It was too easy to get hooked on the game, playing for hours. It was even easier to make friends. I loved feeling appreciated when I helped out another character. I loved it when I came back from a short break and was missed. These kinds of butterfly feelings were sweet, but just as short lived as the goals I achieved in the game. They drew me in.

I began to wait at my screen, headset on, for a certain character to sign on. My heart would jump when I saw his screenname, and I would request to join him in game play. We would talk for hours, about everything. He made me laugh, cry, we even fought and made up.

It was insane. I had a husband and a perfectly good family who needed me. But I didn’t get butterflies when my husband came home from work, and my kids were more needy than appreciative. I wanted more of the fantasy world with real emotions.

I dreamed of meeting my online love, googled his home address and even flight prices. But I could never do it, leave my family to visit, could I?