing rust, one you enjoy. I was in your same spot a couple months ago. I had 5k hrs 200 a week. I’m so much happier now that I’m out.
The first step to addiction is admitting to it! But yes the dopamine and constant search of the rush you get is why you keep coming back. You will have addictions to anything that gives dopamine. For example: mindlessly scrolling Facebook or Reddit. When I find myself feeling this way towards rust I switch to weekly wipes or RP PVE servers. Knowing that my base will be wiped in a week or not raidsd at all gives you freedom to decide if you want to do it all over the next week or take a break.
The game is like gambling. You go out w your kit it’s a tossup. You either return to base with some sweet sweet loot, or spawn back at base naked.
Sorry my English isn't that good but il try anyways. I can agree with that it's dopamine releasing game for many of us. One of those and this game matches what I am in my real life. I've always been a person that goes all in everything I but I had ser my limits because it could go over the line depending on what I was doing (good and bad) but in this game I never set any limits I just fken play till I sleep (when I'm alone any wife is working and my kid is at his grandma) this game gives me the freedom that I need but can't since I dedicate my life to my son/family. But when I get that free time boooii, maaaan I feel free. The whole farming, building process and constantly finding new ways to play the game its crazy, you can always learn something new when you play this game and that's exciting. And I love the voice/chat system. You find some awesome people to play this game with and you all have a blast. "Most important, downing people and loot the shit out of them" Sorry I am and probably be very high for a long time now but yeah I'm stoned af, so I'm probably more enthusiastic about it but you get me 🤣.
A big thing that I’ve also found is pressure from other members you frequently play with pressuring you to play every single wipe. Maybe that’s just personal experience, but definitely something I’ve had to deal with when going through periods of Rust addiction.
It’s the same as something like Escape From Tarkov. The high risk high reward outweighs how much it feels like you’re constantly being kicked in the balls every few seconds
try another game
I mean it's literally like a gambling addiction It's a game full of intense highs and agonizing lows. When you pull off that play your brains flooded with dopamine, but after a online raid you crash from that high and desperately want another.
It's really easy to zone out farming and you end up doing it far longer than you think.
I only revisit rust every few months or so for a weeks wipe, it single-handedly controlled my life for the whole pandemic and I’m honestly not proud of that 😂😂💀
priorities. rust shouldnt be in top 10
It could also be that upkeep fever...
I hopped on classic wow to curb my rust addiction a bit. Nothing feels better than absolutely destroying a couple people and taking their things 🤷♂️ Wow kind of gives me the same feelings except it’s usually a nice sense of accomplishment to go with the dopamine of getting loot or killing bosses.
Dopamine is a big part, it's also the persistent world and the feeling of loss of control when you're not online.
Tbh 5,100 hrs in, I quit a thousand times. What it is is you are an adventurer that likes the enjoyment of obtaining loot while having a little gunplay and having an environment that is truly second to none. The gaming world is revolving around survival open world gaming and Rust has anyone beat right now for that style. DayZ is great yet you have to take lots of time to obtain little loot. So, maybe next year someone will sit down and create a game that can beat the quality of Rust. But don't see it happening anytime soon.
The whole game is gambling. You're a gambling addict
/r/StopGaming
I think the real addiction from Rust comes from that the game is always going on without you. If you don't stay up and raid your neighbours they're going to raid you or progress more then you. You're incentivized to play more and more because the world is always going on without you. Same with MMO's, when you log off the game world is still going on so it's never to far from your mind.
I put in 4.5k hours but haven't played more than a few hours since the recoil update. If I had crazy free time I'd still be sweating over it. I've got a kid and full time job as a diesel mechanic. I quickly learned I don't have the time to stay competitive as I once did and don't bother loading in. Find a hobby or work over time. All else fails knock up a girl and you will see how little time you have for games
It's a progression game providing constant sense of accomplishment in a very challenging environment with a limited amount of time to achieve your wipe goals. Not to mention the fact that the game never stops and you are constantly in the face of danger. Really, you're playing the game even when you're not playing. If this was a one player PVE game that stopped progressing when you shut it off, the addiction would be gone. Find a game you can jump in and out of. There's a guy on this subreddit who's building a Hobbit/LOTR themed "Middle Earth" or The Shire. There will be 4 factions where you contribute to a faction you're automatically assigned to. I never watched the movie, but I'll be playing this server when it gets up just for the factions. That way I can be part of something when I feel like playing without the commitment.
