Ask HN: Mobile phone addiction help?

I put 2fa on twitter, but no 2fa app in phone. So i never twitter on phone.

I use block lists on PiHole when I'm at home. I can't cheat with cell data because I have a limited data plan. Works OK. It's only a tool though. If there are deeper issues driving your phone addiction, you can use something like PiHole to give you a fighting chance and then seek out a therapist for help.

If you have a M1 powered mac computer, you can see if your banking app allows you to run things on your Mac.

Another thing I found useful was to Grayscale the app, it puts a damper on any scrolling apps. https://www.wired.com/story/grayscale-ios-android-smartphone....

You should find a different bank. Being forced to use a particular platform to access your money is absolutely unreasonable and unacceptable. All three US banks[1] I've used don't do this.

Also, as someone prone to this sort of thing it helps to have constructive hobbies that are a bit "mindless." Lego kits are awesome (also great for "lockdown dates.") If you're ok doing them by yourself (because other people are very likely to get bored) Amazon is full of weird raspberry pi/arduino robot kits that take days of work to put together and I can totally recommend that for getting yourself out of a slump (whats best is doing it while in a medium sized discord call, you get to be around people and have some social stimulation while also doing something with your hands.) Surprisingly I've found Factorio can even help get me out of the slump but you should be careful with it since some people report the opposite affect.

[1] Essex, Suntrust, and USAA "FSB."

I am inclined to agree with the others than a technological solution is not likely what you need. The trick is to segregate these areas mentally, so that you are acutely aware of when you are "on forbidden ground". The "rubber band" trick has been mentioned here already, and it's based on helping to re-enforce that awareness. Technological solutions can help do this. Timer apps that give you a regular notice to "GTFO THE PHONE FOR 15 MIN NOW" for example, are building the same kind of awareness, just as a software tool to do so.

In my case these bad habits predate the iPhone's existence. What we call phone addiction now was the "Internet addiction" of 15 years ago. Some strategies that have helped me, I think:

One: The phone never comes to bed with me. It never comes out in real-life social interactions either.

Two: During the day I keep it physically separate from me if possible. In my drawer at work. Just on the table on the other side of the room here at home right now. Checking it requires physically standing up and walking over. More likely this will percolate up into conscious awareness.

Following from that, stand when you're on the phone. Don't sit down and slump and relax.

Three: Purge all the dopamine-ticklers. In my case, if you'll excuse the bluntness, that means: No Twitter or other clickbait feeds. No outrage-driven news. No porn. No hookup apps. No endless-browsing online shopping.

Hell, even Hacker News warrants some caution. You're just such a rewarding bunch.

And this is not just on the phone. In all of my life. As a general mental cordon sanitaire. I cross into the quarantined zone often, I must admit, but the key is to be aware, to have a niggling sense of unease, when you're in the danger zone. Check your dosimeter regularly and have a planned exit.