#social media addiction detox

[fitgothgirl]

I am, as I’ve often been, torn about my internet usage. I do love things about tumblr of course, but one thing I’ve been thinking about is this urge to scroll. Even when I’m not really in the mood for tumblr or hardly paying attention, I just physically crave scrolling. This'll continue even when I’m caught up on posts; I’ll go to reddit or the news to keep scrolling somewhere and that’s even worse lol. I know FOMO is a part of it for sure, but I also feel like I’m searching for something... I guess just distraction, entertainment, anything to get that dopamine hit one gets when scrolling upon something that sparks interest in any way (even negatively). But I’m not thinking about that stuff in the moment really, or even if I am, the urge of “well, I’m just going to go check real quick...” seems so harmless and logical, regardless of how recently I’ve checked or other things I need/want to be doing.

I always think about what if the time I spent online each day was spent reading instead; I’d actually be the bookworm I envision myself to be! Or even just life in general - so many things could be different. Hell, even if I just switched my internet time to TV/movie time, I’d be enjoying tons of shows/movies I’ve always wanted to watch that have been on a perennial list. I wish it were that simple though.

#ADHD doesn't help! #mine #internet addiction #internet detox #internet break #social media addiction #social media detox #social media break #doom scrolling #doomscrolling #addicted to scrolling #scrolling addiction

[eififah]

Mark Zuckerberg doesn’t like your scrolling habits: Social media is for ‘building relationships,’ not just consuming content, that Facebook and Instagram are “addictive” and harmful Yup..., Bakalan tepat ditangan orang yang tepat, tapi keknya bukan gw deh, gw kadang suka adiktif aja sama medsos

Bbye Facebook. Bbye Twitter, and 20 Days Again Bbye Instagram ^^ “The one who follows the crowd will usually get no further than the crowd. The one who walks alone, is likely to find himself in places no one has ever been.” – Albert Einstein. ^^

"The hardest struggle of all is to be something different from what the average man is. I don't believe in 'super-men,' for the world is full of capable men, but it's the fellow with determination that wins out." - Charles M. Schwab. ^^

#tumblr diary #100 days of productivity #self improvement #dopamine #dopamine detox #productivity #mark zuckerberg #albert einstein #meditate #mindfulness #addictive #be different #social media #struggle #mental health #stress #therapy #peace #peaceful #digital detox #detox #pinterest

[documentinghumanity]

Dangers of Social Media: The Link to Sadness and Depression

Social media, designed as a platform for connection, has become an inseparable part of our lives. We scroll, we like, we comment, we share. Yet, beneath the surface of memes and status updates lies a more complex web of emotions, including spikes in dopamine, our brain's reward chemical. But when these dopamine spikes fade, many users are left feeling emptier than before, and in some cases, this spirals into feelings of sadness and depression.

Understanding the Dopamine Effect

Dopamine is often referred to as the "feel good" neurotransmitter. It's released during pleasurable situations, stimulating feelings of pleasure and reward. With every like, comment, or share, dopamine is released, making the experience of using social media inherently rewarding. This is similar to the gratification felt when eating a delicious meal, receiving a compliment, or even gambling. Over time, our brains begin to seek out these frequent dopamine spikes, creating an addictive loop.

The Downward Spiral

The problem arises when the initial euphoria from these dopamine spikes starts to wane. The highs are soon replaced with lows. As we continue to engage on platforms that offer selective highlights of people's lives, the inevitable comparison begins. This “compare and despair” effect can lead to feelings of inadequacy, envy, and low self-esteem. After all, everyone else seems happier, more successful, and more fulfilled, right?

Moreover, the quality of our connections on these platforms can sometimes feel shallow. The genuine, deep connections we, as humans, require for emotional health can't be replaced by virtual thumbs-ups or heart emojis.

Breaking Free from the Dopamine Loop

So, how do we break free from this cycle and use social media healthily?

Digital Detox: Start with a short digital detox. It can be as brief as a weekend or as long as a month. Use this time to engage in activities that nourish your mind and body, like reading, exercising, or spending quality time with loved ones.

Set Time Limits: Once you reintroduce social media, establish boundaries. Set specific times of the day when you'll check your apps, and limit the total time you spend scrolling.

Turn Off Notifications: Each ping can be a distraction and a pull back into the dopamine loop. By turning off non-essential notifications, you can decide when to engage, rather than being at the beck and call of every update.

Curate Your Feed: Follow pages, accounts, or groups that uplift you, inspire you, or truly resonate with your interests. Unfollow or mute accounts that make you feel anxious, inadequate, or negative.

