Here's the thing y'all.

Earlier today I woke up, brushed my teeth, ate some breakfast and went for a walk. Then I mowed the lawn. Productive start, right?

Then I just fell right back to doomscrolling.

Basically if your day is not filled with other things to do, it's far too likely you'll just fall right back in to this habit.

I decided to quit social media because I realized how much time I was spending on these apps (specifically TikTok).Every day when I wake up, the first thing I do is grab my phone. It’s become a never-ending cycle that doesn’t stop. I find myself hooked on the content TikTok provides, especially the endless entertainment makes the app addictive. It kept me from feeling bored, not having friends, feeling lonely every day, and ADHD (yes, I’m medically diagnosed).

TikTok was my only solution. Before that, Discord had already taken up so much of my life. I finally deleted it after five years of being groomed, blocked, ghosted, bullied, receiving death threats, being attacked, called racist slurs, traumatizing images, and many worse stuff.

Now, I feel like TikTok is the next chapter I need to close. As for Reddit and YouTube, I rarely use them, and they don’t feel as addictive I mostly use them for information rather than constant scrolling.

I’m not addicted to social media. I only have accounts because career mentors told me to. It’s a work tool. It actually helps me. I use it when work demands engagement.¹

That doesn’t make me productive or mentally stable. I’ve had depressive episodes and suicidal ideation² my whole life, with or without social media. I also had happy periods, again, with or without social media.³

So what is my problem?

Pervasive internet use, the classic kind. The browser, not apps. The open web, random searches, Wikipedia spirals, chasing thoughts down rabbit holes, researching trivialities.

Also, YouTube. Most of the time, I’m reading comments instead of watching the video. For the record:

(1) On mobile, I don’t use the official app, I use NewPipe and PipePipe; if they're down, I use the browser + uBlock Origin in incognito mode.

(2) On desktop, a dummy account to shape recommendations ("building the algorithm" for what I like) or browsing incognito, so I always have to manually search what I want.

Here's the trap: "useful uselessness." I do learn things, for instance, home repair, organisation, random facts I carry for life, but it’s always unfocused.

Here's and example of what I mean by unfocused: every month, a new book trends on YouTube. Do I read it? No, but I want to. I watch videos that implement the "book’s system." The shit part? It works well enough to keep me hooked. However, if I, indeed, do read the book, I stop chasing those videos. Why? Because most of them are wrong. I'm bot saying this in an arrogant way, it's more like: "What is this person even talking about? That’s not what the book says. They’re just saying this for clickbait." That’s especially true with pop-psych books. If I spent two focused hours reading the book, I’d gain more depth and clarity (I do that occasionally, so I know this effect).

The ambiguity: sometimes this habit backfires usefully. I’ve learned Spanish and French by forcing myself to consume media in those languages. But other times, I end up watching an ASMR video, thinking about nothing.

I've even tried replacing this habit with meditation. For months, I meditated 1–1.5 hours daily: still depressed, surfing the web for hours (now with more awareness).

I waste time on other sites too (Reddit, occasionally) but the specific website doesn’t matter. I’m just searching whatever.

I've used greyscale mode on mobile, blocked nearly all entertainment sites on my network, but it didn’t help. Some sites were essential (communication, job info), and honestly, I wasn’t even using most of them. When I’m working, I am the one distracting myself, not the tech.

I use paper notebooks. I journal. I track habits. I brain dump. I work out. I study. I have friends. I am organised. I have an analogue and digital system, I am productive but I still lose hours of sleep and sanity to this habit. So it’s not social media (at least not in the popular sense), it’s me vs myself.⁴

I’ve been dealing with this for years, but there’s little discussion about it, or maybe I just can’t find it (which is ironic). Most discourse focuses on social media or obvious dopamine traps. This kind of compulsive searching, however, is often seen as "disciplined" or "studious" from the outside, or something that only nerds do anyway, so most people don't care and it flies under the radar because it gives the impression of "Wow, you’re so focused and knowledgeable." Yes, and it helps my job, but that doesn’t mean the negative side isn’t there.

