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How to overcome Phone Addiction

cognitiontoday.com

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Re: How to overcome Phone Addiction

#211

Post by avisser »

makecheck wrote: post #74

I basically discourage addiction by making things “difficult” for myself on my phone: - Minimal web bookmarks (i.e. I have to type in most web sites I want to visit; this is just enough of an encumbrance that I won’t flip open things like Reddit every 30 seconds). - I never install apps meant for content consumption, I use their web sites. (This is usually a better experience anyway, since the vast majority of them a…

This is my strategy as well. My best tactic is device selection. I'm rocking an iPhone SE (4" form factor). (Side note: Big kudos to Apple for fully supporting this phone - my first iPhone)

The small screen and keyboard discourage any extended use of my phone.

Re: How to overcome Phone Addiction

#212

Post by maqp »

itronitron wrote: post #10

Tell Your Children >> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reefer_Madness

Thanks! Just watched the film (on Wikipedia).

Oh the vileness, the violence. I'm now completely convinced marijuana is the devil's lettuce! Don't just tell your children, TELL EVERY CHILD!

EDIT: to add, people, watch the 1938 release, the 36 has poorer image/sound quality.

Re: How to overcome Phone Addiction

#213

Post by seibelj »

lrobinovitch wrote: post #153
seibelj wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Escapism is intensely popular, it’s behind the boom in video games, watching people stream themselves playing video games, super hero movies, scripted tv. OnlyFans let’s you have a quasi-partner who takes your money and gives you intimacy. Instant gratification, and if you don’t have what you want, just blame society for not giving it to you. What’s great is that if you are a hard worker and have a long time horizon,…

I don't disagree with your take that escapism is popular, but this can partially be attributed to the capable people you reference building technology that exploits our psychology to encourage further escapism. I don't understand the desire to bet on things that would personally enrich you and your investments/companies but decrease overall wellbeing. The capable should build that which guides society towards connect…

The market demands this stuff. If human nature is to be lazy, fat, desiring instant gratification, and blaming everyone else for their problems, then someone will fulfill it.

I wrote a “hot take” above and am exaggerating, but I truly feel like the world we live in now makes it so easy to avoid discipline and hard choices. So those that accept that getting nice stuff takes effort and discipline will earn great dividends.

Re: How to overcome Phone Addiction

#214

Post by 8bitsrule »

If by the ridiculously overloaded and value-judge-mental word 'addictions' is meant repeated behaviors that some people don't approve of, no doubt we all have have at least one.

I have several addictions. I like to call them 'reasons to live'. Music is one. Some people may wish I'd be cured of my addiction to breathing. In which case I wish the same for them; we'll see who wins.

Re: How to overcome Phone Addiction

#216

Post by maqp »

Talanes wrote: post #189
maqp wrote: post #146

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Few more ideas: 1. When I quit Facebook, I first started disabling my account but that didn't work, at all. It just brought me back. Every time. I realized it wasn't a feature for deleting account, it was a pressure relieve valve for people who need a quick break because they felt the service had taken control of too large a portion of their lives. FB didn't want people to quit and they didn't offer such feature. I s…

>This also applies to games. Every "headshot +100 points" is such a tiny dopamine spike. Games didn't used to have those. Meaningless points popping up on screen when you do a thing is at least as old as Pac-Man.

Hmm fair point. I still feel with Pac-Man etc. the points roll on an odometer you look at the end, it's not a popup prize every time you do something right. But there's plenty of early examples, such as SMB's "1UP".

Re: How to overcome Phone Addiction

#218

Post by Abishek_Muthian »

Bakary wrote: post #112

Some ideas on this topic: 1. Inconvenience based solutions don't address the problem: using apps to restrict phone use, physically hiding the phone etc. Once you leave those carefully constrained conditions, you are more vulnerable than ever. Not to mention the contradiction with the core issue that it's a symptom rather than a cause. 2. Turning abstinence as an ongoing status condition (e.g. "X days since I did Y")…

I wouldn't say I was addicted to Phone to start with as my job involved interacting with phone all the time, but after I had to shutdown my startup due to health issues I made some deliberate lifestyle changes which has reduced my phone interactions to negligible levels/day and some of which can help overcome phone addiction too.

• Notifications

I have a smartwatch mounted to my desk[1] which displays notifications as an when it arrives and since most of the notifications doesn't require urgent action; interaction with the phone can be avoided. Of course this can work with smartwatch on the wrist too, but having it mounted on the desk limits interaction with the watch itself.

• More email

My primary mode of professional communication has been email for past two years. No voice calls, No chats, No video calls just email. Avoiding real time communication has improved the quality of communication and my mental well-being in general by reducing anxiety.

It does cost me several business opportunities, 'Sorry, I don't do calls, can we communicate via email' has become downright insulting especially during this era of 'Zoom'. But that's the price I'm willing to pay for better mental health.

Fortunately email remains the last pillar against 'Mobile First' ecosystem and environment amidst several attempts to change it.

When the availability of a smartphone is taken for granted from education[2] to COVID-Free Passport, using cellular connectivity is passively mandated (Mobile Number for unique identity, OTP[3]) I don't think it's even possible to someone to throw away their phone without some serious regulations mandating that freedom.

[1]https://abishekmuthian.com/butt-pomodoro-a-butt-triggered-po... (A project which shows the said desk mounted smartwatch).

[2]https://needgap.com/problems/149-remote-education-for-underp... (How the availability of smartphone, taken for granted has affected education - Disclaimer: It's my problem validation platform).

[3]https://twitter.com/heavyinfo/status/1343461028256833538 (My tweet thread discussing mobile number for identity).

Re: How to overcome Phone Addiction

#219

Post by imesh »

username90 wrote: post #205
tartoran wrote: post #200

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Being sedentary is not very good on your body, muscles atrophy, joints become stiff, your body tires easier and from there it’s a downward slope. If you have enough physical activity then you need not worry about this but there are other factors. Like muscles all other faculties atrophy as well without use. Physical activity is good for the brain as well. I think of the computer as a tool at the end of the day. It is…

I'm not sedentary. You just have to get up and move a few minutes regularly throughout the day.

Moving a few minutes regularly throughout the day? You just described being sedentary.
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