Addicted to WoW?

I just saw a post in the Customer Service Forum where someone was essentially asking to be banned from the game because he couldn't trust himself to stop playing, and he needed to study for school.

If I'd been able to reply, I would have asked him; what are you really addicted to?

I ended up leaving my Naxx guild last night, because my old GM invited me to his new guild. That guild is just starting up, though; so we may not be doing Naxx for a while, again.

So instead of raiding, I went and ran a level 25 Hunter through Gnomeregan. After that, I went to HFP, and was about to do some instance farming when I was whispered by a level 63 Hunter who wanted to run Ramps for a particular drop. I ended up running both Ramparts and BF with him.

With both of these two individuals, I ended up having two of the most stimulating conversations I've had in this game for a long time. They also expressed a lot of gratitude for the run through, which was nice.

So what am I addicted to, in terms of this game? I'm addicted to experiences like that. I'm addicted to the fact that even though I'm still not really, this game is one of very few things which I've been able to feel as though I have a vague degree of competence with.

I'm addicted to the fact that although a lot of the time I truly am an utter, abrasive jerk, with few friends offline, I can go into the game, get together with one or two other people, and in a no risk scenario, let them see my positive side.

I can be altruistic, I can be empathetic, and I can prove to someone that although maybe 95%+ (notice I didn't say 100%, so do not fear ;)) of the people that I've seen playing this game are sociopathic @#$^&*(s who don't care about anyone, that at times, at least, I'm not like that. That really feels good.

I know I've mentioned this before in Pike's case, and maybe I go on about it too much, but I do really love Pike, Rilgon, Lienna, and Kordwar, as well; the four of you have managed to continue to accept me when a number of other people haven't, and have been alienated by me. I also know that there are a lot of others who are still reading who I haven't (and in some cases, can't, because I don't know names ;)) mentioned; but you know who you are. :)

I hope Mama Druid is still here sometimes, as well. I also really appreciate Santyn having given me a second chance, also. To him, I say that the assessment of whether or not I am genuinely redeemable is something I must leave to others, but it is my hope that, as he apparently has already, he can find something of value here.

It might seem like I go on about that excessively, but there are few people in my life who do exert a genuinely positive influence; so when I come across some who do, I now consider it very important to make sure, that such people know that I appreciate them.