I don't really have much advice do give here, but two things helped:

1. Having good friends, so you never feel alone, because this is a lonely habit, it's not like drinking or smoking, which you can do socially);

2. A sane, small to-do list. Why? Because it's small enough to actually be finished, so, after it's done, I can end the day. This kills the "I can do more" spiral, it lets me wander guilt-free. Doesn’t stop the habit, but kills the shame.

1. That doesn't mean I don't stray away and doomscroll sometimes, I do, but it's like 30~60minutes every other week, maximum; also, my algorithm is great: I only see posts related to my career. I treat those apps like they're radioactive stuff, so I feel like I'm wearing a hazmat suit every time I open them.

2. This is an adult topic, so, there it goes the bad words: suicide, kill myself, depression. We're not on TikTok, trying to censor th0s3 w0rd5 is pointless.

3. Do not misunderstand: I am not saying "social media is harmless" by using myself as an example. I am simply describing my situation, which may help other people in a similar situation.

4. Also, most of the popular advice isn't applicable to me, like "put your phone in aeroplane mode", "in another room" or "in a drawer", because most of the times I need my phone to work, so, even though it distracts me, it's a work tool. I dedicate specific moments to answer messages I received, with the exception of my family, which I put special notifications so I can respond immediately (yes, it is needed).

they have shit like iphone 14 16 15 or other high end samsungs yet they strictly use it for calling only it is just insane .

You wake up in the morning. Pick up your phone. Check your notifications.

3 texts.

Check your email.

Open up Instagram, scroll through stories. Then scroll through new posts. Like, like, like, comment "lol"

Close instagram, open up an internet browser. Check the news, sports, Reddit.

Close the internet browser. Open up Youtube. Watch a video that pops up on your homepage.

Watch another video. Watch one more video.

Close Youtube. Open up Messenger. No new messages.

Close Messenger.

Open email. Respond to an email or two.

Close email. Open up your texts. Respond to a couple texts and group chats.

Close your texts. Look at the clock. An hour has passed. Still lying in bed.

Turn on Spotify and play a podcast.

Check Reddit. Browse your favorite subreddits.

Go to work, check your phone every 5-10 minutes for the next 8-10 hours, check your work email every time it pings.

Play youtube or a podcast in the background.

Go home, turn on Netflix, Youtube, cable television, Hulu, HBO Max, Amazon Prime, Disney+

Open up your laptop, surf the internet.

Open Youtube, watch a couple videos. One more video, then I'll be productive. One more video, then one more video.

Open your smartphone. Open Instagram. Scroll through stories and posts. Open up Reddit, scroll.

Bored of watching TV, turn off Netflix, and turn on your PS4, Xbox, Switch or PC to game.

Play video games, binge watch TV shows, movies in the background, scroll the internet, check TikTok, Instagram, Messenger, texts, email, news, sports, fashion, art, memes, Reddit.

Set your alarm and go to sleep.

Wake up and do this again tomorrow.

Do this every day, every week, every month, every year, every decade for the rest of your life.

UPDATE: This app Stopsocial changed my life thank you for whichever community member suggested it to me! I am the happiest person ive ever been in a long time.

We are such nice little attention slaves, gotta keep watching those ads. Bet the investors love it.

Not even sure how to caption this or even begin to explain my situation but back in 2023 I had experienced a sudden change in perception. I don't know why I am posting this on reddit but I just want to tell someone.

Now how I had noticed this 'change', today I can name it but back then it was just very confusing, everyday things began to feel more gratifying for me, my 'pleasure response' had shifted in a weird way and just experiencing things began to 'feel more real' to me, more real than ever before. Just participating in the world around me, looking at stuff, people, listening to them, doing things, even going through my chores, like cleaning up etc, it all started to feel better.

