Dear Reverend,
I’m addicted to a game on my phone. I don’t want to say what it is because I think it’s embarrassing. I don’t even tell my friends that I play it. It doesn’t really interfere with my life, but I definitely spend too much time on it. I even occasionally spend real money in the game. I feel stupid that I waste so much time playing, but it’s fun, and I just can’t quit. Help!
Pixie Lated (nonbinary, 32)
Dear Pixie Lated,
I’m going to air a little dirty laundry here.
In 2009, one of my nieces started playing a Facebook game called YoVille (now YoWorld). It’s like FarmVille or FishWorld, where you have a little avatar that decorates houses and such. Part of the game is that you need “neighbors” to earn coins. My niece asked her sisters, my sisters and me to sign up. Like a good aunt, I did.
It’s 17 years later, and they all quit playing a long time ago. Me? I still sign in for a little bit every damn day. I just can’t leave my millionaire mini-me to wither and die! I think it’s dumb, too, but playing a game on your computer or phone is just another form of entertainment. The games are designed to get you hooked, but as long as they don’t disrupt your daily responsibilities, what’s the harm?
If you want to quit playing entirely, you could go cold turkey and delete the app from your phone. If you enjoy the game but want to limit the time you spend on it, there are lots of ways to make that happen.
Pick an amount of time you can feel good about “wasting” on the game. Start with 30 minutes, and break it into three 10-minute sessions throughout the day. Set a timer when you start playing, and when the beeper goes off, you gotta stop, no matter what. Or you can remove the game from your phone without deleting all the data. That way, you can redownload it when a real craving strikes and keep your progress. Most phones also have a way to set daily app time limits. You can find instructions online.
The world is a shit show right now, and playing a game to relax is nothing to be embarrassed about, but it’s pointless if it causes you more stress. If you need help finding balance, check out gamequitters.com.
Good luck and God bless,
The Reverend
This article appears in July 22 • 2026.
