How to Get Over an Anime Addiction

Try to limit your time watching anime.^[5] You do not have to completely give up watching anime; instead, try cutting down at first. Set a limit for how long you'll watch each day. Use a timer or set a reminder on your phone to alert you to stop watching.

• If you're unable to stop watching when the timer or reminder goes off, that's a sign that you should stop watching anime completely.
• If you find yourself watching several episodes a week, or even a night, try to limit yourself to just one episode a night, or a few episodes a week.

Try to limit how many shows you watch. If you feel the urge to watch every single anime show, try to fight that urge; some shows are several seasons long and a huge time commitment. Choose only one or two shows that really interest you and stick with them; you don't have to watch every single show in order to be an anime fan.

Consider taking a break. You can also try to take a break from anime by not watching any anime or reading any manga for a certain period of time. Try it for two weeks, and see how you feel. You might surprise yourself by finding that you have discovered other hobbies and interests to fill up that void.

Use anime as a reward only. Consider doing other, less-enjoyable tasks first before you settle down and watch some anime. This will not only cut back on your addiction, but it will make watching that anime all the more enjoyable. Here are some suggestions:

• Don't watch anime until you've gotten all your homework done—but also don't watch anime past your bedtime. This will encourage you to not only get your work done faster but also to not procrastinate on it. If you don't get your nightly dose of anime in, do not despair—there is always the next night.
• Save anime for the weekend. Your excitement and anticipation will build throughout the week—but you will also be able to get a ton of other things done during that week.
• Do all of your chores first. Tell yourself that you won't watch the latest episode of your favorite show until you've done your chores (be it cleaning your room, folding the laundry, doing the dishes, etc). You'll get all your work done faster—and at the end of it, you'll get a nice reward.

Cut back on the merchandise. Do you find yourself purchasing anime pins, action figures, bags, patches, and other items just for the sake of adding to your collection? Or do you buy those items because you really like them/need them? If you find that you are buying stuff just for the sake of adding to your collection, ask yourself these questions:

• Do I really need it? A new bag with your favorite character may come in handy if you are shopping for school supplies, but you may not necessarily need that new Funko Pop figurine. If you are tight on money, try to buy stuff that you really need.
• Do I like it? Instead of buying something just because it comes from your favorite anime, try to pass on it and save up for something that you really, really like instead.
• What will I do with it? Some items, such as mugs, watches, bags, and shirts are useful. Other items, such as figurines, patches, or pins serve only decorative purposes. You can manage your addiction by buying stuff that you will actually use (as opposed to just look at).

Try staying away from fansites and deleting them from your favorites. Simply cutting back on watching anime may not help your addiction. Visiting those fansites and further discussing your favorite shows will only cause you to think even more about anime. You can help manage your addiction by not visiting those fansites anymore; not discussing your favorite shows will help prevent any temptation.

Be able to tell reality from fantasy. It's perfectly normal to have strong feelings about the characters on your favorite show; it's not something you need to feel embarrassed about. But when those strong feelings turn into a full-on love affair with a fictional character, it can be confusing, embarrassing, and frustrating to go through. Maybe you cried for an hour when a character you liked died. Or you could have bought a body pillow. Perhaps you spent hours drawing fanart of your favourite character when you could have taken a walk outside to the park you used to play at when you were little. Remember that? Remind yourself that the anime is just a work of fiction—something made up by a group of writers and artists—and that it is not real. The worlds and characters cannot replace those around you.

• Go outside right now and look for something you think is beautiful. Is there a tree with a bark pattern that looks like an apple background? Are there a few nice rocks that you find yourself picking up? Just look outside and find something you think is absolutely amazing. It probably won’t take as long as you think it might. Then, take a moment to reflect on how nice it feels to be in the fresh air, looking at the beauty that reality has to offer.

Consider cutting down on your collection. Sometimes, the only way to manage an addiction is to get rid of anything that reminds you of it. This does not mean that you have to sell or donate your entire collection of figurines, mangas, shirts, bags, and so forth. However, consider donating or selling some of the items you no longer use and try not to buy new stuff to expand your collection. The homeless kid you saw walking to school would probably love a t-shirt with a cool cartoon character on it.

• If watching anime online is too tempting and distracting you from your school work, consider either deleting the video files from your computer, or deleting the websites from your browser's favorites.

Keep an eye on your behavior. If you find yourself trying to mimic your favorite character or using too many Japanese words (which you know annoys other people), you may not be helping your addiction. Try to catch yourself doing this so that you can stop. If it has become a habit that you want to break, ask your friends to let you know whenever you mimic your favorite character or use a Japanese word unnecessarily. Your friends will probably be glad to support you and this decision.

Take conventions into consideration. If attending multiple anime conventions are a big part of your addiction, you may want to consider attending only one or two instead of the five or more that you usually do. Not only will this help you save some money, but it will also help you distance yourself even further from anime.

Consider finding another hobbies. You don't have to spend all your time totally invested in one thing, even if you love it. Explore other interests and hobbies that you might have once enjoyed, but lost over time, as you became more and more into anime. Here are some things you can try:

• Martial arts. If you are into anime and Japanese culture, you may be interested in martial arts, especially a Japanese one, such as Aikido or Judo.
• Playing a musical instrument such as the guitar or piano.
• Jogging, hiking, and biking can not only keep you fit and healthy, but they can also help you relax and enjoy the natural world around you. Take a trip to the gym might be nice.^[6]
• Knitting and crochet will keep your hands moving and busy; you won't have time to think about Anime.
• Photography will help you get out more, meet new people, and help you see the world you’ve been missing out on. Go outside and see it.

Find another fandom to take part in. Sometimes, you can overcome your anime addiction by giving yourself another, non-anime fandom to focus on; this includes books, movies, and television shows. You may find yourself spending less time on anime and more time on the new fandom. If you don't know where to look, consider asking friends or classmates for suggestions; tell them the sorts of things you like, such as horror, medieval fantasy, or vampire drama.

• If you like to roleplay, then consider branching out to other, non-anime related fandoms, such as ones based on books and movies.

Spend some time with your friends. It will help you keep your mind off of anime; it will also remind your friends that you still care about them. This way, the next time you really need someone to talk to, they will be more likely to be there to support you.

• If you do not have any friends, try to find some new ones by joining a club at your school, going to a bookstore or library, or even hanging out at a park.