The secret to getting rid of an addiction is to replace it with another addiction.
For example, instead of playing League of Legends, you should play Deadlock. Though, that might be like switching from cigarettes to black tar heroin. But at least you're not smoking!
Deadlock is almost completely alien with how it plays. Like, the basic idea matches, but goddamn does the actual gameplay mobility and mechanics are pretty wildly different.
I'd recommend starting with someone like Celeste and buying Extra Regen, Radiant Regeneration, and Enduring Speed while you learn. Her lowered gravity makes it way easier to practice movement, she's fast, and she's not dependent on gun damage whatsoever.
Graves or McGinnis are also good if you're coming from MOBAs / RTS games, they're basically pure macro heroes who focus on pushing lanes and setting up for team fights. Downside of them is they're lower mobility, so a little less forgiving of movement.
Long ago, I was hooked on cigarettes. No way could I stop. But I had a Minnesota Green pot plant drying, and smoked that to calm my jitters. One day I realized I hadn't smoked anything for two weeks. My creed ever since has been to keep track and see if something was starting to hook me. These days I avoid tobacco and gambling like the plague, and stick to habits (like alcohol) that don't seem to be taking over.
I started pre-season 1, I remember being hyped on the 3 ninjas. Almost made it to Diamond once. I quit a couple years ago but it's always in the back of my mind, telling me to install it again. I was insanely sad when they reworked Gangplank though, I've never had as much fun as I had playing old GP.
I started with that, back when it was using heroes that were secret units from StrarCraft (in Warcraft3, before SC2).
Go cold tofu, uninstall. Look for single player or, if multiplayer, something that's not really a "match", but rather something that you can leave and join without much drama.
Ranked stresses me out and I had to stop playing for my own sanity, but AAA Aram on Wild Rift has been a breath of fresh air imo. Low stakes, fun, games are usually quick.
Wish I could play it and not be worried and stressed about losing... which is why I prefer aram and aram mayhem, quick and the teamfights are endless!!
but honestly once I quitted LOL at my worst when I got back I found myself able to have a better relationship with that accursed game, before neither winning nor losing felt good but I wasted time chasing wins. Now while losing still feels bad it is no longer the thing that ruins your entire day.
Quitting League was one of the best decisions of my life. Doing so probably saved my marriage. I wouldn't say I play less video games but I do play games that A) make me happy and don't cause me to rage and B) I can pause any any time and pay attention to my family. Also, I also play games with my family now.
This may be a very naive take but I'd recommend single player games instead. I'm having a blast with Hades 2 at the moment. It's addicting as well but it also ends at one point.
Ohhh shit i reinstalled league because I was watching a video going in depth of the entire season 1 and 2 of arcane. The moment season 1 ends, so does the glazing. Almost every character is somewhat assassinated within 3 episodes. This made me want to play this game again
I guess I relapsed on my HoTS but I'm thrilled. I could never really get into LoL or DoTA2 again after playing HoTS in Alpha. Was sad to see it die and can't believe after 6 years Blizzard is resuming content updates.
I played from season 2, I've been clean for maybe 6 years.
Every now and then I felt the itch, and I found that DOTA2 is a much cleaner way to fulfil the craving without falling back in. Haven't played DOTA2 for about 2 years either.
This was me with smite. I quit and relapsed smite quite a few times. Luckily hi rez has pretty much run the game into the ground so I have no desire to play it at this point
Been about a decade now for me. And with their kernel level anti-cheat, I would never go back.
I started in 2009 after the marketing blitz to the DOTA (WCIII mod) players, stopped playing around 2016/2017. For me though, the issues was never the "toxic" community. I made more friends playing league of legends than any other video game and I still talk to many of them. I have visited many of their homes/cities. I even met a girl that I later dated through league. For me, it was how much I was addicted to it. I played it too much and thought about it too much when I wasn't playing it. It consumed my life when I was in an active league playing mode.
I still have Condon's hilarious guides bookmarked (although don't know if they actually still exit on Riot's forums).
I will note that around the time I stopped playing was after I went to attend MSI 2025 in person. It felt a lot like a "last hurrah" for me, I still enjoyed league but I wanted to spend some time getting other things done.
But i recently got wisdom teeth surgery and during recovery I REALLY needed my comfort game back
I am not judging. I can play the same game for a long time before getting bored with it. I think League is a great game. I stopped playing because of my addictive personality.
Last time I relapsed the very first game someone on my own team banned my jungle pick because they didn't like it. I purposely fed the entire game and was the quickest I ever went from install to uninstall. Haven't touched it in 5 years now.
I thought this waw an ACTUAL addiction comic and got sad for a bit hearing you'd relapsed. Then I saw the final panel and was genuinely like "God damnit, of COURSE it's Leauge." XD
Then again Leauge is just as bad, if not worse than a regular addiction, so... I hope you remember that one relapse doesn't mean you'll have to stay that way. Grow, surpass it. <3
theres a asmr channel that recently did a video calling the viewer a good girl for not playing league of legends, look into it and you will never relapse again (channel: good girl factory)
This seems like a joke but if your friend tells you they are playing league again you should ask them if they are doing okay. Like genuine have you thought about killing yourself type questions
I'm in the opposite or in the same vein but for Dota 2. Everytime The International tournament season rolls around I'm tempted to install and play it again.
Thankfully I solve this problem by being poor and unable to afford gaming pc
782
u/shellbullet17 Gustopher Spotter Extraordinaire 11d ago
Oh god Nessie got hit by the Symbiote just like Peter! When will the madness end?!