Recognizing the Addiction
Determine how much you rely on anime to be happy. If you can't tell if you are addicted to anime or just simply really interested in it, try to remember how upset you were the last time you were unable to watch anime. Did you think: "Oh well. Nothing to freak out over.” Or was it more like: “What?! I need to see this one episode! What if my favourite character dies? I hate you, Mom!” One of the signs of addiction is getting upset at not being able to fulfill your craving. If you got mad because you got grounded and had to miss an episode or the episode got delayed, then you may indeed be addicted. If the mere thought of not being able to watch anime upsets you, then you most probably are addicted.
Determine your emotional attachment to anime. Does your entire life revolve around it? If you really cannot tell, you may have to take a step back and try to see things from an outside point of view. Ask yourself these questions to determine just how emotionally attached you are to anime: Do you feel more attached/attracted to anime characters than real people? There is nothing wrong with having a favorite character. It is only when you become so attached to a fictional character that you would reject all relationships with real people that it becomes unhealthy. If you find yourself buying a body pillow or crying for the whole day about their death, then this includes you. A fictional character cannot give you the same love and attention that a real person might. Have you ever gotten into a serious fight over an anime? It is perfectly fine to disagree with someone or to discuss theories, so long as it is done in a mature fashion. However, if you find yourself so attached to an anime that you become protective of it and lash out at anyone who dislikes it and insulting them, going on ranting, you might be unhealthily-obsessed with it. Such behavior might even cost you friendships.
Know if anime affects your social behavior. Do you find yourself talking and acting like your favorite anime characters or using too many Japanese words to be even more like them? Animes, much like cartoons, are often exaggerated; what may seem acceptable in an anime or cartoon is often not acceptable in real life society. You may not mind being treated as a character in an anime, but others might be offended if you treat them the way your favorite character might. Let’s say someone walked up to you and would only speak in Paw Patrol quotes. Not very welcoming behaviour, is it? Some people might find your behavior confusing or annoying, and they may treat you with less respect as a result.
Figure out how much money you are spending on anime. Are you spending so much money on merchandise that you can no longer afford necessities, such as food, clothing, school supplies, or rent? Make a chart on a sheet of paper, and create sections, such as "Anime," "Food," "Clothing," and "School Supplies." Each time you buy something from one of those categories, write down how much you spent. Write down how much money you have to spend, then look at how much you actually spend in each category. If most of the items you buy come from the "Anime" category, you may be addicted. If you find that you have to skip buying food, clothing, and other necessities in order to afford anime merchandise, you most likely are addicted.
Figure out how much time you spend on anime. Some people may accuse you of being addicted, but are you really addicted? Knowing how much time you spend watching anime and how much time you spend doing other things can help you figure out whether or not you are really addicted. Do you find yourself turning down your friends in order to watch anime? Being introverted is not a bad thing, but ignoring your friends for the sake of watching anime may cost you valuable friendships. If you find that you are choosing to watch anime instead of spending time with your friends, you may be becoming addicted to anime. Do you spend every free minute on anime so that you sacrifice sleep, health, and hygiene? If you spend so much time watching anime that you no longer bathe regularly or eat healthy (that box of Pocky seems so much easier to grab than cutting up an apple to eat), you may start to feel sluggish and tired, and you may find yourself getting sick more and more often. Does anime affect your school or work performance? Once you get home, do you start working on your homework or paperwork, or do you start catching up on your favorite anime show instead? Do you even go to school or have a job? Keeping your grades up is important; some colleges and jobs require a certain GPA. And it’s important to stay on top of work so you don’t find yourself fired. Do you abandon other hobbies in favor of anime? Did you use to enjoy soccer or playing the piano, but avoided continuing your lessons in order to watch a few episodes? If so, you may be addicted to anime.
Distancing Yourself from Anime
Try to limit your time watching anime. 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.
Distracting Yourself with Other Things
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. 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.
Ask your friends and family to support you. Tell your friends and family that you want to overcome your anime addiction. They may try to help you by not getting you any more anime-related stuff for your birthday. If you have friends who are also interested in anime, they may help out by not discussing it around you so much or introducing you to yet another anime series.
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