Heavily addicted to scrolling and refreshing social media/youtube/the forum...etc

[Javfly33]

I didn´t know where to put this.

Since a while I´ve been heavily addicted to what i described in the title.

I don´t exactly why but it´s insane. I refresh and scroll HUNDREDS of times during the day instagram, whatsapp mainly. Forum too I refresh over and over and most of the times i don´t even read the messages of the people here. It´s like my brain is broken for dopamine Lol.

Probably a cold turkey abstinence for a week would be the best right?

I am the only one in this? Its gotten bad to the point that sometimes I can´t read a large text or something like that because it seems I need to go to the next thing 

And the next, and the next, and the next...

[flowboy]

Hi, I'm dealing with this too. Mostly forum and messaging apps on phone, but also youtube.

When I decide to stop doing it, I feel so much better. However, I still want to check sometimes, so cold turkey is not a good option.

I do also find it corresponds to some kind of dissatisfaction/unrest. Getting a quick dopamine hit here and there, over and over again.

 

One thing that has helped me before, and I will go back to soon: have the first half of my day committed to NO notifications.

So I'd only check stuff after 16:00.

That way I get a lot done, feeling very peaceful, for most of my day, before the attention pollution starts.

Looking forward to affording an assistant to do all the phone stuff for me, though

[mandyjw]

Just choose a project or activity that you really want to do. Hardest part is getting started. Once you get some momentum with it, all that stuff just fades away. I go back and forth between thinking I'm addicted to the internet to feeling guilty because I'm neglecting it.  The mind's repeated attempts at judging itself as flawed are ridiculous. 

[longusername12345]

This is something I've been struggling with too. You're definitely not alone.

I've downloaded Cold Turkey Blocker on my desktop and that blocks all the distracting websites you want it to block. Pretty damn effective. I like it.

Yet it still doesn't solve the low-attention span, I need dopemine more moree MOREEEEE problem. 

Leo has a YouTube video on focus that goes over a well-known technique that works pretty damn well for solving this:

The technique is basically to set a timer for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours and to pick  ONE thing to do during that time. No fucking distractions. Find a way to eliminate all distractions during this set time. You're just focused on this one fucking thing. That's really important. Find what you want to do with your time. Have a direction. Have a directive. 

And I like to have fun with it. Like if I want to just goof off on social media, alright bitch, 1 hour of focused social media here I come.

If I wanna watch a stupid show on netflix, 1 hour of focused netflix.

If I have schoolwork that I want to do 1-2 hours of focused study.

Then you do a 5-10 minute break (which I like to use centering myself, concentration practice, refill my water bottle, take a shit, take a step outside and breathe in that good ass prana or whatever, etc etc).

Then repeat. 

You get the point. Get creative with this, it's really enjoyable if you let it be. 

The most productive people I know use this and get a whole lot of shit done. I have a friend who works multiple jobs, has a steady stream of passive income, does what he loves, gets to choose his schedule, and has plenty of free time who uses this technique in a slightly more hardcore way.

He says set a timer for 2 1/2 hours and then take a 10-15 minute break. If you want to take a longer break, work 3 hours. EARN YOUR BREAK.

These techniques are really effective but it all comes down to JUST DOING IT.

Which is a lot harder than it sounds. 

And I have not figured that out yet. I struggle with finding the will to set that 2 1/2 hour timer but when I do, holy fuck, a whole new world of productivity opens up.

But yeah, if you're in a dopemine rut, just find something else to do with your day and stick with it. Have a directive. Also find a way to eliminate all your distractions (social media, the forum, youtube, etc etc). There are plenty of useful resources and techniques for this sorta thing. Its simply a matter of doing the research and/or doing the techniques.

Really fucking simple if you want it to be.

And for your constant needing of dopemine, this is somerthing I know a lot less about. 

My guess is a 14 day meditation retreat would help. Take a week break from social media. Just take a long ass break from your dopemine supplier and focus on what you want to focus on. You could even spend a few hours just sitting. Not moving a muscle. 

I hate to throw another one of Leo's videos at you but this one is crazy helpful too:

 

When I was on quarantine and had rona, I read like 20 books, did at least 100 hours of meditation, and watched and absorbed a shitton of content and got a shitton of perspective, developed a consistent workout habit, and found a kind of joy I never found before. All from doing these techniques. 

 

[ilja]

You're not alone

[Recress]

@longusername12345 That 3-hours complete focus sounds like the Technique on Cal Newport's book 'Deep Work'. I truly find that works for me! 

[calibrate]

I used to have Cold Turkey Blocker, which blocks pretty much anything you can think of on the PC. However even this can be worked around if youre motivated enough. Im thinking its all habit that needs to be broken, and breaking habits are often painful and take a long time. 21 days to break a habit. Probably not the nicest answer to hear, but the truth.