If you haven't heard of the new online app game, Pokémon GO, you must have been living under a rock for the past few weeks. This free app broke Apple's record for most downloads in a first-week release. Pokémon GO is an interactive Pokémon catching and battling game which utilizes your GPS signal in order to track and catch Pokémon. Obviously, there's a whole lot more specifics and details that go into the game, but that can be found with a simple Google search, as webpages are flooded with information.
If you haven't started playing the game, the rest of the article may not make a whole lot of sense to you.
Here are 11 symptoms of a Pokémon GO addiction:
1. You Always Have The Game On
Walking to the mailbox has never been more exhilarating. You've convinced yourself that you simply cannot miss a single chance to catch a new Pokémon for your Pokédex. Walking to the bathroom? Make sure your app is on so that you can get that .0001km towards the egg you're trying to hatch!
2. Your Phone Bill Has Skyrocketed
Unless you're on a much-needed unlimited data plan, you can expect to go over your data limit.. in the first few days of the new cycle.
3. You've Spent Actual Hard-Earned Money
You need to be the very best, that no one ever was. And being the very best, sometimes requires a small investment. Pokéballs > Anything else you could spend your money on.
4. You Start Raging When The Servers Go Down
Raging in gaming often results in the smashing of a controller. Except, in Pokémon GO you're smashing your $800 iPhone and giving it a spiderweb across the front. The servers did not cost you your phone, for the record.
5. You've Stopped Paying Attention To Surroundings
See here.
6. Pokéstops Cannot Be Missed
You may experience a slight change in your walk home from work, which is going a quarter mile out of the way just to get a few more Pokéballs (This is me). Perhaps you're driving and you simply pull over every half of a mile to do the same exact thing. Remember, you can't beat free!
7. Finding Yourself Getting Jealous Of Others' Pokémon
You were very proud of your 64 CP Rattata. Then you went to your local Gym, and saw a 1253 CP Snorlax. You ask yourself, how do I get that? Why can't that be me? And so you then have the sudden motivation to drill through your data.
8. Playing On The Clock
Slow day at the office? Time to whip out Pokémon and hope that some high-rated character strolls into your cubicle. And when they finally do roll in? You're working harder than you ever have at your job.
9. Losing Focus On Other Tasks
I found the Pokémon music beginning to blare as I wrote this article. Do you need proof?
10. Pokémon GO > Friends
"I know that you invited me to that bonfire last week, and I said I'd go but... Sorry! There was an Onyx sighting near the police station and I'm going there tonight to investigate!"
11. Writing An Article About Symptoms Of A Pokémon GO Addiction
Ok, I'm guilty of being an addict.
If you're finding yourself having the same symptoms as me, chances are, we're in the same boat!