Now this weirded me out obviously as I had not started doing anything differently. This resulted in me doing more things, going out of my way to do things, I grow bored more quickly and it seems like my expectations since then had risen.

When I was younger I could spend hours just scrolling through youtube or reddit or later instagram. Now I was still doing that in 2023, I remember laying on a couch going through instagram reels and suddenly just growing distasteful. I did not understand what was wrong so I switched to youtube scrolling but I could not keep up with it for a long time. My last choice was reddit which I had been addicted to for about three years then and even after this I struggled to quit it cold turkey (sometimes when I eat I still scroll through) but the difference was that I began to actively dislike it.

Like back during covid when I discovered reddit I thought it was the best place ever, I spent so much time here, my summer of 2023, I had worked a part-time job in a shop which was empty very often and when there were no customers around I would take out my phone and scroll through reddit- for days that was the primary activity. And suddenly I could see how empty the content is, how I am bothered by so many opinions and people on this site. Use of reddit began to feel like a chore for me. Same goes for youtube and instagram. Youtube seems the least offensive to me but I don't really enjoy it.

Now I slowly quit all of these social media apps and suddenly had lot of time free, I began to feel bored as hell, I tried returning back to some of them because it was 'what I used to do' but I could not long term. The boredom turned into misery, I also changed lot of my views regarding my school and some people around me, I began to see more wrong with it, there was an urge to do something within me and I did not know what to do, all I had left was listening to music, walking and I spontaneously got back to drawing which used to be a big hobby for me back in the day.

To make this already long rant shorter I slowly started discovering things to enjoy, books, drawing, walking, more music, doing some physical things like building or working on things, recording videos, movie watching too etc., it was not always easy as those things require an actual effort and my brain was fried from all the time spent passively on internet but as had stopped enjoying it.

Now I don't want to make myself sound like some miracle, saint of internet quitting but there is more to this, I have noticed a shift in my perception and some people around me have noticed a change in my behaviour. It feels like waking up from years of anhedonia or some passive type of depression to something almost like a mania but not that excessive, long-lasting, I don't want to make this sound like a mental disorder. I had been through some real shit two years ago so it is possibly connected to that. But I just know that in the past I would put hobby activities away to scroll the internet while nowadays I grow impatient with the internet and return back to my hobbies and that is just a small chunk of this, just the tip of the iceberg.

What could this had been triggered by, is it possible that traumatic events set it off? Does anyone have a similar experience? I could just let it be and enjoy but I kind of need answers.

Realising how bad heavy social media use is for your own emotional health, do you find it offputting in a potential partner when dating. I feel more and more that I simply cannot gel with women, who spend lots of time on Insta, Tiktok, FB, etc. Also, in the last couple of relationships I had, I noticed the emotional impact of SM use on those people.

What is your take?

According to me. Just my opinion. Only fit for entertainment and no use whatsoever . Deleting it.

But at the end of the day they both must exist in the real world, and no amount of AI chat bots or Occulus headsets with expansive virtual worlds will replace that.

It's like the people who spent their school days shoved in lockers and heads in toilets getting swirlied, now feel so high and mighty because they can congregate with other people who spent their time that way and share inside jokes - but now they're shut-ins, but they get mad that everyone else is discovering their secret club and learning their language.

Meanwhile everyone else is actually just confused and a bit concerned about these people.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orQKfIXMiA8

Screentime has been ineffective for me because I just end of changing the passcode or turning it off.

Opal wouldn't seem effective because can't you just delete the app and that would remove your app restrictions?

Am I not understanding something here?

Too many nights I stay up way too long on Instagram / Reddit / YouTube / chess.com or whatever I can get some dopamine from when (I know) I should be asleep. When that happens, I'm grumpy next day and just have very low motivation for everything next day because I didn't get enough sleep. Worst part is the disappointment in myself because it wasn’t just lack of sleep, it was that I couldn’t put my phone away when I said I would.

