How Video Games Have Helped Me Cope with Nicotine Withdrawal

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There’s no bad time to stop smoking, vaping, using chewing tobacco, or any other nicotine product. There are many good reasons to quit, but I’m not here to lecture you. Whether you’re looking for help, just curious, or even currently using, that’s perfectly okay. I used chewing tobacco for about 15 years, so I understand how hard it is to quit. I recently decided to quit for my own personal reasons.

Just so you know, I’m not a doctor, and this isn’t medical advice. I’m simply sharing something that happened to me, and I hope it’s helpful if you’re going through something similar. If not, that’s okay too.

I thought the first few days would be the toughest part of quitting Copenhagen, but honestly, around a week in was the hardest. I decided to quit cold turkey – I knew when I bought that last roll it would be my last. I’m still dealing with nicotine withdrawal as I write this, actually – this article is a little late because of a headache! Most of the headaches haven’t been terrible, just a 2 or 3 out of 10 and they don’t last long. The worst part isn’t even the physical stuff, though. It’s this weird feeling of something missing in my mouth, which is super annoying, but even more than that, I experienced this strange disassociation. Everything just felt…off, like I was slightly detached from myself for a few days. I didn’t even know that was a thing! And yeah, I’ve definitely been more irritable than usual – and that’s saying something! So, to put it mildly, I’m really going through it right now.

I decided to quit completely—no gradual changes or temporary fixes. Like I usually do when facing difficult situations, I’ve been immersing myself in video games, hoping to distract myself from the withdrawal symptoms. I’m hoping they’ll lessen over the next few days or weeks, and I can definitely say from my own experience that gaming helps me manage the physical discomfort. However, it’s important to remember that video games aren’t a cure-all. I still needed things to satisfy my oral fixation, so I relied on sunflower seeds, peppermints, and gum—you can’t exactly chew on a game console!

Go for the Grind, Not the Vibe

  • Cozy games may not be the answer
  • Avoid video games with a lot of “downtime”
  • Grind

I recently got a Nintendo Switch 2 and the game Pokopia, and I was really into customizing my in-game world and completing the creature collection. However, I’ve found Pokopia to be quite slow-paced, with a lot of waiting around, which is testing my patience. The time travel mechanic offered a temporary fix, but wasn’t ideal. I realized that any moments of inactivity actually made me less motivated to play. Similar feelings came up when I played games like Life is Strange. I plan to revisit Pokopia eventually, but I needed a break.

I started playing Life is Strange: Reunion right before I stopped working, and then decided to replay all the Life is Strange games. However, I’ve found that the slow pace and long cutscenes in these games actually make my urge to stop even stronger. I’m getting through this replay at a slower, more inconsistent rate than I planned, and I’m realizing that relaxing, slow-paced games aren’t ideal when you’re trying to manage withdrawal.

I’ve found that repetitive tasks are really helpful for me, and I’ve been using the game Pokemon HeartGold on my 3DS for that purpose. The strategic, turn-based battles are good at distracting me. Specifically, spending hours trying to find and catch a Larvitar in the Safari Zone was incredibly effective. I don’t know who made it so challenging, but I’m grateful they did. Those five hours of repeated attempts gave me exactly the mental break I needed.

Pick Up the Pace!

I’ve found that playing fast-paced multiplayer games really helps, likely alongside finding the right routine. Apex Legends is a great example – it’s changed a lot over time, so revisiting it after a break feels both familiar and fresh. It’s been a big help for me, especially since my symptoms tend to be worst in the mid-to-late afternoon, which is when I usually play games anyway. Being able to focus that energy into gaming has been really beneficial.

Fit the 9 games into the grid.

Honestly, playing multiplayer games really helps me take my mind off things. My friends are a huge distraction, which is great! I haven’t really gotten into co-op games yet, but I figure they’d probably help in a similar way. But what I love about a game like Apex Legends is those quick bursts of excitement – getting a knock, a kill, or even just winning a match. I’ve been quitting nicotine for a while now, and it’s made me realize how much I depended on it for those little hits of dopamine. Now, those moments in the game give me that same kind of stimulation, which is awesome.

Nicotine Withdrawal is Platform Agnostic

After stopping nicotine pouches, I’ve been gaming on a lot of different systems – my PC, Nintendo 3DS, Switch 2, Xbox Series X, and PlayStation 5. I noticed my withdrawal symptoms were pretty much the same no matter what I was playing. My PS5 and Xbox Series X felt identical, which isn’t surprising. It makes me wonder if the whole ‘console war’ thing was just something we imagined! Playing on my Nintendo handhelds didn’t seem to make a difference either. The only time my symptoms felt worse was when I was on my PC, because I kept my pouch right on my desk, always within easy reach. So it wasn’t really about the platform, but more about having it nearby.

I’m feeling much better now, although I still get occasional headaches and sometimes feel like my missing limb is still there. Trying to quit smoking by playing video games wasn’t the best idea, and I won’t do it again, but it was interesting to see which games helped and which didn’t.

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2026-04-07 23:05