How to Stop Playing Video Games

Co-authored by Hilary Jacobs Hendel, LCSW

Last Updated: April 14, 2024 Approved

Video games can be super fun, but if you end up playing too often, you might feel like you're missing out on other important parts of your life. When you spend every free moment plugged in, you may begin to feel a little sluggish, unproductive, or even unhappy—so how can you finally kick your addiction? Don't worry, with the right tips, quitting is actually way easier than you'd think. We'll teach you everything you need to know, so you can take back control of your life and your schedule. Read on to learn how to stop playing video games!

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Reducing Your Playing Time

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Make a commitment to stop playing video games. You’re not going to get anywhere if deep down you don’t really want to stop. The first thing you need to do is acknowledge that you've been playing video games more than you think you should.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Wes Pinkston
Certified Holistic Life Coach

Expert Interview. 18 January 2022.} Once you’ve done that, the measures you take to win back control will actually have a shot at being successful.^{[2]
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- Making up your mind to quit gaming (or at least cut way back) is a lot less difficult if you consider the ways it’s negatively impacting you. Think about how much time and energy you sacrifice to your habit, and how that sacrifice has stolen the enjoyment from other aspects of your life.^{[3]
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Tip: Try telling someone else about your resolution, or writing it down on a piece of paper and keeping it somewhere where you’ll see it every day. Announcing your goals in a formal way has a way of making them seem more official and therefore keeping you accountable.
2
Give yourself a strict time limit when you do play. Note approximately how long you spend in front of the screen each day and make it a point to log off an hour early. If the thought of losing a whole hour doesn’t sit well with you, start with half an hour or even 20 minutes and gradually decrease your play time as you get more comfortable until you no longer feel the need to play at all.^{[4]
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Expert Source

Wes Pinkston
Certified Holistic Life Coach

Expert Interview. 18 January 2022.} This kind of progressive reduction will make it easier for you to adjust.^{[5]
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- Use the timer on your smartphone to keep track of how long you’ve been playing and alert you when your allotted time is up.
- If you’re a PC gamer, you can even set your computer to shut itself down at a specified time, which may be helpful if you’re not sure you can pull the plug on your own.^{[6]
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- It could take weeks or even months to taper off your daily play time, and that's okay. The important thing is that you stick with it and fight the impulse to play for longer than your predetermined time frame.
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3
Have your friends or family help enforce your self-imposed time limit. Tell a parent or a responsible sibling or roommate about your desire to play less (and eventually stop altogether). Ask them to check in with you every now and then at agreed-upon times to make sure that you’re staying on track. You may respond better to pressure that’s coming from an outside source.^{[7]
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- Tell your loved one to be as firm as they need to be, even if it means forcibly turning off your console or hiding your gaming equipment from you.
- If you often play with other gamers online or in-person, inform them of your intention to quit, as well. Hopefully, they'll be supportive of your decision, but if not, you'll at least be giving them a heads up that they may not be seeing as much of you.
4
Restrict yourself to only playing later in the day. Make gaming a reward that you give yourself for being productive and completing your important daily duties. If you always hop on first thing in the morning, you run the risk of getting sucked into a prolonged session when you should be getting ready for work, school, or other responsibilities.^{[8]
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- It will be much easier to control your urge to play before you begin than after you’ve already started.
- Be sure to apply your regular time limit to your evening sessions to keep yourself from staying up too late. Pulling an all-nighter will only make it harder to do what you need to do the next day.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Quitting Cold Turkey

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Think about the toll that gaming is taking on your life. There's a thin line between hobby and vice. Maybe your grades are slipping, your relationships are deteriorating, your health has begun to suffer from spending too many hours plastered to the couch, or you get enraged and frustrated every time you play.^{[9]
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Expert Source

Hilary Jacobs Hendel, LCSW
Certified AEDP Psychotherapist & Emotions Educator

Expert Interview. 8 September 2021.} Whatever it is, taking stock of the ways that your compulsion has done more harm than good can give you the motivation you need to leave it behind.^{[10]
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- Freeing yourself from the grip of video games will help you overcome your depressive or isolationist tendencies, get more enjoyment out of real-world experiences, and make time for the people and things that truly matter to you.^{[11]
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- If you've tried weaning yourself off video games in the past and it hasn't worked, cutting the cord may be your best course of action.
2
Summon the resolve to walk away once and for all. This is probably the simplest and most effective way to break a destructive gaming addiction. Just put down the controller and don’t look back. It will require tremendous willpower, no doubt. Over time, however, it will get easier, to the point where video games no longer have the same hold over you that they once did.^{[12]
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- Anytime you're tempted to sit down and play, take it as a challenge to get stronger. Consciously saying no to unhealthy desires conditions the part of your brain that's responsible for regulating self-control.^{[13]
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- This approach may be simple, but it’s not easy. It all goes back to making a purposeful commitment to not be a slave to your urges.
Expert Answer

Q

How do I stop my addiction to games?

