Are you addicted to social media?

Thoughts_Arrive

I am.

I spend all night and most of the day on my phone or laptop.

It's quite sad.

Struggling to break my addiction and it's getting in the way of doing other things like reading a book, watching television, doing something creative like painting and guitar playing.

CROJAM95

It’s not your fault, I watched 60 minutes a few months ago and this guy who left Silicon Valley pretty much says we are all being trained like lab rats

which isn’t a big secret, but to hear him say it was disturbing 

Thoughts_Arrive

Interesting article

https://www.theage.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/she-threw-her-iphone-out-the-window-and-has-never-been-happier-20190917-p52s2c.html

"We are lured into staying online longer by the autoplay feature on Netflix and YouTube videos, the ‘Likes’ we repeatedly return to Instagram and Facebook to check and the compelling way Twitter reloads when we pull-down the screen, a feature that has no technical purpose other than to keep people pulling the handle just like they do on slot machines, where the idea originated.

“Addiction to technology involves the neurochemical dopamine being released,” explains psychologist, Marny Lishman. “Dopamine is responsible for the positive 'hit' we get when we get a 'like', get a positive comment on a post or if a notification ping goes off. Much like drugs, sugar and other addictions, it’s the same feeling that arises as we are being rewarded for our behaviour. The more we feel it, the more we want it (dependence) ..."

Gern Blansten

My wife and I get in fights over our phones.  It drives me nuts when we decide to watch a movie or a show at home and she's got that phone in her face.  I admit to having mine in my face too much but she just can't put that fucker down.

Merkin Baller

I've been deleting Twitter from my phone for my work days, as I've been spending too much time on it.

The funny thing is, when I go home at night and download the app & catch up on what i missed, I don't find that I've missed much of anything, and it's easier to stay off it for the night.

The more I'm on it, the more I want to be on it, but the less I'm on it, the easier it is to stay off... weird, right?

I don't want to quit entirely, as I do get a lot of enjoyment out of it, but it can definitely be problematic.

Luckily it's my only social media vice, I think FB is garbage, I never got into Instagram and Reddit is as much a cesspool as twitter, if not worse, so I'm not too worried about getting sucked into that.

Gern Blansten

I probably use FB more than twitter but I have unfollowed anyone on my friends list that posts frequently so most of my feed is news (and ads now unfortunately).

I love twitter for news....I mostly just follow news feeds and journalists.  

I'll get on instagram every once in awhile but I rarely post anything.  When I do post pictures though it is generally to Insta because I don't like sharing much on FB.  

Part of my obsession with social media is breaking news.  I just always feel like I'm missing something.  Like I'm going to put my phone down for an hour and pick it up to find tRump resigned or something great like that.

Merkin Baller

Gern Blansten said:

I probably use FB more than twitter but I have unfollowed anyone on my friends list that posts frequently so most of my feed is news (and ads now unfortunately).

I love twitter for news....I mostly just follow news feeds and journalists.  

I'll get on instagram every once in awhile but I rarely post anything.  When I do post pictures though it is generally to Insta because I don't like sharing much on FB.  

Part of my obsession with social media is breaking news.  I just always feel like I'm missing something.  Like I'm going to put my phone down for an hour and pick it up to find tRump resigned or something great like that.

I hear you... if I hadn't been on Twitter within minutes of the Temple of the Dog tour announcement in 2016, I almost certainly wouldn't have scored tickets through the presale, as I didn't get my Cornell email until that night... if that won't instill the fear of missing out, I don't know what will.

Thoughts_Arrive

I only post my artwork on Instagram. I check other people's posts often.

Part of wanting to keep Facebook is to post my artwork there in artists groups I'm in

Thoughts_Arrive

And yes, I too keep checking news pages

Merkin Baller

I keep my facebook account active, as it's the best way to keep in touch with family overseas, but I don't keep it on my phone, I only pull it up once a month or so to check notifications.

The ads, and what's even worse, 'Facebook TV' are awful... I checked FB Tv's feed for me once, and a Charlie Kirk video was the second video queued up... nothing about my profile would suggest that I would be interested in anything he has to say, so why would they spoon feed that stuff to me?

It's creepy AF, and even more concerning.

Thoughts_Arrive

It's 12:22am and I am still on Facebook.

I hate irrelevant ads, they drive me mad.

I'm thinking of deleting it from my phone and limiting my use to when I am on my laptop

F Me In The Brain

Unchop some fucking wood.
Delete the apps and go outside.
Dump your phone in the toilet.
Walk around.
Feel the grass between your toes.  (Be reminded to cut your toenails.)
Life is good, yes/no?

Sorry, had to get Chadwickian there.

lastexitlondon

No i am not  and its for the best. I dont use any. And im proud of it

lastexitlondon

F Me In The Brain said:

Unchop some fucking wood.
Delete the apps and go outside.
Dump your phone in the toilet.
Walk around.
Feel the grass between your toes.  (Be reminded to cut your toenails.)
Life is good, yes/no?

Sorry, had to get Chadwickian there.

This haha

Gern Blansten

I grew up in Darke County Ohio.  There is an FB group called "Busted in Darke County" that is pure comedy gold.

My old hometown has about 25,000 residents.  Drugs (meth, heroin, etc.) are prevalent and the admin of this group posts about everyone who gets taken to jail.  She will post mugshot, offense, etc.  Many times the family members, friends or the perp themselves will get on the FB post and argue with other posters.

Great stuff.  I can't tell you how many times I've seen old high school classmates on there.  Unreal.

bootlegger10

The PJ board is my only social media that I post on.  I don't have Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc....  None of our lives are important enough to document on the internet but I get how it must be nice to keep in touch with family and friends that are not local.   I just pick up the phone every once in a while.   I'm not the norm though.  

