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Ask HN: Mobile phone addiction help?

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Re: Ask HN: Mobile phone addiction help?

#221

Post by vchynarov »

fighterpilot wrote: post #197
coolspot wrote: post #188

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you elaborate why ziploc bags specifically and why three? I assume ziplocs because you still can see the screen and probably could even interact with it, but not easily. Then three, because if you really need the phone right now, you could rip it open, just not easily. Are my guesses right?

Probably by the time you've opened two you're reminded about the purpose of the bags in the first place which might serve as an autopilot interrupt

Yes, autopilot interrupt, and initially as a shame factor - shaming myself not to go through with it and stick out the rest of the day phone-free. However, now this is more of a mental block since once I decide to have a phone-free day the bags are mainly symbolic.

Re: Ask HN: Mobile phone addiction help?

#222

Post by ltbarcly3 »

If you are addicted to something, almost by definition, you aren't capable of using it in moderation. If you 'lock down' your phone, you will be un 'locking it down' in a day or two. The first step to recovery is almost always to admit this to yourself, that you are helpless to stop engaging in whatever behavior it is the expression of your addiction.

If you are really addicted, the parts of your brain which have become trained to seek reinforcement by phone usage will fight back if you try to get rid of the phone. You'll come up with a thousand reasons why it just doesn't make sense to get rid of it. My advice after you try and fail a few times to cut your phone usage or get rid of your phone: find something heavy and hard, a baggy, and keep them somewhere nearby. Just grab something hard, chuck it in the baggy, and put it in the corner of your desk or whatever. Now, when you have a moment of clarity and realize you can't control your phone usage and are helpless to stop using it, put the phone in the baggy and smash it with the hard/heavy object before you have a chance to talk yourself out of it.

You can always buy another phone in a few months or years or whenever you find you absolutely need one or think you are in a different place and won't get sucked in again. Get rid of the phone.

Re: Ask HN: Mobile phone addiction help?

#223

Post by scottrogowski »

f18m wrote: post #212
scottrogowski wrote: post #204

I'm with OP in their diagnosis of the problem. Other commenters seem to focus on "tricks". The problem with these tricks is that they can all be bypassed and you always go back to normal. Would you suggest someone who wants to quit smoking just keep cigarettes in their pocket and just snap a rubber and on their wrist when they want one? Of course not, that is just asking to relapse. Self-control is a finite resource.…

Isn't it already possible for free? I mean, you can always install a mod rooted Android and use if as you wish

Could you expand on that? I'm not familiar with the world of rooting android. Does something exist that would allow you to specify exactly which apps are installed (and remove the web browser and play store)?

Re: Ask HN: Mobile phone addiction help?

#224

Post by santa_boy »

The only thing that has sort of worked for me so far is a recent program I enrolled in. It does an hr of meditation in the morning and an hr of offline learning in the evening.

Meditation is a pretty good exercise, I think, and it does help in resting your mind.

The sheer difficulty in maintaining focus for those few hours, made me extremely conscious about the continuous distractions and excitement seeking (online) habits that I suffer from.

I feel I am becoming better at self-realizing the problem and self-correcting them nowadays. Not quite great, but better for sure.

Re: Ask HN: Mobile phone addiction help?

#225

Post by sathish316 »

fbelzile wrote: post #102

Apple goes out of it's way to make sure no app like this exists in it's App Store. If Screen Time is not good enough, you'll need a physical lock box like a few others have mentioned. Forest is good for helping create good habits though. On Android, you can use one called AppBlock. This is the most difficult app to circumvent on mobile. Others like Freedom can be easily bypassed. I sell desktop software (Windows/macO…

+1 for AppBlock.

There are 3 kinds of apps you need to reduce phone addiction. Listing out examples in Android

1. Apps that Analyze usage - Your hour, Stay free etc. These apps also allow you to specify max number of duration you can use specific app/phone, but this seldom works. The analysis helps you in understanding your usage patterns

2. Apps that block specific apps at specific times in the day - like AppBlock. Based on your usage patterns and work hours, block the most used scrolling apps during your free time. Blocking 100% of the time does not work, allow 30-60min windows where scrolling apps are allowed.

3. Notification managers - like FilterBox - Use Android settings to block notifications for most scrolling apps. Even for essential apps like Gmail/Whatsapp, FilterBox gives you lot of control over when you want to allow/block notifications

Re: Ask HN: Mobile phone addiction help?

#227

Post by vbo »

Whenever I find myself sucked into the vortex of neverending scrolling I log out of that website and make is slightly difficult to get back in: I set up multi-factor authentication to increase the friction of logging back in (in addition to keeping the account safe) and prefer mobile websites to apps, as those also require more effort to open compared to one tap on your homescreen.

Re: Ask HN: Mobile phone addiction help?

#228

Post by kwdc »

My humble advice for this situation. It might seem over the top. If you think its excessive you likely don't know the scope of how deep the rabbit hole goes. For those trying, don't do this alone. Addiction of any kind is real and you need support. Don't underestimate the need for support from others.

...

I'm assuming you have the circa 2020 version of the nokia 2720 flip. It has a hotspot. Thats now your mobile internet. And your main phone. Take the sim out of your iphone.

Get a cheap android phone. Don't put a sim in it. Thats now your "serious app only" phone. Set it up to use your nokia's hotspot. No games. Any time you pick up this phone its for serious actions only. Linked to goals or real achievement. Not for instagram etc.

Your iphone is now your distractatron. It has games, instagram, facebook, whatsapp, etc. put a sim card in it with $30 prepaid or whatever amount works. Disable the mobile data in settings. Don't use it for calls unless you must. Its internet should be via wifi or the nokia. Get someone else to check regularly on the prepaid plan. Log all the times you use the credit. You'll forget where the nokia is one day so the iphone still needs a sim. Remember its not for calls for awhile - Don't use it unless you must.

Now you have three devices and you know exactly in a tangible way when you're goofing off. It seems like a lot of effort. Plan better. Schedule. This will be a new experience.

Activate parental controls on all devices.

Don't think that isolating yourself will help with addiction.

Real progress might involve just the nokia but practical considerations will cause you to drift back to the iphone. Obvious cause of drift will be needing navigation because you're lost.

I don't recommend any of this as a permanent situation. Its to clean up and make things obvious as you detox.

Re: Ask HN: Mobile phone addiction help?

#229

Post by hauget »

1) what about setting up parental controls on your iOS device so you can't install other apps? Then give the master pswd to someone you trust. Would that help? 2) I would strongly advise seeking therapy, as your problem IMHO requires systemic solutions to address the root causes. Cheers.

Re: Ask HN: Mobile phone addiction help?

#230

Post by metoometoo »

vbo wrote: post #227

Whenever I find myself sucked into the vortex of neverending scrolling I log out of that website and make is slightly difficult to get back in: I set up multi-factor authentication to increase the friction of logging back in (in addition to keeping the account safe) and prefer mobile websites to apps, as those also require more effort to open compared to one tap on your homescreen.

This has worked spectacularly for me as well. I’ve gone so far as to always log out of a service after logging in. I only use a tool when it’s worth the effort to log in. I’ve also found Firefox focus to be an ideal mobile browser for this kind of approach to using the internet.
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