Topic: Could you quit gaming cold turkey?

@Captain_Balko what's the first step towards any addiction? Admittance. (LOL)
Anyways I managed to quit gaming but yet here I am, also I barely touch my 3DS and I put off buying a Wii U and will put off buying a PS3/X-Box One until I finish school in a year and a half. Do I miss it not really but I do look forward to being able to play one day.

Would be hard, very hard. I would probably pick up a game again though. For a lot of us though this is like asking, "Could you stop watching movies cold turkey?" In fact, it would probably be easier to give up movies for a lot of us.

Yes gaming is addictive, and I won't deny that I'm addicted. But my parents even encouraged my gaming simply because there's MUCH worse things I could be addicted to or spend my time getting into. I would argue a majority of people in first world countries are addicted to something (even if they refuse to admit it); at the very least a huge percentage is addicted to technology. Could I quit cold turkey? Probably not, I've invested in my hobby so much for a couple decades now, since I was a wee lad. I have so many games to beat in my backlog, I feel obligated to keep working on them, especially since I spent money on them. I don't mind that though, it's a hobby, as long as I can remember to go outside, build new experiences (in the REAL world), work on my writing, and live a life. At times that I'm busier, I have no problem cutting back on gaming, but I always know I can go back to it when I have time.

I am ShadJV and I am a video game addict.

HIIII SHADJV.

If for some reason I decided to give everything away in the start of my new life serving Jesus to the fullest yes...
But under any normal circumstances no.

...Yeah that ain't happening. My life is already boring, no video games would just make it worse.

I didn't play much over the summer and continuing, maybe there is nothing "fun" to play, I might see how long I can go without playing games!...but don't worry, I will still be here! _{because I know many will be sad with my deparcher.}

I think that the term addiction might be used far too lightly in many cases. An addiction should be something that is incredibly difficult to stop with willpower alone. That's why there are a lot of programs and products for people addicted to drugs, alcohol, tobacco, et cetera. I've even seen products for people addicted to caffeine. CAN you get addicted to video games? Unquestionably. There are cases where this occurs all the time and leads to some tragic events. There was that lady who played Farmville for three days straight while her baby cried because it was hungry, so she shook it to death and then went back to her game. I remember watching an early episode of Intervention where the person in question played video games from when he woke up to when he went to sleep, had virtually no friends, and his only physical activity at all was running to his game store to pick up new games and the occasional game of DDR. Instances like these are true addictions, and are incredibly harmful.

But gaming is just like any other form of media. Is it MORE addictive than watching movies or TV shows? Perhaps. But it would still be absurd to call a huge movie fan who spends most of his time watching films that he had an "addiction", yet it's fine to call your average gamer addicted. It's a strange double standard, but I suppose it occurs because gaming is certainly the newest form of media.

Still, I know people that are addicted to their phone, who would absolutely have a nervous breakdown if they had it taken away. Meanwhile, I forget my phone half the time when I go out. There are people that spend most of their day reading books. I love reading, but I've never had anybody tell me I'm addicted to it, despite my tendency to spend full days reading a great book from cover to cover. I literally NEVER play video games for that long - after three hours or so, my eyes start stinging and, depending on the game, my hands hurt. I need a break for at least a couple of hours.

And when you play video games, you don't generally just PLAY video games. My friends and I talk about new games coming out, play each other either local or online, help each other out in different games, and more. There is an online community that is extremely large. Random strangers will be able to talk to you about video games when you don't have much else in common. Gaming does not make me "anti-social" as some think, it's actually the opposite! Gaming helps me keep friends, make new ones, and meet new ones.

Its ridiculous to call it an addiction in most cases. It's like saying that you're addicted to reading or watching television or seeing movies because you don't want to stop doing those things completely.

I suppose I could stop gaming outright, if I actually had a reason to do so. I've gone weeks at a time without gaming; it just means I get bored more. It's entertainment and a hobby. Most people don't play dangerous amounts, and unless its getting in the way of serious work (in which case the person would probably find other ways to kill time) what's the reason for stopping completely? Someone else doesn't like gaming themselves? It's utterly illogical.

Could you quit gaming AND the internet cold turkey? That is the question.

You're family probably just doesn't understand gaming, its the ultimate form of media, combining music, television, story, and interactivity.

Do not support Microsoft.

Animal Crossing is addicting, till you realize it is a very hollow game.

Animal Crossing is addicting, till you realize it is a very hollow game.

Its full of bad decision making. I need more inventory.

The definition of an addiction is that the addict would experience adverse effects (like withdrawal symptoms) if they stopped. Addicts many times are not at an extreme where it is damaging their or others' lives. This doesn't mean they aren't addicted, as they are still psychologically reliant and if they quit cold turkey they would have withdrawal symptoms. There are even hospitals opening up programs for internet addiction, which is now much more common than drug or alcohol addiction because it's (mostly) free, it's legal, and it doesn't have noticeable side effects. It is quite easy for the human body and/or mind to become addicted to something, though in cases like video games it's not obvious unless the person has reached an extreme. I'm sure many here (including me) would have some level of withdrawal if we quit gaming cold turkey. Thankfully, I don't think anyone here is at an unhealthy extreme so it isn't really an issue.

Heh, nope.

Gaming is my time-filler and hobby. I'm not so addicted that I can't physically go a week without gaming or anything, but if I have all my games right next to me I'm probably gonna play them (90% sure my willpower isn't enough).

Why would I want to?

Probably. But Why????

Yes.