Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: How to recognize a problem
• Part 2 of 3: How to distance yourself from anime
• Part 3 of 3: How to Distract Yourself with Other Activities
• Tips

Have you noticed that you are so addicted to anime that your whole life now revolves around the heroes of this genre? Do you spend all your money on movies, manga, action figures and convention tickets? Perhaps you even began to lag behind in school and refused to communicate with people in order to watch your favorite TV shows on time. Now you know that you need to get rid of the addiction, but do not understand where to start. In this article, you will find tips to help you overcome addiction.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: How to recognize a problem

1. 1 Consider how much anime depends on whether you are happy with your life. If you can't figure out if you've developed an addiction or if you just enjoy anime, try to remember how upset you were the last time you couldn't watch the anime. You thought, “Well, it can't be helped. No tragedy ”? Or how?! I need to watch this episode! What if my favorite hero dies ?! I hate you, mom! " One of the signs of addiction is emotional distress due to the inability to satisfy one's desire. If you get really angry about being punished by your parents, and you had to skip the episode, or the release was postponed to another day, this may indicate an addiction. If the mere thought of not being able to watch your favorite show upsets you, you're probably addicted.
2. 2 Rate your emotional attachment to anime. Does your whole life revolve around anime? If you cannot figure it out, try to look at the situation from the outside. Try to answer the following questions:
   • Are you more attached to anime characters than to real people? There is nothing wrong with having a favorite hero. It only becomes a problem if you become so attached to him that you give up any relationship in real life. A fictional hero cannot give you the love and care that is possible in a real relationship.
   • Have you ever had a big fight with someone over anime? You can disagree with someone's opinion and argue, but all disputes should be restrained. If you are so into anime that you’re ready to yell at anyone who doesn’t like the genre, that’s an unhealthy addiction. This behavior can lead to the severing of connections with other people.
3. 3 Consider if anime influences your social behavior. Do you speak and act like your favorite anime character? Using too many Japanese words to sound like a hero? In anime, as in any cartoons, exaggeration is often used. What is perfectly normal in cartoons and anime may not be valid in the real world. You may not mind someone treating you like an anime character, but other people may not like your behavior. Many people may even be offended or angry, which will eventually lead to a loss of respect for you.
4. 4 Calculate how much money you spend on anime. Have you stopped missing out on basic necessities (food, clothing, school supplies, renting an apartment) because of your hobby? Make a list of all expenses, categorized (anime, food, clothing, study supplies, and so on). Write down all your expenses. Indicate how much money you are willing to spend on each category, and then record how much you actually spend.
   • If the majority of your spending comes from anime, you are most likely addicted.
   • If you've stopped buying food, clothing, and other essentials to be able to buy anime-related merchandise, you're most likely addicted.
5. 5 Think about how much time you spend on anime. Someone may think that you are addicted, but is that so? Knowing exactly how much time you watch anime and how much time you devote to other activities can help you understand if you really have an addiction.
   • Do you give up hanging out with your friends to watch anime? It's okay to be an introvert, but if you prefer watching anime to your friends, it will negatively affect your relationship with them. If you often refuse to spend time with friends in order to watch anime, it means that you are developing an addiction.
   • Are you trying to devote all your free time to anime at the expense of sleep, health and personal care? Watching anime for so long that it prevents you from taking a shower or eating right (after all, taking chips from the table is easier than getting up, washing and slicing an apple), you will feel sluggish and tired. Plus, you'll get sick more often.
   • Does anime affect your academic success? After returning home from school, do you start doing your homework or watching your favorite TV show? It is important that the grades are always good, otherwise you will not be able to get a quality education.
   • Have you given up all your hobbies for anime? Maybe you loved playing football or the piano, but stopped doing it because you now enjoy watching anime more? If so, then you most likely have an addiction.

