[icc97]

I went through this cycle a couple of times with a mobile game.

I did something very similar, steadily played more and more, got more competitive and ended up dedicating way too much time and money to it.

Similarly the only way I managed to quit the first time was by quitting everything. Discord, uninstalling the game.

At the point I quit I actually had to make a decision - go along to the local chess club for the first time to try and make some real friends in the town where I'd moved to, or play a competitive game with my game team. I picked the chess club and I'm glad I did.

I even went back to the game after about 6 months, through one friend I made. I got very competitive again and won the lower tier of the biggest competition they created in the game (our team got something like 900 euros of in-game prizes).

However again it got too much and again the only way out was cold-turkey.

Personally for me there is no 'healthy' amount - and your personality sounds similar. Plus with these competitive games they make it so that there is no healthy amount, if you want to compete you have to spend lots of money or invest unhealthy amounts of time.

I've stopped completely now, I occasionally chat to my old team - they're still playing. It was a useful escape during a pretty depressing time.

In the end I value the friends I made, which I don't think I would have made any other way, but I'm glad I've stopped.

[Volrath89]

Yes I also think it's about my personality. I'm also highly competitive. I don't know if I would be able to play just a bit for fun.

For me the fun is in trying to be the best among my friends/discord groups, then the best of the country, then the best of the world (ofc the best of the world streams on twitch and the game is his job and main source of income)

In those 2 years I was able to go reach top20 in my country and without paying for any 1-1 coaching which is common for many to keep improving