Wes Pinkston
Certified Holistic Life Coach
Wes Pinkston is a Certified Holistic Life Coach and the Founder of Wes Pinkston Life Coaching. With more than five years of experience, he specializes in helping people achieve greater fulfillment and understand their full potential. He received his Holistic Lifestyle Coach Certification from The CHEK Institute.

EXPERT ADVICE

Answer from Wes Pinkston:

Often, this comes down to an imbalance between our wise adult and inner child. When the inner child is running the show, it can lead to us neglecting other key aspects of our lives. Which means, to stop playing compulsively, we need to nurture both aspects of ourselves: the adult that provides structure and the child that enjoys playing. If going completely cold turkey isn't working for you, try bringing a sense of structure to your video gaming by setting up a reminder in your phone to alert you when to start and stop.
3
Put your gaming equipment away where you can't easily get to it. Box up your console and games and stow them in the attic or basement, on a high shelf in your closet, or in another spot that’s not readily accessible. It’s much easier to give something up for good if it’s not staring you in the face all the time.^{[14]
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- Actually make it hard for yourself. Bury your console under a pile of boxes in the garage, put it in the trunk of your car, or take it apart and hide each component in a different place. Do whatever it takes to keep yourself away.
- If you do most of your gaming on the computer, uninstall addictive programs from your hard drive and delete any accounts you have for online games. Then, make an effort to police yourself when using your computer in the future.^{[15]
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4
Consider giving away your games and gaming systems. Hand your gear down to a younger sibling, or donate them to a thrift store or charitable organization so that someone less fortunate can have a chance to enjoy them. Not only is this a generous act, it also helps you meet your goals. You can’t spend too much time playing a game that you don’t own!
- You can also sell newer systems and titles back to stores that accept used games and put the money you get towards other hobbies or pastimes.
- Delete downloaded games from your console or device to reduce the temptation that you might feel to play them if they’re just sitting there.^{[16]
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Tip: If you can't bring yourself to part with your games for good, leave them with a friend or relative who doesn't live with you. That way, you won't have the option to play, no matter how badly you want to.^{[17]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Finding Other Activities to Replace Video Games

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1
Try doing other things to get your mind off of gaming. As soon as you start to feel the itch, look for something that you can do right away to combat your craving.^{[18]
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Expert Source

Wes Pinkston
Certified Holistic Life Coach

Expert Interview. 18 January 2022.} You might go out for a leisurely walk outdoors, lift weights, take up painting, put on one of your favorite albums, or help out with chores around the house. Anything you can do to distract yourself from your overwhelming desire to play will make a difference.^{[19]
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- Let yourself get absorbed in the world around you the way you would a good game.^{[20]
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  Wes Pinkston
  Certified Holistic Life Coach
  