Engage Mindfully: Instead of mindlessly scrolling, engage with intention. Comment genuinely on posts, message friends to catch up, and remember that it's okay not to document every moment.

Seek Genuine Connection: Remember, human connection is vital. Instead of texting or commenting, perhaps make a call or meet up in person. Real-world interactions provide emotional depth that online platforms can't match.

Remember Real Life: It's essential to understand that social media showcases selective realities. People often share their highlights, not their everyday struggles. Recognizing this can reduce feelings of inadequacy.

Seek Help if Needed: If you find that your social media use is negatively impacting your mental well-being, don't hesitate to seek professional guidance. A therapist or counselor can offer coping strategies and insights tailored to you.

In conclusion, while social media has its perks, it's crucial to recognize its potential pitfalls. By understanding the dopamine-driven highs and lows it can introduce, we can navigate these platforms more healthily, ensuring they enhance our lives rather than detract from our well-being.

#social media dangers #dopamine effects #digital detox #mental health #compare and despair #online comparison #setting boundaries online #genuine connection #social media addiction #curating social feeds #mindful engagement #real-life vs online #seeking therapy #emotional wellbeing #social media and depression

[vinnyandthephenomena]

i do think staying off the internet would be beneficial to my mental health (i will not do that)

#I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR ME #but i’m too social media addicted #dies #detox

[sweet-nothing26]

👆 This user is in desperate need of a dopamine detox

#social media break #dopamine detox #social media addiction #addiction #Digital addiction #attention span #tiktok

[selfhealingmoments]

Social media is a demon in disguise and I personally believe it does more harm than good. The hours I have spent mindlessly scrolling through Instagram stalking random accounts, staying up till 3 AM, laughing at the same memes over and over again, refreshing my feed every 10 seconds and literally opening the application every time I was bored or my hands were free. Keep reading.

#social media #negative #negativity #hopeless #helpless #frustration #jealousy #addictive #addiction #mental health #instagram #social media detox #detox #therapy

[minimalistdigitalism]

"Slot machines leverage this psychological weakness to incredible effect. The unpredictability of the payout makes it harder to stop. Social media does the same. Posting on Twitter might yield a big social payoff, in the form of likes, retweets, and replies. Or it might yield no reward at all. Never knowing the outcome makes it harder to stop pulling the lever. Intermittent variable reinforcement is a defining feature of not only gambling and addiction but also, tellingly, abusive relationships. Abusers veer unpredictability between kindness and cruelty, punishing partners for behaviors that they had previously rewarded with affection. This can lead to something called trauma bonding. The victimized partner finds herself compulsively seeking a positive response, like a gambler feeding a slot machine, or a Facebook addict unable to log off from the platform — even if, for many, it only makes them lonelier."

- Max Fisher, The Chaos Machine: the Inside Story of How Social Media Rewired Our Minds and Our World

#books #quotes #minds #addiction #slot machines #gambling #the chaos machine #book quotes #digital minimalism #delete social media #go offline #social media #digital detox #offline #tiktok #twitter #Facebook #meta #read this book #recommended reading #psychology

[pinkdreamblossom]

Easing into a dopamine detox.

A few days ago I deleted Instagram, reddit and Pinterest apps from my phone.

Pinterest got redownloaded so I could curate a style board, but it's getting deleted again and if I must go on there I'll use my laptop.

I've noticed in the absence of these things, Tumblr and youtube have replaced them in taking up my screen time. I'm gonna delete YouTubes app but keep Tumblr for now..

#dopamine detox #social media #addiction #mentall health

[thecheeseofjimscommand]

Day 3, 7:57 PM, Entry 9

Detoxing from social media has proven to be quite difficult, but it also gives me an opportunity to talk about addiction in general. I’m currently giving it my all to abstain from the things I wish to be free of. Every addiction opens with the guise of being an escape and then, insidiously and slowly, it creeps into every corner of your life. Everything gradually becomes a reason to tend to your addiction. The first step in beating an addiction is realizing you have a problem. Once that’s done, it may be a bit embarrassing or painful; but it really saves you in the long run. Many unfortunate souls turn to addictive things because of a dark period in their lives and, even after its over; life still seems dark without whatever you’re forcibly attached to. Take uhhhhhh... Alcohol! Alcohol for example. Having a rubbish few months yeah? Down a bottle or two and feel better for a bit. But things don’t really get better. If you were to keep turning to your addiction, you’ll never actually get rid of what made you turn to it in the first place. If you can break free of that, you can work towards fixing what’s causing misery in healthier ways. Tidy your room and have yourself a good glass of water! Sure, it’ll feel unnatural at first and you might stumble a bit on your way to joy, but no truly great things were done by simply waiting. Unless you’re just totally enthralled by hour glasses. Then do what makes you happy. Unless it’s ruining your life like whatever your addiction may be. And remember, you’re not alone out there . Absolute legions of help centers and friendly individuals would be more than willing to lend a hand.

