Quitting gaming cold turkey

How I changed my lifestyle is not all because of games. To be honest with you, I am not sure how much of the change came from quitting games because I am not even sure what happened to me, or if I really changed, or it is just my feeling.

I am proud that I can go and exercise, eat healthier, work on my online business, and of course, talk more with people. Believe me when I say that quitting is definitely hard! I was addicted to gaming, and I just went cold turkey. Imagine how horrible that is to me. So to start, I quitted gaming by deleting all of the games on my computer because I only play PC games. So my detox is purely on quitting pc gaming. But I did that before, and I managed to put it back and played again.

But this time, since I also suffered from heartbreak, I am really serious about changing myself. There is a problem though, I want to quit gaming, but I see those online streams on the internet, and it made me realize—almost all of my relapses before came from this. I see people playing, and I become envious that they are playing. So I also ended up playing. So the second thing I did was I unsubscribed and unfollowed everything related to gaming. Believe me, it is a hard step to take, but it helped me since I need to give my all in this.

But as you quit gaming, you will realize something else. And I think that most people fail to quit or see the benefits of quitting games because of this. What happened to me is because of that too much time, I started to browse through social media platforms. I even experienced Instagram saying that there is nothing it can show me since I have already scrolled through everything. By the way, you can follow me on social media; I have my social media links in the footer of this website.

So there you have it. I stayed like this for almost 2 weeks, and I am left wondering what it is like me playing again, but this time it is full of gossip from people.

So that is the reason why people see no benefits from quitting games, and it is the same reason why I did not experience any difference during the first month of my gaming detox. To be honest, if you did it right, a month without video games is sufficient enough. We need to have the will to improve upon ourselves. So, upon realizing this, I started to meditate and think about what I want, and the core reason I quit gaming, and I found the answer.

It says that I want to be financially free. It might sound odd to you, but it is a big deal to me. I want to earn money to be free and to do what I want in life. I love to travel and would like to travel more. I would love to have a job where if I could exert all of my efforts in it, it could grow and give me freedom in the long run. So if you want to succeed in quitting games, I strongly suggest that you write down what your core goal is as it is the one that will push you further along the way.

It is great that I realized this after scrolling through social media for 2 weeks. Because if I did not realize that, just imagine what I am right now. So I spent all of my spare time creating an online business, working out, reading books, and generally, anything to improve upon myself. I even started to learn how to speak Nihonggo; I hope to learn fast because I plan to go there on a vacation once my business grows.

So if you want to succeed and reap the benefits of quitting games, you should spend the spare time that you will have on improving upon yourself. You do not know how much 90 days can change your life.

I promise that if you commit to it, it will be huge. So here we are on the part of my suggestions for you to quit games. I promise that quitting will be extremely hard, and you will need some help, but most importantly, you should hold on to your willpower not to try opening games for a while.

The first thing you should note when quitting games is that you should keep your environment free from games. It is one of the main reasons why people relapse.

Not just me but a lot of people who try to quit fail because of this. Look, you are quitting games. If you are watching someone play, chances are you also want to play. I know it will be hard to unsubscribe to your favorite YouTuber or whoever that is, but just think that it will be for yourself. That is what I got wrong when I started to quit. I tried to get my Dopamine from social media, which is wrong. Get it from something else, such as talking to people on a deeper level.

You will get used to it. I promise. It is a great way to start talking with people on a deeper level. I promise that it will be Worth it. For me, that was communicating with people and going out with friends. You will find out yours soon. I told you that time will be your enemy if you quit gaming.

You will have a lot of time to spare that you did not know that a day is really that long. Do not be like me that just scrolled through Facebook and watching YouTube videos all day just to spend my time. Using YouTube can be bad for your quitting challenge since there will be chances that your favorite Gamer will upload a video that you will be tempted to watch. Instead, build a new hobby. Boredom is common to people who quit games. It can be hard but remember that being bored is a sign that you are rebooting.

Here, I have a video where I discussed how to build willpower. I made a summary of the book willpower instinct. You can find my video here. Also now, I make videos 3 times a week and I like how I am using my time wisely instead of gaming. I make self-improvement videos on YouTube, and I gladly invite you to check my Channel to learn more about personal development.

You can find my Channel by clicking here. It will still be the same; I will continue to improve upon myself every day. Adding skills to my current capabilities. Write a journal down to see where I am right now, and continue to strive for the best. I already learned to live without it, and I am happy about what I have accomplished these past 3 months.

It has been a long journey for me. I am now checking up after 2 years. The relationship between gaming and me became more apparent as time passed. It is also a good way to switch your recommendations to self-development videos instead of gaming videos. The truth is, I do not know if I want to go back to playing video games. I am happy with the things I have now, and I love that I could make a significant change within myself in just 3 months.

I would just want to continue. It could be part of the detox where my brain is already rewired to live without it. Please, if you want to try this challenge, remember that it would take a little time to get results. It took me 90 days to feel that I am now free from the binds of video games. It might be a year for you or just 30 days. Just continue to celebrate the little victories you are having while in this challenge. I know you can do it. It is your time to level up. Let me ask you this again.