  Expert Interview. 18 January 2022.} After all, reality is the most impressive game there is, with fully interactive environments, unlimited opportunities for exploration, endless dialogue options, and the most lifelike graphics engine to date.^{[21]
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- As you explore your interest in other pursuits, you’ll likely discover that your urge to play video games gets weaker and weaker.
- Do your best to be present with whatever you decide to do. It won’t do much good if you’re just thinking about gaming the whole time.
2
Channel your energy into real life games. Rather than sinking countless hours into becoming a joystick all-star, get your friends together and organize a game of football, baseball, or soccer. While real games and sports tend to be much more difficult to master than their virtual counterparts, they're also frequently more rewarding, as they provide a convenient outlet for social interaction, build character, and promote positive values like fairness, determination, and resilience.^{[22]
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- Many of the online games that people waste so much time on are based on real games that you can play almost anywhere, like billiards, golf, darts, bowling, and poker.
- If you have a knack for a certain game or sport, you might even consider trying out for a team and taking your talents to the next level.
Tip: Participating in competitive sports can also help you lose weight, improve your overall health, increase your self confidence, and learn teamwork and leadership skills.^{[23]
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3
Take up LARPing. LARPing, or “Live Action Role Playing,” is a type of role playing game where real people portray fictional characters, freely acting out quests, battles, and other exciting situations. If fantasy RPGs and action-adventure titles are your drug of choice, pledging your sword to a LARPing community can be a good way to indulge in your love of all things fantasy while allowing you to be outside, meet new people, and get some exercise.^{[24]
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- To find a LARPing group near you, run a search for “LARP” plus the name of your town, city, or province. You may be surprised at how many people there are in your area who enjoy the activity.
- LARPers are encouraged to create original characters with unique traits and backstories, make their own armor and weapons, and lend a hand with duties like scheduling meet-ups and scouting for locations. All of these things will take up time that you might otherwise devote to gaming.^{[25]
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4
Read some good fiction. Reading offers an experience similar to gaming—in some ways, it’s even better. When you sit down with a novel, you give yourself permission to get lost in a compelling story. Unlike video games, though, you also have the ability to shape, color, and develop the characters and events of a book any way you like using the power of your imagination.^{[26]
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- Look for novelizations of popular video game franchises to enjoy your favorite characters and stories in a more productive way. There are official novelizations for all sorts of games, including Bioshock, Uncharted, Mass Effect, Borderlands, Halo, and Assassin’s Creed.^{[27]
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- Reading comes with a host of cognitive benefits, including faster mental processing, increased focus and attention span, and improved vocabulary skills. This means that you’ll actually be training your mind while you entertain yourself.
5
Focus on your social life. One of the reasons gaming is so addictive is because of its social element. For this reason, it may help to trade in your digital gaming community for real flesh-and-blood companions, like your friends, family, classmates, or coworkers. You might find that you get just as much satisfaction from being with them as you did from gaming, if not more.^{[28]
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- Put the dedication, persistence, problem-solving skills you’ve acquired from gaming into dating. Few games can compare to the dizzying excitement of sparking a new relationship.^{[29]
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- Other ways to become more social include joining a club related to one of your hobbies or interests, getting involved in community service, starting a band, or simply making more of an effort to communicate with the people you encounter day-to-day.
6
Join an online gaming community. If gaming is your passion, you may be understandably reluctant to walk away from the scene altogether. Instead, seek out video game forums and social media groups as an alternative way to stay engaged with your hobby. Becoming a member of one of these communities will let you keep your finger on the pulse of the gaming world without devoting as much time to actually playing.^{[30]
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- You’ll find lots of like-minded gamers to connect with in places like Twitch, Reddit, Twitter, and even YouTube.
- Let your online friends know that you’re trying to cut back on your gaming time. Chances are, they’ll understand where you’re coming from and act as a kind of support group. They may even be able to suggest other strategies for battling your addiction that you haven’t thought of.

Expert Q&A

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Question

Why is it so hard to quit video games?

Wes Pinkston
Certified Holistic Life Coach
Wes Pinkston is a Certified Holistic Life Coach and the Founder of Wes Pinkston Life Coaching. With more than five years of experience, he specializes in helping people achieve greater fulfillment and understand their full potential. He received his Holistic Lifestyle Coach Certification from The CHEK Institute.

Wes Pinkston

Certified Holistic Life Coach

Expert Answer

Playing video games is fun! That said, if self-discipline is not taught from a young age, it can become quite difficult in our teen and adult years to discipline ourselves.

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Question

How do I stop my addiction to games?

Wes Pinkston
Certified Holistic Life Coach
Wes Pinkston is a Certified Holistic Life Coach and the Founder of Wes Pinkston Life Coaching. With more than five years of experience, he specializes in helping people achieve greater fulfillment and understand their full potential. He received his Holistic Lifestyle Coach Certification from The CHEK Institute.

Wes Pinkston

Certified Holistic Life Coach

Expert Answer

While it is healthy to play at any age, too much can often lead to us neglecting other key aspects of our lives. We need to nurture both aspects of ourselves, the adult that provides structure and the child that enjoys playing. You can try setting up a reminder in your phone to alert you when to start and stop.

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I want to stop gaming but I don't want to sell everything I own that is related to gaming. What should I do?

Community Answer

You don't need to. You just need to become strict with yourself. Plan your time, and find a way to make more productive things, like studying, enjoyable.

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Tips

Accept the fact that you may feel a little lost without video games at the center of your life, but remind yourself that it’s for the best, and that the feeling won’t last forever.

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Keep in mind that every minute you spend with a controller in your hand is a minute that some other part of your life is being neglected. If you want to have a healthy relationship with video games, you must learn to be more judicious with your time.

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If you haven’t done so already, it may be a good idea to move your console to the living room so that it’s not in the same room where you sleep. This is just asking for an unexpected all-nighter.

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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

Find new hobbies to act on right away whenever you feel the urge to play. Go for a walk, read, exercise — anything to distract your mind. Stay present with the activity.
Make a formal commitment to quit or cut back by telling others or writing down your resolution. This keeps you accountable. Set a firm limit if scaling back.
Read immersive fiction books and graphic novels if you still crave escape through imaginary worlds. This also trains your brain, unlike passive gaming.
Focus on hanging out with real people to fill the social void left by online play. Building true relationships brings more fulfillment.
Hide or remove gaming equipment so it's hard to access when cravings hit. This removes temptation that could sabotage your efforts.
Play actual sports and games instead. These build social skills, health and self-esteem. If needed, seek out a support group.

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Warnings

An inability or unwillingness to get your gaming addiction under control could end up taking a serious toll on your health, studies, career, or relationships.

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