Part 2 of 3: How to distance yourself from anime

1. 1 Try to limit the time you spend on anime. You should not completely refuse to watch anime - it is better to watch it not every day, but every other day or once a week. If you've been watching anime for hours on end, try the following:
   • If you watch several episodes per week or evening, limit yourself to one episode per day or week.
2. 2 Try watching fewer TV shows. If you want to watch every new series, try to overcome this desire. Some shows have several long seasons and are time-consuming. Pick 1–2 TV shows that you really like and watch only those. You don't have to watch everything that comes out to be an anime fan.
3. 3 Pause. Try to give up anime and manga completely for a while - for example, for a week. Analyze your feelings. You may be surprised to find that you are interested in other things as well.
4. 4 Use anime only as a reward. Before you watch the anime, do something less interesting. This will not only help you fight your addiction, but it will also make your viewing experience more enjoyable. Here are some helpful tips:
   • Don't watch anime until you've done your homework, but don't watch it when it's bedtime. This will motivate you to finish your homework faster and not put it off until later. If you don't have time to watch anime at night, don't be discouraged - you can do it tomorrow.
   • Set aside anime until the weekend. In a week, you will have time to miss the heroes. In addition, you will have time to do a lot of useful things in the free time.
   • Do all the household chores first. Promise yourself not to turn on the anime until you've done all that you have to do (clean the room, wash your clothes, wash the dishes, etc.). This will help you finish the job faster and the reward will be more valuable.
5. 5 Spend less money on anime-related products. Do you often buy badges, figurines, bags, patches and other items just for the sake of collection? Or do you do it because you really like them? If you find yourself just collecting things, answer the following questions:
   • Do you really need them? A new bag with your favorite hero will be useful if you are shopping for things for study, but there is a chance that you do not need it right now. If you are on a budget, buy what you really need.
   • Do you really like this thing? Instead of buying something with your favorite TV show, save money and set it aside for something you love.
   • What will you do with this thing? Some things are useful (mugs, watches, bags, T-shirts). Others (figures, stripes, badges) have only a decorative purpose. You can try to buy only those things that you will use.
6. 6 Try not to go to fan sites and remove them from bookmarks. If you just watch less anime, it won't be enough. If you go to websites and discuss your favorite TV shows, you will think about anime. much more... To overcome addiction, you need to stop visiting these sites. Without talking about TV shows, it will be easier for you to avoid temptations.
7. 7 Learn to distinguish reality from a fictional world. It's okay to have strong feelings for the characters in your favorite TV show - don't be ashamed of it. However, if these feelings escalate into falling in love, it can be difficult for you to get out of this situation. Remind yourself that anime is fiction, it is something that was created by a collective of writers and artists, and that all this is far from reality. Invented heroes cannot replace the people around you.
8. 8 Try to shrink your collection. Sometimes the only way to overcome an addiction is to get rid of anything that reminds you of it. This does not mean that you should give someone all your collections of figurines, manga, T-shirts, bags and more. However, you should give away or sell some items that you no longer use, and try not to buy new ones in their place.
   • If you can't stop watching anime on the Internet, and it distracts you from your studies, try removing sites with TV shows from your browser bookmarks.
9. 9 Monitor your behavior. If you notice that you are copying the behavior of your favorite character or using too many Japanese words in your speech (and this annoys others), this means that you are still far from your goal. Pay attention to this behavior and suppress it. If this has become a bad habit that you want to get rid of, ask your friends to tell you when you will imitate the hero's behavior or use Japanese words unnecessarily.
10. 10 Think about how you will be attending conventions. If you pay a lot of attention to conventions, you will need to choose 2-3 events and stop attending the rest. Not only will this help you save money, but it will also allow you to move away from anime.

Part 3 of 3: How to Distract Yourself with Other Activities

1. 1 Try it find other hobbies. You shouldn't give all your time to just one activity, even if you really enjoy it. Try to return to hobbies that you enjoyed before, before you got into anime. Here are some examples of these hobbies:
   • Martial arts. If you like anime and Japanese culture, you may be interested in martial arts, especially Japanese ones (like judo or aikido).
   • Playing musical instruments (such as the piano or guitar).
   • Running, hiking, cycling. Sport not only strengthens your health and body, but also helps you relax and enjoy the world around you.
   • Crochet or knitting. Your hands will be busy and you won't have time to think about anime.
2. 2 Find yourself a new hobby. Sometimes, to overcome an addiction to anime, you need to find another hobby - for example, books, films, series of a certain genre. Perhaps over time, you will begin to devote more time to it, and less to anime. If you don't know what you might like, ask friends or classmates for advice. Explain what you like (eg horror, medieval history, vampires).
   • If you enjoy participating in role-playing games, switch to other genres not related to anime (for example, there are role-playing games based on books and films).
3. 3 Spend time with your friends. This will distract you from the anime and remind you that you have friends who are dear to you. The next time you need to talk to someone, you will have someone to turn to.
   • If you don't have friends, sign up for a club, go to a bookstore or library, or take a walk in the park.
4. 4 Ask friends and family to support you. Explain that you want to overcome addiction. Close people will help you if they do not give you things related to anime. If you have friends who are also into anime, ask them not to talk about anime in front of you or tell you about new shows.

Tips

• If you have a friend who is also addicted to anime, try fighting him together.
• If you can't seem to stop using Japanese words, think about how it might offend those who speak Japanese because you speak the words without knowing their meaning. This is a very bad habit.
• You may experience a kind of "withdrawal" just like any other addiction. For several days, months, or even years, you may experience anxiety and similar phenomena (if you are constantly drawn to the object of addiction, talk to a therapist).
• People with autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder often tend to take a heightened interest in several topics. There is nothing wrong with that, and there is no need to try to change it. This is how their brains work.