I’ve tried Apple Shortcuts, Screen Time limits, and even apps like OneSec to block certain apps. Some of these helped a bit, but I usually end up finding another substitute to scroll.

Curious:
– Has anyone here found an app that actually works for this? Like a proper sleep reminder app and not just blocking apps in general?
– Or a different trick that makes it easier to actually go to bed on time?

Would love to hear what’s worked (or hasn’t worked) for you. Can anyone relate?

Trying to cut down on aimless scrolling but planning my day is all over the place. keep seeing Motion, etc everywhere. what’s actually helping you stay off autopilot?

.

I average 4/5 hours of screen time everyday because I’m always searching for information. Be that Catholic theology, economics or political. I’ve been like this since I was at least 13/14. I’m not the type to watch mindless videos and the videos I watch tend to be historical documentaries and or thinking pieces instead of the latest movies. Aside from maybe the two (2) time I’ve been in a movie theater I can’t name you any other time I’ve seen that’s been watched by the collective majority asides from a few Netflix shows that are mostly Korean.

Stuck or falling asleep on 1984 chapter 8 or can't get past? Read another book The Hobbit with reading King James Bible or try audio books as well.

Another tip to reduce screen time.

When you really start paying attention to how the masses are under mind control from the little rectangle they keep in their pocket, it will scare you.

It's little things like someone next to you in a movie theatre compulsively checking their phone every 20 minutes or a parent crossing the street, pushing a stroller in one hand, phone in the other, looking down, glued to their phone, while crossing a 3 lane road. All it takes is another driver, also distracted, looking at their phone, which I know for a fact has been the result of countless road traffic collisions.

I'm currently in a social media detox with no hopes of going back and I have to say the silence... it's deafening. TikTok was my drug of choice and for my brain to no longer be inundated with meaningless shortform content all the time is a surreal feeling. I have this 24/7 INTENSE FOMO and anxious sensation like I'm missing out on something, but looking back to the hours spent in '25,'24,'23 - all I can think about is how much progress I could've have made in a particular field, in the real world. Learning an instrument, learning a skill, finance, exercising, having a second job, cultivating my relationships, engaging with REAL art, discovering new movies, albums, TV shows, educational documentaries.

Cumulatively, the hours we spend engaged with meaningless shortform content annually should horrify us. That and your inability to focus deeply on a subject.

I’m so tired.

This is literally harder than I thought. True crime has been a thing. I did excessively quit social media where celebs and celeb fans could see me but the CIA probably still attaches private info.

I did see headlines of them and I'm creating it tracking streaks where I start or break streaks of if I go and click links to see certain celebs. So I'm really thankful to write. I did try memorizing verses. I do watch sermons on YouTube and I've been using YouTube lately so I failed. But I don't know tiktok I haven't used too much really. I realized the referral link wasn't even working.

I did post content and BitChute and I don't know. I didn't know the full story of certain things so now my other post seems cringe in a way. I don't know how to quit really.

YouTube seems addicting and I have to resort to writing and drawing and utilizing things for school so far. I have Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug So like 12 months of freedom starts again. I did install ublock origin and went to Pinterest again but I do need to be free and I want to experience at least 9 months of not using social media. I can't keep being hurt by random pplz and I do need to learn how to build a think skin. But it seems my family members use social media and it makes me want to too.

What do I even do on YouTube: watch foods vids, and other stuff. Random stuff. Going to uni takes up time. So I really want to experience a day without YouTube at least or social media which seems easy and the immigrant mindset might help. I literally need to quit Gemini ai and Qwen AI for non school and non work purposes so plz pray for me. I choose to bc I probably told AI too much and they might blackmail all of us if we don't keep quiet and be private. Yet the holy Spirit is stronger and nobody is perfect.