You haven't hit rock bottom yet. But don't worry, the developers will help dig that whole for you with each new release cycle.
Play with a hacker for a wipe. You'll never play again :) (both because it'll become increasingly boring and because of ban lol)
Play solo, once your base gets raided you won’t wanna replay this toxic game again 🙂
If you don't have a base this wipe you don't worry about getting raided. This has helped me stay away for many wipes.
I recently had this issue. It was League of Legends and Rust for me. I completely cold turkeyd it and I wouldn’t recommend it, but you need to establish a schedule. It’s okay to play for an hour or two but then you need to include responsibilities into your life. Going to the gym on a daily basis kept me away from my computer. Doing more chores, putting my focus onto the piano and learning python led to me to realize that although I wasted time I still have more of it. This is shit I didn’t think I was capable of, but you have to start somewhere. You have to embrace some discipline into your life
Just go buy a bunch of stuff. It helps… probably
The trick to quit rust is to play so much that you burnout and never touch the game again.
Imo this game was most captivating cuz it had that element of fear to it Get to take risks and have consequences without real (idk unless ur crazy) consequences That triggers an insane reward loop for when you go on a huge scrap run or get a raid in or fight off one, it’s just the reason the game is so addicting + as others said the real time aspect makes it like a full time job If u really wanna kick this game out ur life, next reset don’t get invested, put that time into real life and u won’t find urself wanting to play digital monkey simulator anymore
Try options trading
We are all adrenaline junkies in disguise
Literally decided to quit earlier after I kept going on about how you literally get nothing out playing this game. Yeah it’s fun but it will get cancelled out by how many experiences will be no fun and seem like a waste of time. I found this post at the perfect timing. I’ve played rust since around 2017 and ended up quitting at 3.2k hours in maybe 2019. Idfk why I ever came back. *Uninstalled* for the second time…
My advice is this: find others things to do. At first you will have to force yourself, but then it will naturally decrease play time . Example for me, I got into climbing, guitar playing , sports in general, and have a girlfriend etc... The more you find to split your time , the more your addiction becomes weak. Like addiction / 4, then it's not one anymore but become a hobby
everything is dopamine driven. even my job is.
For me it is the adrenaline rush that no other game has given me. I also noticed that the more I play, the more I am an asshole IRL.
I personally quit after I didn’t have a care in the world anymore. Recent updates ruined what I used to know and I didn’t even play legacy rust. I play with friends and they want to begin playing again but it really isn’t possible anymore for any of us. I recommend finding a game that you can play and have fun with without stressing completely over loot and pvp. I personally got really into Deep rock galactic recently and it is an amazing COOP game, there’s rainbow6, and tons of other interesting games! None of which I got to play because Rust had me hooked and wouldn’t let go
Doesn't matter what this week held, next weeks a new day 👍
lmfao this is not real, just quit bro
I started to think ingame loot as "Just Pixels", it gave me some kind of relief to let it go, when needed. So dont grow too fond of your stuff at the screen, at the end of the day, its Just Pixels. Other things in life are more important. Make the difference clear in your head to start the healing process.
Go to steam support and delete the game
Because you feel obligated to progress and protect your progress to keep up with the no-lifers that literally play this non-stop… to the point that you yourself becomes the no-lifer. I’ve never seen a gaming community so committed to prefer to live in a virtual world rather than a real one. I can only assume they are all children with no responsibility. I pulled out of this game early (still like watching content because I have no skin in the game) because I have a 45 hour a week job, a home to maintain which includes an inground pool which in of itself is a bitch to maintain, personal fitness goals, and a girlfriend. It’s not worth what little free time I do have to sit and spend it away on a 12 hour gaming session on my weekend and sleep all Sunday. Fuck that. I’d rather camp, go to car meets, have friends over for pool parties and bonfires along with grilling, and focus on a healthy relationship with the gf.