Edit 8:17: I actually opened two social media platforms while writing this, but still take my word.

#social media detox #addiction #addict #recovery #declutter #addiction recovery #rehab #alcohol recovery

[fitgothgirl]

Aight, I have officially spent money on a program to block websites from myself, either just at certain scheduled times or indefinitely. I haven’t been super active on this tumblr lately (sorry! I do miss you guys!), but my internet usage is still a problem overall. Lately it’s been focused on doom-scrolling the news and *gulp* comment sections...

I’ve tried free services before but they’re always lacking in some area. But I just paid for Freedom which is “$3.33 a month” but you pay $39.99 at once for the year (or you can pay $6.99 to really just be monthly, or pay like $100 for have it forever). It’s a program downloaded to my computer, not a browser extension, and I have an app downloaded on my phone too, so it’s spread across devices and browsers, and will work on both apps and websites.

It’s going to block basically any kind of site that’s news, social media, entertainment, etc., during my workday as well as at bedtime, which I’ve set for midnight for now; that may seem a bit late but I don’t need to wake up until 9AM, and I may make that more conservative as I feel out the program and see if any issues come up. I almost was going to just do a whitelist and block everything besides the whitelist during my workday, but that got too messed up with trying to add all the sites I use for work. But still, almost everything will be blocked from 9AM to 4PM. I’m technically off at 4:30, but the end of my day is usually really chill so even 4PM is fairly conservative. But having this program is only partially about being productive with work, it’s mostly about the bad habit of distractions and doom-scrolling.

Still feeling it out but seems to be great for my needs so far! I love it when I try to go to the site I usually doom-scroll on and it gives me a page that says “you are free of this site” and like, that’s literally how I feel. My muscle memory just types in the site but I hate going there and how it makes me feel, but that dopamine response is powerful (even for negative things). I really just want to be free of this kind of shit. 

#mine #freedom app #social media #social media addiction #social media detox #internet detox #internet addiction #productivity #productive #focus #stay focused

[drgarywood]

Digital Detox: Decluttering Your Digital Life (Spring into Spring, Part 5)

Taking a step back In today’s fast-paced, technology-driven world, digital devices often consume much of our time and attention. Ironically, in this age of constant connectivity, we often feel overwhelmed and disconnected. And taking a step back from our digital devices can feel like a radical act of self-care. In this ‘Spring into Spring’ series, so far, we have covered the classic Spring…

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#digital detox #digital wellbeing #dr gary wood #find a life coach #internet addiction #social media addiction #spring into spring #stress reduction #work life balance

[luxuryrehabfinder0]

#rehab #rehabilitation #alcohol detox #rehab center #best rehab center in india #alcohol de addiction centers in india #alcohol rehab #addiction rehab #drug rehab #best detox center in india #best rehab center in delhi #detox center #drug detox #detoxification #digital detox #social media detox #wellness #healthylifestyle #detox

[ucaism]

Sejenak Pentingnya Detox smartphone

Halo, perkenalkan saya ucai. Saya berasal dari indonesia, saat ini sedang berusaha menemukan cara agar bisa berhenti dari ketergantungan ponsel pintar dan adiksi lainnya yang terdapat didalamnya.

Saya menggunakan ponsel pintar semenjak 2013, ponsel pertama saya yaitu hape lg optimus dengan touch screen yang kecil dan handy. Saya termasuk pengguna aktif sosial media dari facebook, twitter, instagram dan aplikasi lainnya pada kala itu dan ketertarikan saya menjelajahi dunia lewat internet.

Saking menikmatinya hiburan internet dan bisa berinteraksi dengan orang diluar kota dan diluar negeri. Perbedaan waktu dan wilayah seolah tidak menjadi penghalang untuk saling mengenal dan bertukar kabar dan informasi. Tahu akan segala hal yang terjadi di dunia internasional dan dalam negeri, politik, berita, keuangan, showbizz, perfilman, budaya, bahasa, makanan, kesehatan, dan masih banyak hal yang lainnya.

Namun seiring waktu pula, saya merasakan ada hal yang berbeda yang saya alami. Dari mulai kecanduan, adiksi, cemas, serta ketakutan-ketakutan sendiri diakibatkan ponsel pintar. Cemas yang muncul ketika berada jauh dari ponsel pintar. Cemas karena hiburan-hiburan yang kita peroleh secara instan melalui sosial media platform tergantikan dengam hiburan dunia nyata. Seperti hadir dan menikmati segala aktifitas yang kita lakukan.