But when did you upgraded your own level? When did you increase your own mental strength? Your physical strength? I am not saying that you should quit gaming. It is great if that is the source of your fun. But do not forget that you also need to improve upon yourself. So before this article ends, let me share with you a picture. I created it via paint so forgive me if it does not look good.

I just want to prove a point. As you can see, each box is a representation of each month of your life. Each row is equivalent to three years. So it might not be as big as that. I created this article alone, with all of my knowledge about this day game quitting challenge. My experience, tips, thoughts, and advice for everyone interesting in going through this Journey. However, since I did this alone, there is a huge chance that I might have missed something important. The best part is that if you have some things and thoughts that are worth sharing.

Please do not hesitate to comment or contact me, and I will edit this article more and more to help those who need help. The best way to start quitting games even for a while is to have a plan. Nicotine withdrawal can be more intense when you abruptly stop smoking. That is why it is worth a try to cut down the amount of smoking before you quit cold turkey—the nicotine withdrawal will be less intense. Common symptoms of nicotine withdrawal include:. If you expect these symptoms, you'll be able to prepare.

For example, ask a friend to watch your kids if you are feeling unwell, keep a water bottle with you and sip frequently to stay hydrated, stock up on throat lozenges, and fill your refrigerator with healthy snacks to reach for when hunger strikes. When you're ready to quit smoking, one of the first things you can do is gather and throw out all smoking paraphernalia lights, matches, ashtrays, etc.

You can also take the opportunity to encourage your tobacco-using friends to quit. As with nicotine withdrawal, it will be easier to manage the psychological urges that come with quitting if you make a plan. It can help just to know that these urges will pass—sometimes within moments. You'll also want to reach out to your family and friends. Let them help motivate and encourage you to stick with your stop-smoking plan. An online support forum can also be a powerful tool to help you stay nicotine-free.

In-person support groups are also valuable. You can meet local people who are going through the same process that you are. Reading about or hearing others talk about their experiences can inspire you and help you stay motivated. For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database. Is your morning cigarette with coffee the hardest to let go of?

Do you always light up as soon as you get in your car after work? Do you tend to smoke more when you're stressed , bored, or hungry? Take an honest look at your smoking patterns and habits, and then figure out some healthy distractions and alternatives. For example:. Quitting nicotine cold turkey might work for you, but you don't have to give up if it does not. There are other ways you can successfully stop smoking. When you're ready to quit smoking or using tobacco, start by talking to your health care provider about your options.

They can help you create a quit-plan and decide if nicotine replacement therapy would help you stay tobacco-free. Learn the best ways to manage stress and negativity in your life. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. NRTs and even prescription medication can help people stop. Alternative methods for quitting smoking include :. People may also wish to join a research study on quitting smoking. Ask a healthcare provider for more information. Quitting smoking cold turkey can be difficult, but the health benefits are worth going through the withdrawal symptoms.

If a person finds quitting cold turkey does not work for them, many alternatives may be effective. Quitting smoking can be very daunting, but some of the benefits come much faster than anticipated.

In fact, health benefits begin to take effect just…. When someone stops using nicotine abruptly, they may experience certain physical and mental symptoms as their body adjusts. These may include…. Smoking cigarettes can affect the body in many ways, raising the risk of several serious health conditions.

Learn more about the effects of smoking…. Smoking can cause harm throughout the body, including the heart, brain, and lungs. This article discusses why smoking is bad for health and reasons to…. There is no evidence that smoking lavender has any health benefits or that it is healthier than smoking tobacco.

Learn more here. What to know about quitting smoking cold turkey. Definition What happens What to expect How to quit cold turkey Coping mechanisms Withdrawal symptoms Pros and cons Other methods Getting help Summary People may find it challenging to quit smoking, but the health benefits outweigh the discomfort of withdrawal symptoms. Definition and success rate. What happens when a person quits cold turkey?

Time since quitting Health benefits 20 minutes Pulse returns to normal. What to expect. Withdrawal symptom How long it lasts light-headedness less than 48 hours disturbed sleep less than 1 week difficulty concentrating less than 2 weeks nicotine cravings more than 2 weeks depression less than 4 weeks restlessness less than 4 weeks irritability or aggression less than 4 weeks mouth ulcers can be longer than 4 weeks constipation can be longer than 4 weeks increase in appetite more than 10 weeks.

How to quit cold turkey. Coping mechanisms. Trigger type How it occurs How to cope Emotional triggers Reminds people how it felt to smoke during a good or bad experience. Talk about emotions Take slow, deep breaths Exercise Listen to calming music Pattern triggers An activity that people associate with smoking, such as finishing a meal. Find a replacement, such as chewing gum Keep the hands busy Exercise Change routines Social triggers Being in situations with other people where a person might smoke, such as a social event.

Try to avoid social events or people that are triggering for the first few weeks Withdrawal triggers When the body craves nicotine.

Exercise Keep the hands busy. How to treat withdrawal symptoms.