How to stop playing video games

+72 votes
asked Jul 3, 2019 in Computers & Electronics by DerrickUjs82 (420 points)
edited Jul 20, 2019
I do really have a very bad gaming addiction, and I should actually quit this habit before I get into college before they tag me as they weird freaky kid who does nothing else with his time other than playing computer games in his room, or worse still, end up becoming a school dropout as a result of very poor grades. How can I go about quitting this habit?

3 Answers

+14 votes
answered Jul 22, 2019 by ColemanRaney (150 points)
edited Aug 2, 2019

I have been playing video games since I was young. Since I turned 10, I have been playing video games for about 8 hours daily. Though I have stopped a number of times from a number of months to one full year. At a point, I had to sell my computer, bought a new one, and sold it out again. For some time now, I have had nothing to do with video games and to me they feel like some kind of old ex.

Gaming is seen by addicts as a great way to pass time and escape idleness and boredom. Busy people have no time to spend between 4-8 hours of their day playing video games. Obviously, there are better things you can do with your time than playing video games, but most people do not realize this until it has become too late to get the wasted years back.

Fortunately, I can now stop this addiction at last, but not without much pains and efforts. Bearing that in mind, one of the easiest ways to fight this gaming addiction is by simply working out.

  1. Work out. Become addicted to working out. It is possible that years of gaming have either made you fat or frail. Don't be satisfied with your average physical attributes. Put in extra effort to become that physical person most people would fear to take on in a fight. The worst that can happen is for you to be hated by some due to your physique, but in all, it is better to be hated than to be judged or pitied.
  2. Working out helps you ease your mind. When you are having a not-too-pleasant day, the best thing to do is to hit the weights rather than your keyboards. For me, I used to game at all times, whether a bad day or a good one. Find something else to do instead. Reading may not always appeal to you, but you get to that level, you will want to engage in a physical activity like working out. It gives you a very good feeling, and that feeling remains with you longer than the game would have.
  3. Build your body into a unique shape. Working will make you look different and healthier than every other person. There are several ways to achieve this. You can become an athlete while in school. Take some of your peers to the gym as often as possible. You can also take them to the brawl or for a run. While at the gym, you can engage in chats or make use of your headphones. You can also spend some time climbing some mountains and trees.
  4. Engaging in work outs challenges you. No matter how good you become in your favorite video game, you will never get a world record for that. Some say it challenges you mentally, but I say it is better to engage in something that requires more energy. No one doubts the fact that playing certain video games makes you feel you have all it takes to find your way out of every tight corner in life, but in reality, you become a better person when you discover your inner strength through physical exercises. Stretch yourself beyond the limits of comfort and soon, you won't find fulfillment in playing video games.
  5. Being physical is a natural thing. Life is a good example of a marathon that never ends, but gets better with time and more efforts. Enjoy the marathon of life by engaging in physical activities rather than playing pointless video games.
  6. Superficial benefits. Every hot girl is known to prefer tall, muscular guys, so if you have both going for you, you can have any girl of your choice, but no girl will fall for you simply because you are a guru in video games.

Seriously speaking, working out helps beat the urge to play video games. Engaging in leisure hobbies will distract you for only a short while. For me, I get restless after reading for a long time, and the only way I beat the urge to grab my mouse and play some games is to do a number of pushups.

+5 votes
answered Jul 14, 2019 by Ioannis (830 points)
edited Jul 18, 2019

Your question, "how to stop playing video games", I have ask this question many years ago. I was once addicted to video games, and those were the very first thoughts that ran through my mind when I first saw the question you asked.

To me, there is a difference between being a gaming addict and being a game lover. People get addicted to gaming not because the games provide them much fun, but because the world seems so boring.

So you have to find a way of convincing yourself that the world is not so boring after all just like what I did, and no one else can help you do that.

What someone else said will remain what someone else said. It can never be your own unique thought, so it will never motivate you enough to seek the change you need.

Except you have been having the same thought subconsciously and someone else's words inspires you. If that is the case, asking won't be necessary, just find out by yourself.

But if you ask, it simply means you never felt the same thing. However, this is my humble opinion and may not be the final solution.

0 votes
answered Aug 12, 2019 by sharpyshow (250 points)
edited Aug 12, 2019
Sell all your games and consoles. If you can't sell them, destroy them. If you can't DIY, ask someone to DIFY.
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