I used reddit too for researching uni things but I realized I never fit in lol no I'm thankful and probably take myself too seriously. Idk how to quit bc I want to create content and warn against ppl. It's not like I'll be quitting going online but I'll spend a majority of my time not being productive.i go back and watch playlist vids. At least the celebs can't see me unless the CIA data mines and tell them. But I guess all the fans won't know.

Maybe me failing leads to other addictions and embarrassments so please pray for me. Anyone have any advice. I can go to audios and website pages to do stuff so I'm not on a specific app. YouTube seems like a baby app in a way like all the apps in a way even the logo but it's just a logo and these apps I've learned so much with. The billionaire class seems fake and sold their solds probably so like they r all prob fallen angels. or it seems easier to me to quit but I do want to share the gospel.

I do uninstall or install YouTube from my page fridays. Hopefully we all create time capsules or portfolios. Idk if the grid is gonna shut down so might as well prepare and find new cool audios. Plus I have to develop skills too. I'll try quitting today for when I'm 24 too then update you guys about things I've learned. So this is my last day today unless reddit is a graded assignment!!! Back to the grind of being a disciple of Christ!!! I guess I can't go to apps and this will be my last time using this apps. I think this takes way more plans and dedication. I heard a ytb person say to right down 10 goals for the next 10 years so I elaborated on them and this will be a new goal too. I want to live without Google calendar and my phone. So building intuitive habits r essential.

And just rely on in person fellowship. The Bible and God with family and friends. And a garden too. With great habits as well. Yet uni takes up a lot of technology but I guess it's not leisure so that's good. So I'm quitting mindlessly scrolling tiktok,YouTube, Instagram, and etc. And I'm going to the actual websites. And preparing to live without my phone, and tracking streaks to share with you all too.and building skills as well. I really want to create more than I consume and if the grid shuts down then so be it. God is sovereign. Idk I love everyone regardless of where you came from or your background, interests and beliefs. See you guys next yr if I'm still alive.

So I’m a sort of a doomscroller (alright, maybe more than a sort of??🙃). You know the drill — I’ll open my phone to check one thing, and before I know it, I’ve fallen down rabbit hole of Instagram or spent an hour on random YouTube shorts.

What really made me pause and think was when I’d pick up my phone for something important (like replying to a message or checking notes for college) and then… 20 minutes later, I’d be scrolling through memes, completely forgetting why I even unlocked my phone in the first place 😭. That realization kinda stung.

So, I began searching for something that could actually help me, cuz alone I was hopeless. That’s when I came across an app called Jolt (iOS only right now).

Here’s what stood out to me after a week of using it:

Clean + simple design → it doesn’t feel cluttered or overwhelming, which I liked, because I didn’t want “yet another app” that makes me waste time.

Detailed stats → this part honestly hit hard. It literally broke down where my time was going, and to see Instagram + YouTube on top (by miles) was… painful but helpful.

Gentle reminders → instead of blasting alarms, it’s more like a subtle nudge: “Do you really want to keep scrolling?” Weirdly effective, because it makes me pause without making me angry at the app.

Customizable limits → I could set my own screen time goals rather than following strict default ones. It felt more flexible and realistic.

Lightweight app → it runs quietly in the background and doesn’t slow down or drain my phone, which I liked.

Mindset change → honestly, just looking at the numbers puts me more on my game. Even when I don’t stick to the limit, I catch myself thinking: “Do I actually want to keep wasting time?”

So… did it work? Weirdly, yeah. I managed to cut down almost an hour of screen time this week without putting in much effort. It wasn't like a complete about-face overnight, but it was enough that I caught myself being more focused and actually getting things done before grabbing my phone.

Not sure how I’ll do long term (sounds more like a “me problem” than an app problem, I suppose), but atleast for now, I’m impressed(at me😌).

Curious if anyone else here has tried apps like this — do they work for you long term, or do you end up ignoring them after a while?

Every time I go to deactivate my account it says an error occurred. I’ve tried multiple times over about a year now.