Distraksi notifikasi aplikasi akun sosial media, berkabar lewat udara dan perhatian saya teralihkan dan tertuju pada bunyi notifikasi ponsel pintar saya.

Karena dengan kemudahan dan kehadiran ponsel pintar selain memang membantu akses manusia, dimana mendekatkan interaksi sosial manusia yang jauh dan menjauhkan interaksi sosial yang dekat.

Gangguan yang nyata di zaman sekarang adalah karena kita menggantungkan kebutuhan dan kebahagiaam kita pada ponsel pintar.

Seperti dilansir berbagai penelitian dan website, munculnya anxiety, adiksi gadget dan ponsel pintar, meningkatnya isu kesehatan mental pada anak-anak, remaja dan dewasa. Nomophobia dimana dikatakan cemasnya seseorang saat berada jauh dari ponsel pintarnya. Entah itu kekhawatiran oranglain akan menanyakan kabar kita, atau kita khawatir terhadap tidak updatenya serta kehilangan informasi dan berita-berita up to date lainnya.

Fomo (Fear Of Missing Out) dimana ketakutan akan kehilangan kabar berita dari teman dan lainnya entah itu scrolling social media dan kabar terbaru dari siapapun yang kita ikuti di berbagai platform social media.

Candu, Adiksi dan lainnya ini menjadi gangguan nyata yang saya hadapi. Oleh karena itu, saya berfikir untuk perlu memperhatikan kesehatan mental dan hal lainnya terkait ketergantungan saya akan ponsel pintar. Waktu yang saya habiskan serta perhatian nyata yang saya bisa alihkan dari dunia internet kepada dunia yang saya sedang hadapi saat ini. Mengembalikan kesadaran secara penuh fikiran,perasaan dan hal-hal yang bisa saya kendalikan kepada hal-hal yang nyata dan berjangkar pada anggota tubuh saya.

Menghadirkan secara penuh jiwa, fikiran dan hati pada momen saat ini, detik ini dan sekarang. Sehingga fikiran tidak terbang menjelajah ke hal-hal diluar kendali saya.

Langkah yang saya akan lakukan selama detox smartphone adalah dengan berpindah ke ponsel nokia lama saya, yang hanya bisa dipakia untuk sms dan telepon setikdanya saya masih bisa berkomunikasi.

Adapun terkait dengan projek atau email yang saya masih gunakan serta whatsapp atau lainnya saya bisa pergi ke warung internet seminggu sekali untuk sekedar membuka pesan dan membalas email yang masuk serta mengecek hal lainnya yang ada erat kaitannya dengan pekerjaan atau jika ada hal yang urgent, maka pilihannya adalah meminjam hape ibu saya terkait hal-hal penting lainnya yang saat itu diperlukan.

Hiburan seperti scrolling social media bisa saya alihkan kepada hal lainnya seperti mengali keahlian baru lewat kegiatan non internet, seperti pergi ke perpustakaan, bertemu teman dan mengajak main kerumahnya, membaca buku, memasak masakan baru, latihan olahraga lebih sering, belajar bahasa baru, journaling dengan membawa buku catatan dan pensil. Melatih kemampuan baru dan mengevaluasi kebiasaan yang harus diubah atau diperbaiki. Serta bisa terhubung dengan diri dan oranglain secara penuh sadar serta lebih produktif dan tidak cemas lagi.

#detoxsmartphone #detox #smartphone #social media #detoxsocialmedia #addiction #self love #productivity #produktivitas

[writenreflect]

#digital detox #beginners #phone usage #self improvement #phone addiction #social media addiction

[theartofquirk]

Recently, instead of zoning out on social media, I’ve had this web cam of a waterhole in the Namib desert on in the background. It’s helped me cut my social media use drastically. And it’s fun.

#social media addiction #digital detox #relaxation #relax aesthetic #namibia #oryx #hello there #less stress

[ceo-of-men]

Social Media Addiction: The New Addiction

Social media addiction is a growing concern in our digital society, impacting the mental and emotional well-being of many individuals. Understanding the symptoms and taking proactive steps to reduce and cure social media addiction.

Photo by Oladimeji Ajegbile on Pexels.com In today’s digital age, social media has become an integral part of our lives, offering endless opportunities for communication, networking, and entertainment. However, for some individuals, what begins as innocent scrolling and sharing can quickly turn into a compulsive habit, leading to social media addiction. Many phycologists estimate that around 5…

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#addiction #dopamine detox #instagram #Mental Health #social media