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How to overcome Phone Addiction

cognitiontoday.com

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Re: How to overcome Phone Addiction

#221

Post by fy20 »

shawnz wrote: post #82
2OEH8eoCRo0 wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree except some things are actually addicting. Phones are dopamine slot machines that fit in your pocket so that you can't escape. I think it's both. People seek an escape and phone apps are extremely addicting.

Is it bad to feel rewarded for legitimately engaging your brain? Is it bad for something to be a "dopamine slot machine" if it's only because it actually allows you to consume knowledge more rapidly/efficiently?

Addiction is sometimes described as something that is done repeatedly and is harmful. I can't get by without breathing, so I need to do that pretty often, but as it's not harmful, it's not an addiction.

The answer to your question is it depends... I don't think there is anything wrong with playing a dopamine hitting game on a 10 minute bus ride home from work (it's no different than the buzz from a shot of espresso), but if you are spending so much time that you are harming yourself (physically or emotionally) then that's an addiction.

There was a talk posted a few days ago here by Dr Gabor Mate about addiction:

https://youtu.be/vMstO3U4sVw

(Skip the 10 min intro, then watch at least the first hour)

His views are very different from the mainstream US view of addiction being substance abuse that can be fixed by restricting access to the drugs.

Re: How to overcome Phone Addiction

#222

Post by redisman »

closeparen wrote: post #152
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 use SelfControl on my Mac when I need a serious work session. It always surprises me, when I tab to HN or Reddit and get blocked, how automatic an action it was. I’m never inclined to fight it. It never represented an actual desire to be there. There’s no deep longing to say “no” to. After the first few times being thwarted, it stops for the next several hours. I still feel the push “away” from what I’m trying to f…

Even if it’s mechanical it works. I keep hitting Reddit or HN when I’m compiling or uploading or switching tasks. Blocking it for 8 hours (sometimes for days) really helps me stay focused and get my work done so I can do something actually relaxing

Re: How to overcome Phone Addiction

#223

Post by username90 »

imesh wrote: post #219
username90 wrote: post #205

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Nah, if you max out your pulse 30 minutes a day you aren't sedentary, and that is just 5 minutes 6 times a day. It is healthier to spread it out like that rather than sit still and do it all at once.

Re: How to overcome Phone Addiction

#224

Post by blackearl »

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.

Do you think being sedentary is literally not moving at all throughout your day? Doctors generally recommend at least 4-5 hours of vigorous exercise a week, getting up and circling your apartment a few times each day is not equivalent.

Re: How to overcome Phone Addiction

#225

Post by vitiral »

I wrote a blog post[1] about I overcome these problems, some may find it useful. TLDR; disable most apps on your phone and make it impossible to impulsively search the web on (at least) the computer you use most often.

I would love for a phone/watch that goes back to the roots of the iPod: just calls, text, music, podcasts, audiobooks, etc. Maybe a calendar and some kind of note-taking. Zero way to connect with others outside of phone calls. Definitely no web-browser, email or chat apps. Cameras are dangerous (because then you have photo-sharing apps), but are definitely nice to have.

[1]: http://vitiral.github.io/2020/12/06/how-I-reclaimed-my-atten...

Re: How to overcome Phone Addiction

#226

Post by blackearl »

mschuster91 wrote: post #167
st1x7 wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Tomorrow on Ask HN: Which PAAS (psychedelic-as-a-service) would you pay the most money for?

Alcohol delivery services are already a thing everywhere, Berlin has "cocaine taxis", now all that's missing is pot delivery once it finally becomes legal...

I'd heard of weed maps but cocaine taxis seems like a brazenness I couldn't imagine working on either side, vendor or buyer.

Re: How to overcome Phone Addiction

#227

Post by evanmoran »

maybenotafart wrote: post #14

on android, you can set your phone to grayscale (night time mode). This helps with the fact that the bright colors subconsciously lure you in

iPhones also have a greyscale mode under accessibility:

Settings, then choose Accessibility > Display & Text Size > Color Filters. Turn the Color Filters toggle switch on, and Grayscale appears as the top option

Re: How to overcome Phone Addiction

#228

Post by username90 »

blackearl wrote: post #224
username90 wrote: post #205

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

Do you think being sedentary is literally not moving at all throughout your day? Doctors generally recommend at least 4-5 hours of vigorous exercise a week, getting up and circling your apartment a few times each day is not equivalent.

No, I go and do an exercise regime every hour, why would you just walk around your home? Waste of time to not exercise hard.

Re: How to overcome Phone Addiction

#230

Post by ehnto »

paulryanrogers wrote: post #108
launderthis wrote: post #9

correlation does not equal causation. Phone addiction or internet addiction is a symptom not a cause. People are escaping to the internet becuase of the world we live in is cold. There is a new US marine commerical out that shows a kid wandering the street kind of lost in hyper interactive world. The commercial plays off of this internet addiction and data mining product selling. Then clips to them becoming a Marine…

> That still wouldnt fix the problem that you might feel closer to someone across the world than someone right next to you. Wait, is it a problem that some have remote friendships that are closer than those physically near them? If so why? Which isn't too say proximity is bad. It can be a relationship enhancer, and so can distance.

I think it was just an example of how little we can be connected to our local community. It's not bad in itself, and you can likely have both strong remote relationships and strong community ties at the same time.
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