I do check my Ebay account for feedback updates often so that is like "likes" on a post I guess.  And I'm visiting this site all the time. 

HesCalledDyer

I turn off notifications on all my apps except calls, texts, & sports scores, and also turn off auto-play on Youtube. It makes walking away much easier and it's less tempting to check things so often.

bootlegger10

HesCalledDyer said:

I turn off notifications on all my apps except calls, texts, & sports scores, and also turn off auto-play on Youtube. It makes walking away much easier and it's less tempting to check things so often.

turned off email alerts.  that was huge.

MayDay10

I was teetering a few years ago, but snapped it for the most part.  I still stalk on facebook, but post like 1x every 4-6 months or so.... other than a couple private groups where I participate every now and then.  Never got into twitter.  I post here and a couple forums, but not a wild amount of posts/day.

I would like to cut down even more though.  

HesCalledDyer

bootlegger10 said:

HesCalledDyer said:

I turn off notifications on all my apps except calls, texts, & sports scores, and also turn off auto-play on Youtube. It makes walking away much easier and it's less tempting to check things so often.

turned off email alerts.  that was huge.

Yep, I only use the icon badge for email and even that's annoying because it makes me want to open & clear it out.  I should probably just turn off email on my phone all together.  I never even look at most of it, just goes straight to the trash.  And GMail is the fucking worst!  Every god damn iteration of my name, I get ALL the emails.  (e.g. mine is "c.a.dyer@" but I'll get emails for cadyer, c-a-dyer, c.adyer, cady.er, etc because 15 years later Google still can't figure out how to differentiate character registers.)

Indifference71

I definitely spend way too much time on Twitter.  Probably too much time on Instagram as well. I did deactivate facebook like 6 years ago...that place is an absolute cesspool.

eeriepadave

just facebook

JPPJ84

Not necessarily social media, apart from this board (haven’t used fb in ages, no twitter or instagram) but I’m definitely on my phone too much. 

markymark550

I could do without Facebook, but I do love Instagram. I really don't care for people that overshare, and it seems that is mainly Facebook for me. There are some on Instagram that could share less, but it's not as bad as Facebook. I don't mind spending 20 minutes or so on Instagram looking at the suggested posts. I have Twitter, but don't really use it all that much.

Spiritual_Chaos

No.

But internetforums and wikipedia. I'm a trivia/knowledge junkie.

Gonna try to exchange it for watching more movies and reading books. Maybe cuddle with cats.

PJ_Soul

I'm not. I use it a fair bit, and I do admit to getting lost in Facebook for pretty long stretches during my own alone time when I have nothing better to do (I especially love the animal videos, like strays that were rescued, funny clips, etc, lol). But I am never ever even remotely tempted to take it out when I'm in the company of other people, no matter what the circumstances are, and I basically never even resort to it when I'm waiting in line and things like that either. I guess I just don't think of it as something that should be done in public or around other people. I would assume that means I'm not addicted? Nobody has or ever will have to say something like "put your damned phone away" to me. That said, I have noticed that I have trouble focusing on the TV without doing something with my phone... although it more often games that I'm distracted by, not social media. I guess it helps that the only social media I'm on is FB and this forum.

brianlux

Only sometimes when I am home, especially late at night. 

But when I leave home, I'm free of it because I have no smart phone- I refuse to get one.  I don't want to be locked in that often, so getting out of the house gets me off the computer, out of the loop, into the real world so-to-speak. 

PureandEasy

Reading news online is not social media.  I am totally not addicted.  I come here once in a while, check FB maybe once a month, if that.  I watched a program the other night on A&E about Digital Addiction, it included a story on a young 17 year old young boy addicted to video games and a woman I believe around 40 years old addicted to social media.  They were both abhorrent people before they got help.  They got help through rehab.  Digital rehab is as much needed as drug/alcohol rehab.  

The boy was so violent, he had abused his younger sister, his parents, they were afraid of him. He threatened to kill his family.   He was totally out of control.  

The woman lost her husband, her home, her children.

It was mind blowing.  They both received help and seemed to be on the road to recovery. Before that, they were despicable human beings.  

Thoughts_Arrive

HesCalledDyer said:

bootlegger10 said:

HesCalledDyer said:

I turn off notifications on all my apps except calls, texts, & sports scores, and also turn off auto-play on Youtube. It makes walking away much easier and it's less tempting to check things so often.

turned off email alerts.  that was huge.

Yep, I only use the icon badge for email and even that's annoying because it makes me want to open & clear it out.  I should probably just turn off email on my phone all together.  I never even look at most of it, just goes straight to the trash.  And GMail is the fucking worst!  Every god damn iteration of my name, I get ALL the emails.  (e.g. mine is "c.a.dyer@" but I'll get emails for cadyer, c-a-dyer, c.adyer, cady.er, etc because 15 years later Google still can't figure out how to differentiate character registers.)

I have the same problem.

I used to reply to say that the email was sent to the wrong address. Now I just delete.

goldrush

I probably spend way too much time online. Hell I’m posting here right now when I should be working.

I like Instagram and do I post every now and then, but I have never posted a photo of myself or my son. I tolerate FB because it keeps me in touch with friends and family on the other side of the world. But FB is a toxic place most of the time so I’ve cut back on a lot of stuff I used to follow. I think I still have a Twitter account but I’ve never posted and I’ve got no idea of the log in details anymore.

Thoughts_Arrive

The racist and homophobic comments on Facebook bring me down.