Addiction To Your Phone

[Jared Gregory]

Hello people, I have come to conclusion that are mobile phones are very addictive. To be honest when I am not working I don't feel the need to check my phone every 10 minutes unlike a lot of humans. 

I have been like that in the past constantly checking on facebook, twitter, all shit really.. but now I have found better things to do than waste it on the zombie state android. I am not saying at all you should never use your phone of course, that would be crazy but you can be disciplined with yourself by turning it off!!! when either doing your routine, going out with friends or family. 

I know many may argue that your phone can be used in a positive way and that is also true yes  but does anybody else feel they are heavy reliant on there mobile phone? I just wanted to share this as I have noticed friends and strangers that i meet are constantly looking down on there phones. 

My phone during my day is either left on but out of reach when I am doing routine or going to work as being disciplined with yourself can replace old habits. I usually have mine off for a good 5-6 hours that's a start for me. 

Just thought i would share this if anybody else feels like this please leave positive comments below 

 peace

[Pramit]

i simply dont check my phone

[Joel3102]

I'm working on my phone addiction currently. Funnily enough you just gave me the simple idea of just turning it off....

I've also weaned off Facebook, holy fuck I used to waste a lot of time on that. 

[Tancrede Pouyat]

I'll just express my stupid opinion :

I think it's really stupid to look at addiction in terms of "something one does in the external world," or phones or heroin or cocaine or morphine or TV or whatever. It's all the same. I think it's better to look at it as a mental attitude : would you be happy if you had to live forever in solitary confinement ? Are you comfortable with your inherently empty nature ? If not, then you're a heroin junkie, or a phone addict (same thing).

[PetarKa]

I used to sit on Facebook a lot in the past... Now I find it really stupid and silly - There isn't anything important (nor interesting) on Facebook. I'm happy I made this change in attitude!  

[SFRL]

22 minutes ago, PetarKa said:

I used to sit on Facebook a lot in the past... Now I find it really stupid and silly - There isn't anything important (nor interesting) on Facebook. I'm happy I made this change in attitude!  

The same here. I deleted my account a while back. Just yesterday I logged in for whatever reason and it was the same old same old. Now I found it repulsive and deleted it again right away. I must be really over it now. 

[Liam Johnson]

Really can't be doing with mobile phones! It's so upsetting seeing how many people resort to their phones to avoid living in the present moment. I've found that by thoroughly planning a schedule of things that you really want to do and doing them, the thought never occurs to you to check your phone because you genuinely won't have anything better to do.

[FindingPeace]

18 hours ago, Liam Johnson said:

It's so upsetting seeing how many people resort to their phones to avoid living in the present moment.

I couldn't agree more. And I think it's far worse than just an addiction. Many people are actually dependent on their phones and being in constant contact with everything. It's sad. And it's only getting worse as industry and commerce continue to feed in to it. People are only becomming more detached from reality. Phones and earphones. I can't help feeling that it's only making the human mind ever more dysfunctional and neurotic.

[Liam Johnson]

5 hours ago, FindingPeace said:

Many people are actually dependent on their phones and being in constant contact with everything.

 

This is such a haunting point to make. I remember going to see a show at the theatre a few weeks ago and I was sat in a really high seat. As soon as the interval began, there were hundreds of phone screens switched on within seconds. It's like nobody wanted to just sit and reflect on the show or talk with the people next to them. They even interrupted the show multiple times to stop people using them. Maybe a lot of people don't consider themselves as having an addiction because of how recent the problem is in our society.

[Shin]

 There is no reason to be upset about others people behaviors.

Like Eckhart Tolle said

"If I find here and Now unacceptable, I have three choices:
1-Totally accept it.
2- Change it.
3-Remove myself from the situation.
That is taking responsibility for my life."

 

EDIT: Actually, it was this quote I was searching for:

Quote

“See if you can catch yourself complaining, in either speech or thought, about a situation you find yourself in, what other people do or say, your surroundings, your life situation, even the weather. To complain is always nonacceptance of what is. It invariably carries an unconscious negative charge. When you complain, you make yourself into a victim. When you speak out, you are in your power. So change the situation by taking action or by speaking out if necessary or possible; leave the situation or accept it. All else is madness.”
― Eckhart Tolle

Personally it took me 2 full years to go from a victim mentality into a "winner" mentality  (don't like the word but I don't have any other ^^), but I was extremely neurotics back then, and 75% of it I wasn't even doing spiritual work (meditation/mindfullness/contemplation)

For those who wonder, that is NOT being enlightened, it is very easy to access once you realize you're in a victim mentality state, and starting the work that is required.

So depending on how you are in life, you can do it way faster than I did.

 

Edited December 17, 2016 by Shin

[Arman]

I find that I impulsively use it as a sedative for discomfort or any feeling that arises that I am unwilling to fully experience. Interestingly, when I'm out or with friends, I don't necessarily spend much time on my phone at all in terms of the time spent with it in my hand, but I may compulsively 'check' or open social media or something for a second, and then put it away, and that in itself functions as the sedative to break the emotional experience enough to become distracted by a more pleasurable or less resistant emotion. Just by turning on the screen and playing with it for two seconds.

Just one unconscious behaviour or many. Although maybe it is not so unconscious because I note myself doing it almost everytime, but I guess I am compassionate with myself about it because it doesn't bother me that I still do it. I stay with discomfort and allow things to integrate very often, so when I see old compulsions to disengage from feelings, I just kind of note it and observe. 

[Liam Johnson]

@Arman

It's really intriguing. I'm guilty of similar behaviours myself. In an age where we are more connected now than we ever have been through the internet, it's difficult to disconnect from that virtual world of information and social interaction that seems obligatory. It's important to keep reminding yourself that it's more beneficial to be present and not get sucked into it all.

[Shin]

11 hours ago, Liam Johnson said:

@Arman

It's really intriguing. I'm guilty of similar behaviours myself. In an age where we are more connected now than we ever have been through the internet, it's difficult to disconnect from that virtual world of information and social interaction that seems obligatory. It's important to keep reminding yourself that it's more beneficial to be present and not get sucked into it all.

That's why one of the most important habit to have is to walk, alone, with no phone, in nature.

No only it makes you disconnect from these things, but after 45-60 minutes, you start to have a connection that is way deeper.

 

Edited December 18, 2016 by Shin

[jse]

On 14/12/2016 at 10:20 PM, PetarKa said:

I used to sit on Facebook a lot in the past...

Facebook is so 2010's...

Welcome to the 2020's

[Natasha]

@Jared Gregory I went 'cold turkey' on my cell about 3 mos ago and cut it off completely. Huge distraction that feeds the 'monkey mind'. Now more time for important stuff like channeling my energy into work, nature, meditation, contemplation and just Being.