Phone Addiction Alternatives (?)
hello! I just joined this site a couple of days ago so I’m not sure how everything works, but I need some advice.
Similar to a lot of young people, I’m addicted to my phone. I use it pretty much all day (especially now since my semester is over for winter break). I use it to watch movies / tv shows, YouTube, twitter + instagram, music, and reading (since the local libraries are closed due to the pandemic). This may sound crazy, but what do people do when they aren’t on the phone? I’m an art student, but even when making art I always have music / a podcast / a video playing in the background. I genuinely do not know what things to do without using my phone, but I’d like to break the addiction cycle. All of my friends from high school have moved away, and my campus hasn’t been open so I haven’t been able to meet any new people yet. I’ve tried to do some research but most of them say “social media is bad, take a short walk instead,” but I use social media to make friends who have similar interests, so what’s the solution? and where’s the line between “letting myself relax and enjoy a show/ movie / youtubers ” and media consumption becoming a problem?
@luciolles
Hi there! I can relate somewhat to the phone addiction. I like to engage myself in art as well and I spend hours online looking for a reference. I do understand how helpful these items can be but you can try to challenge yourself spending 15 mins less on phone than the day before (you can check out the screen time on your phone). You can try activities which don't need a phone or tv to be held, maybe reading a book, taking care of a plant or an animal, cooking or whatever activity you feel would be enjoyable for you.
@luciolles
Hey, your situation really isn't an easy one - Do you think you'd also be addicted to just listening to music or audiobooks? If no, then here an example of what you could do: you could consistently avoid on your phone except those two distractions. allow yourself to check Whatsapp only once a day in the morning for 20 minutes and that is it. No reading articles, no social media, no Youtube, none of these things that are, as you might know, designed to keep you hooked. If you have strong urges for your phone, you have to make concrete plans what to do when an urge hits you - best have a routine going on (it will take time for you to find a realistic routine, just keep adjusting) that involves activites like self-care, stretching, reading (in case you dont get addicited to that), baking weird healthy cooking, meal-prepping, anything that isnt online. If you've sucessfully stopped being on your phone for 2-3 months, and you're still bored or confused what you should be doing with all your free time, esp once you have semester break again, then your issue is probably not so much phone addiction but just genuine boredom. In that case, you gotta find a whole new job/hobby, something that really gets you excited. But I think most people are still searching for that thing, so just keep trying out different things and keeping an open mind, you ll find it eventually.
Hello, I was once continuously checking Facebook, till I notice it was a distraction. I deleted my account for two years now.