Topic: Could you quit gaming cold turkey?

My parents tend to tell me that I'm addicted to video games. Which I'm not, by the way, since I play maybe eight hours a week on average, more in the summer, much less during exams and whatnot. But they tell me I am, because, hey, I do something that they don't really understand, and I spend quite a bit of time on it, so why not just label it as an addiction to get me to do less of it?

But this got me to thinking - could I just stop playing games, cold turkey, if I wanted to? I'm not saying that I'm forced to under any circumstances, just that maybe I decide that enough is enough - no more gaming for me. I don't think that I could. If you think about it, you're getting cut off from all of the series you love, the characters you've played as, every great game that will ever come out, et cetera. It simply doesn't sound like something I'd like to do, or would be able to will myself to do. It's sad, but I think that if anything, the people here could understand or sympathize.

Ask yourself: Could you simply stop playing games for the rest of your life? Why or why not?

No way! I'd miss video games too much... video games are my calling. I don't just play them - I make my own.

No, that would stink, giving up one of my favorite hobbies. Plus, some of my other favorite hobbies stem off of video games (drawing video game characters, playing video game music on the piano...) That being said, I haven't really played much at all for looks at backloggery like 3 weeks! _{I need to start again!}

NOPE!

Every and anything can lead to addiction and not all alcoholics drink every day.

Maybe you could try to go a week without video games to see if it affects you?

About myself. I could tone it down if it's needed. But giving up on video games for life seems a little dramatic.

@CaptainCharlie: oh yeah, I didn't think about that. I'm no musician - but I'm definitely an artist. I draw video game related things all the time!

Also, this is kind of like asking "could you stop watching TV", or "could you stop reading books", or even "could you stop reading the internet"...

Considering that I've been a devoted gamer for only 2, almost 3, years, I have no intention of stopping.

But then again my interest of actually playing games has fallen rather dramatically, as I for every hour I spend gaming, I spend another 5 on the Internet (ironically) reading about them and watching YouTube LPs, countdowns, reviews, and other stuff. In that case, just not playing games themselves may not be impossible for me.

never utter such blasphemous, vulgar words again. >:[

But I can totally quite whenever I want, I just choose not to. u_u

Yeah... I could quit if I wanted to... except for I don't want to!

Never! Cold Turkey is my favorite game of this generation!

I went a summer without games. I'm not exaggerating in the least when I say I woukdnlt have survived much longer and I wouldn't be able to do it again.

I've quit cold turkey before for about a month or two. It wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it was.

Since I can go months without playing much of anything...yeah, that wouldn't be so bad for me. So long as I have other stuff to do.

As long as you know how to moderate your gaming time, there's no real need to. I successfully managed my time in college, graduate school and my first year of teaching.

^This would be me.

Nope, my turkey would remain very hot.
Edit: actually, come to think of it, probably, if the Internet was still an option, probably.

Here's a good video response that seems to sum up most people's responses:

Did try to quit gaming at one point but came back a coupe of months later since I switched careers (Engineering -> Arts). I guess I'm now around alot of people who share my hobby so it isn't all bad.

Only if the great pokemon mew and arceus came down to earth and evolved me.