How did you overcome your social media addiction and did you ever feel isolated from your friends/family when you quit? If so how do you prevent that loneliness/boredom
Not OP but I am a pede with a super addictive personality so I’ll drop some wisdom on you.
We get addicted to things that help us escape from reality. So we need to make real life better.
However you are not always going to be in control of making that change. Sometimes that opportunity will come later. Make as many opportunities as you can, but if you can’t it is better to exchange one addiction for another. Some addictions are time wasters, but some are downright harmful. It would be better to exchange a harmful addiction for a time waster.
As an example, video games are one of the many things I’m addicted to. Playing videos games wastes time. However social media is incredibly toxic to your psychology. It is better to waste some of your time than develop huge psychological issues.
I got rid (completely) of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIN (especially that) and Reddit. The latter wasn't under my real name anyway, but still.
Facebook was the first to go, I realized that all it did was make me hate everyone. I was sick of peering into the worst parts of people's psyche, including family and friends and neighbors. I had enough of it. This "myth" that you will feel isolated, etc is the EXACT SAME FEELING an addict feels when they entertain the notion of quitting their drug. They ask themselves "well if I don't get high, what am I going to do with myself?" It's a stupid thought when you're not addicted, but that's literally the very nature of addiction. It's that little voice inside your head that keeps you using it and when you threaten it, it tries to convince you to keep using.
So no, nothing will happen, you will not miss out on anything. If you need to "keep in touch" you can do it. I can't tell you how many times I've been in a conversation with people and they bring up some "event" that happened on social media, like an argument on a neighborhood page or something stupid like that, and I listen and then when they address me, I say "I don't know, I don't use Facebook". They can't process it and it feels SO GOOD I wish I could bottle the feeling of shame that comes from them being confronted about their stupid addiction. They feel weak in my presence.
Loneliness and boredom COMES from your social media addiction, it creates a feeling of isolation and it's like how saccharine tricks your brain into thinking it's getting a reward, but its false and just leaves you wanting the real thing.
Be strong and dump it all in one shot. Don't make a "swan song" goodbye and wait for people to react. Don't say a word. Just dump it, delete all your profiles, and delete it from your life in one silent shot.
I try to spend it not looking at a screen, for one thing. I've taken up a few hobbies in the last few years, one of which is a 5 day per week Crossfit regimen. That helped re-adjust my mindset and introduced me to a bunch of new people that I talk to in person.
Another hobby has been working on my conceal carry draw and fire movement. If I need something to do with my hands and attention, I unload my pistol and work on dry fire training.
A lot of the time my social media habit just happened while I was already doing other things, eating, watching TV, working, hanging out with friends/family.. I would be already doing those things and whip out my phone and do some facebooking. It was fairly unusual for me to be doing NOTHING but social media, but picking up something new should be enough.
It's really not as bad as you think, but you gotta make it a clean break. Don't post a swan song that "I'm leaving FB forevaaaaah.." and wait for people to beg you to stay. Just silently nuke your profile.
One of the things that helps the most (especially in COVID days and in keeping up with geographically distant friends) is having long phone calls with close friends. I feel less isolated now than when I was addicted to social media.
A couple questions for you
How did you overcome your social media addiction and did you ever feel isolated from your friends/family when you quit? If so how do you prevent that loneliness/boredom
Not OP but I am a pede with a super addictive personality so I’ll drop some wisdom on you.
We get addicted to things that help us escape from reality. So we need to make real life better.
However you are not always going to be in control of making that change. Sometimes that opportunity will come later. Make as many opportunities as you can, but if you can’t it is better to exchange one addiction for another. Some addictions are time wasters, but some are downright harmful. It would be better to exchange a harmful addiction for a time waster.
As an example, video games are one of the many things I’m addicted to. Playing videos games wastes time. However social media is incredibly toxic to your psychology. It is better to waste some of your time than develop huge psychological issues.
I’m addicted to German sports cars and German Guns. Picked up my 2nd hk p7 yesterday. Also addicted to my wife
Lucky you. I’ve been waiting 3 months for my FOID card to get approved. Love my gf but wouldn’t say addicted. That’s some simp behavior right there.
I wish I had an east German AK
Salvation through Jesus Christ. And sobriety.
Yes, I used to get lonely, but I'm married now to a wonderful woman I met at church.
I got rid (completely) of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIN (especially that) and Reddit. The latter wasn't under my real name anyway, but still.
Facebook was the first to go, I realized that all it did was make me hate everyone. I was sick of peering into the worst parts of people's psyche, including family and friends and neighbors. I had enough of it. This "myth" that you will feel isolated, etc is the EXACT SAME FEELING an addict feels when they entertain the notion of quitting their drug. They ask themselves "well if I don't get high, what am I going to do with myself?" It's a stupid thought when you're not addicted, but that's literally the very nature of addiction. It's that little voice inside your head that keeps you using it and when you threaten it, it tries to convince you to keep using.
So no, nothing will happen, you will not miss out on anything. If you need to "keep in touch" you can do it. I can't tell you how many times I've been in a conversation with people and they bring up some "event" that happened on social media, like an argument on a neighborhood page or something stupid like that, and I listen and then when they address me, I say "I don't know, I don't use Facebook". They can't process it and it feels SO GOOD I wish I could bottle the feeling of shame that comes from them being confronted about their stupid addiction. They feel weak in my presence.
Loneliness and boredom COMES from your social media addiction, it creates a feeling of isolation and it's like how saccharine tricks your brain into thinking it's getting a reward, but its false and just leaves you wanting the real thing.
Be strong and dump it all in one shot. Don't make a "swan song" goodbye and wait for people to react. Don't say a word. Just dump it, delete all your profiles, and delete it from your life in one silent shot.
Then the world opens up to you.
What do you do with the time that you would have normally spent on Facebook
I try to spend it not looking at a screen, for one thing. I've taken up a few hobbies in the last few years, one of which is a 5 day per week Crossfit regimen. That helped re-adjust my mindset and introduced me to a bunch of new people that I talk to in person.
Another hobby has been working on my conceal carry draw and fire movement. If I need something to do with my hands and attention, I unload my pistol and work on dry fire training.
A lot of the time my social media habit just happened while I was already doing other things, eating, watching TV, working, hanging out with friends/family.. I would be already doing those things and whip out my phone and do some facebooking. It was fairly unusual for me to be doing NOTHING but social media, but picking up something new should be enough.
It's really not as bad as you think, but you gotta make it a clean break. Don't post a swan song that "I'm leaving FB forevaaaaah.." and wait for people to beg you to stay. Just silently nuke your profile.
One of the things that helps the most (especially in COVID days and in keeping up with geographically distant friends) is having long phone calls with close friends. I feel less isolated now than when I was addicted to social media.