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I can relate to others here. I was a teen when home video games first came to market and would often sit playing them all day long. Since I've had times where I had zero involvement with games and others where I've been consumed by them.

Currently a good part of me would like to devote myself to the Buddhist path, but since I do have to work and would like to maintain close contact with family and friends I inevitable soak up the energies of the world. My practice isn't able to go deep, it largely consists of clearing away the accumulated mental and emotional energies, its like constantly swimming upstream. I don't feel its possible for me to really be able to achieve meaningful peaceful states of mind like those achieved in retreat.

So, that's to say I kind of feel like I need some measure of worldly pleasures and human connection to live a happy life. But video games are isolating and addicting, at least to me. I no longer play anything more involved than solitaire or Candy Crush and I limit my time on each. I have however been playing Table Top Role Playing Games (TTRPGs) online with others for a couple years now.

At one level they do feed into the desire for advancement and mastery, which I don't think are necessarily bad in themselves. Only some spiritual paths eschew that form of practice, the Gelug path of TB speaks a lot about enlightenment as a goal to be attained and spiritual qualities as skills to be mastered. It teaches active application of antidotes to harmful mental states.

More to the point though, what I really enjoy about it as opposed to video games is that it is way more social, creative and collaborative. Every group plays it differently of course, but in general the goal isn't to win, but to create a fun and interesting story together. And for myself I've been able to develop more spontaneous creativity, as opposed to the more deliberative written style.

Anyway, not all games are created equal. If TTRPGs aren't your thing, board game nights are pretty common these days at local gaming stores and other venues. They allow for human interaction and aren't "always on" to help avoid addictive tendancies one may have.

Phycological aids to address suffering's causes can be likened to teaching a non-swimmer how to tread water when they find themselves in water over their head.
It can be an undeniable lifesaver compared to drowning in that moment of danger.

Spiritual aids to addressing suffering's causes can be likened to teaching a non-swimmer how to swim. Here, an effective rescue of either oneself or others becomes an instinctive reflex whenever the possibility of drowning arises.

May each present moment of choice, partake of one or the other.

interesting, in general the Bodhisattva vow is to save the World, that is to enable other to embrace the Law and guides them along the Way.
Of course, the average "run of the mill Bodhisattva" wont be rounding up thousands of folk at a time.
So, what do we do?
We go one heart at a time. Every student is a teacher and every teacher is a student. If we can mentor even one other person, we are carrying out the Bodhisattva Vow.
in that way, the Middle Way, the Law lives and grows even as a great forest may begin with but one sapling or a vast field of flowers can arise from just a single flower, unnoticed in the beginning.
Every major change, every social transformation, good or bad, began with one person.
By taking the Bodhisattva Vow, we each determine to be that flower, that sapling.
That vow to be the spark that lights the match that lights the candle lighting the darkened room...as you are.
So simple, so easy, so difficult, so rewarding.

Just sharing a bit of my ignorance, again.

Peace to all