Phone/browsing addiction help

[Phoenix95]

Hello all!
I ask for advice about what’s in the title. It’s like I’ve become a slave to this thing that reduces me to a pair of eyes and thumbs. It interferes with my free time, I have so many hobbies that I have abandoned because I waste too much time on the phone, I could call my friends more and generally spend my free time better but I’m always filling my mind with junk from my phone. It thankfully doesn’t interfere much with things like work or important relationships, but all my free time is gone!

I just spend hours every day mindlessly scrolling things like Reddit, social media, meme pages. I don’t even enjoy it, it’s just an automated reflex at this point - just like smokers having to put a cigarette in their mouth.

I’ve tried a lot - app blockers, dumb phone, digital detox - none of that lasted for long.
As for fields, I’ve tried the Overcome addiction, Addiction withdrawal and Devil reversed fields, but I haven’t seen much benefit - maybe I should have played them for hours on loop?

I hope I can listen to your good advice and that others can also benefit from this topic, since this seems to be an issue that affects many of us in the modern world. Bless you

[Rosechalice]

Hi. Perhaps you want to look at what happened when you went from spending time at hobbies to making the phone your hobby. Did something significant happen that might have caused you to begin avoiding other parts of your life?

[Phoenix95]

Hello, thanks for answering! I don’t think I’m avoiding parts of my life - when I have something to do, I do it no problem. For example I regularly go to study, work is ok, I go to training and out with friends… it’s just that when I have a free moment for myself I go to the phone.

The main thing that changed is that I have a lot more free time, I used to have very little free time and my days were incredibly packed. Now that I have a few hours of free time every day I would like to do something better and more enjoyable (also social media is toxic) but I’m glued to the screen instead.

[Rosechalice]

One suggestion - This can be used for anything

STOP System (Addiction)

[stop] NO-SMOKE If you want to quit smoking, but can not get rid of this habit on your own, without cigarettes you experience psychological discomfort and low mood, situations of anxiety make you reach for a cigarette again, then this field is for you! This field “NO-SMOKE” is aimed at: :small_blue_diamond:Alchemical Revision of Addiction; :small_blue_diamond:Elimination of pathological urge to smoke (aversive effect); :small_blue_diamond:Elimination of psychophy…

[Jay]

@Phoenix95

maybe I should have played them for hours on loop?

I don’t think, it’ll just hurt your dopamine receptors.

If you are going to listen to a field to overcome an addiction you must be committed to quitting, if you return to your addiction in the period in which you listen to the audio your addiction will become worse. Dopamine disorders are complicated.

If you’ve already tried everything, in my experience the old reliable one is dopamine fasting, it’s your body’s natural way of resetting your brain. No stimuli for a couple of days, not just phone, no TV, music, books, socializing, nothing. Just isolation, you’ll think you’re going to go crazy with boredom but if you get through the first day you’ll be feeling really good

[Nice2knowU]

- YouTube

We can’t have the music stop now, can we?

[Nice2knowU]

@Phoenix95

I’m always filling my mind with junk from my phone

@Phoenix95 it basically means you require a goal within your free time. These mindless scrolling sessions are mindless because they lead nowhere (notice when you’re actively researching a topic instead, it doesn’t feel so mindless anymore).

Time spent in a meaningful way is very rewarding for the mind and spirit, and it could feel regretful if it feels like wasted time.

Simply fill your free time with new goals.
Start with this goal:

1. in my free time, I will put my phone in the drawer and not look at it for at least 1 hour (or however much you have free time ideally)

2. I will _________

And 2) can be anything you like.
Notice that this will feel very tough when you start, as your habit is to grab your phone. Simply resist (we have great fields for that) and push through. This will build focus over time.

[Phoenix95]

You know, this is probably the best solution. Like I said I’m not really good with unstructured free time but have no trouble with structured time so it’s probably a good idea. I’ll try to report back in a few days. In the meantime if someone has advice on useful fields I’m all ears lol.

[Rosechalice]

Awesome, Nice! Great suggestion

[Mouldytea]

I got a fliphone and its working wonders for my mental health and doom scrolling :D

try spend time outside aswell

[Rosechalice]

Awesome!