I only have a certain amount of energy to be creative or productive so I spend my other hours somehow on tradional media (music, movies) or consuming internet content or videogames. I don't fool myself that it's anything but. I could spend more time IRL but my patterns haven't changed back since lockdowns even though largely lifted. Maybe this summer will be the time.
Why do you waste so much time on the internet?
421–430 of 685 posts
Re: Why do you waste so much time on the internet?
#422Earlier quoted context omitted.
Mate, if you haven’t already, go talk with a therapist. I’ve struggled with avoidance my entire adult life – avoiding awkwardness, pain, risk, “bad”emotions, difficult conversations, conflict – and talking with a professional has really helped me.
Much like making new friends past university, therapists are a crapshoot. Some simply aren't a good fit or have poor sofa-side manner or fail to develop a sense of trust. If the therapy is part of an employer funded benefit, you also only get a limited number of sessions, and only with the employer-approved provider.
Plug for Lacanian psychotherapy.
Lacanians are focused, disciplined, and smart. There aren't many of them, either.
Dig around, read a little about Jacques Lacan; if it piques your interest, give it a shot.
Re: Why do you waste so much time on the internet?
#423Sometimes I also spend too much time on mild entertainment. The solution, for me, has always been to identify what I'm afraid of. For me, procrastination always seems to be rooted in some hidden fears, and if I bring those fears to the forefront, I can understand them better and work on them. Once the fears are quelled, progress is no longer difficult.
Therapy helps you get out of a funk. Therapy takes many forms. As another poster suggested, volunteer work can be one of the best and most effective kinds of therapy. The important thing is to recognize that while you can very likely achieve many of the things you want to do, you probably need help to do it. People really do enjoy helping you (especially if you are grateful for their help.)
Re: Why do you waste so much time on the internet?
#424When you're past the denial stage, you're already halfway there. Glass half full and such. From the blog it is clear that the real problem is a lack of a meaningful physical/social life, as the person indicates they have no friends, hobbies, etc. Therefore, none of the tips on cutting down screen time are likely to address the fundamental issue. If you free up time this way but have no better purpose for this time, y…
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Re: Why do you waste so much time on the internet?
#425Earlier quoted context omitted.
Much like making new friends past university, therapists are a crapshoot. Some simply aren't a good fit or have poor sofa-side manner or fail to develop a sense of trust. If the therapy is part of an employer funded benefit, you also only get a limited number of sessions, and only with the employer-approved provider.
Also, your employer funded therapist will likely have a specific mandate to basically help you get back to work, meaning no longterm solutions or help, only bandaids.
Maybe I'm lucky, I work for $LARGE_CORP_WITH_GOOD_BENEFITS and Aetna covers a non-tiny number of independent mental health practices with a small copay per session. Are there many companies with therapists on the payroll? I can't imagine feeling comfortable in that setting.
Re: Why do you waste so much time on the internet?
#426Earlier quoted context omitted.
Much like making new friends past university, therapists are a crapshoot. Some simply aren't a good fit or have poor sofa-side manner or fail to develop a sense of trust. If the therapy is part of an employer funded benefit, you also only get a limited number of sessions, and only with the employer-approved provider.
Plug for Lacanian psychotherapy. Lacanians are focused, disciplined, and smart. There aren't many of them, either. Dig around, read a little about Jacques Lacan; if it piques your interest, give it a shot.
Have you seen a Lacanian analyst yourself? If so—what are the sessions like?
Re: Why do you waste so much time on the internet?
#427Earlier quoted context omitted.
> For a long time, religion filled this void, but for almost everyone, it no longer does. Did religion actually fill this void? Or did enough people simply go through life not voicing any of their troubles for fear of exclusion or even institutionalization in a religious and highly superstitious society that didn't understand mental health? Religion didn't prevent alcoholism, out of wedlock pregnancies or domestic vi…
No. I think you misunderstand. When you tell people there is nothing transcendent, that life is indeed meaningless - sometimes they believe you.
Isn't it best to tell people life is meaningless if that's where the evidence leads? After a few decades pursuing 'god' and sacrificing to ascend I think teaching false hope (with or without strings attached) is worse.
Re: Why do you waste so much time on the internet?
#428Earlier quoted context omitted.
I believe the sociologists of the future are going to look back at this era and cite the manifest lack of meaning in human life as source of the ennui that is the subject of this thread. For a long time, religion filled this void, but for almost everyone, it no longer does. I don't even think most people who hold themselves out as religious really find any significant meaning there -- not doubting their sincerity, on…
> For a long time, religion filled this void, but for almost everyone, it no longer does. Did religion actually fill this void? Or did enough people simply go through life not voicing any of their troubles for fear of exclusion or even institutionalization in a religious and highly superstitious society that didn't understand mental health? Religion didn't prevent alcoholism, out of wedlock pregnancies or domestic vi…
If you have no strong opinions on the meaning of your life , strong religions would come and greedily take any ground you were willing to concede. If you really had no idea what you want to do you might as well end up in a covent or an abbey.
The presence of that extreme also allowed not being religious to be itself a strong voluntary choice.
It doesn’t prevent alcoholism or other human problems, just force filled the “why am I here, what am I going” gap whenever people found nothing else to fill it with.
I think we are less religious overall for very good reasons, now we should pay more attention to the gap that is less empty and what would come to fill it.
Re: Why do you waste so much time on the internet?
#429Earlier quoted context omitted.
I believe the sociologists of the future are going to look back at this era and cite the manifest lack of meaning in human life as source of the ennui that is the subject of this thread. For a long time, religion filled this void, but for almost everyone, it no longer does. I don't even think most people who hold themselves out as religious really find any significant meaning there -- not doubting their sincerity, on…
> For a long time, religion filled this void, but for almost everyone, it no longer does. Did religion actually fill this void? Or did enough people simply go through life not voicing any of their troubles for fear of exclusion or even institutionalization in a religious and highly superstitious society that didn't understand mental health? Religion didn't prevent alcoholism, out of wedlock pregnancies or domestic vi…
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Re: Why do you waste so much time on the internet?
#430I know exactly why I do it and it feels impossible to stop. I scroll endlessly to avoid the pain of everything else in life. Doing work, doing chores, doing hobbies, talking to anyone, making decisions even about projects I'm excited to work on, it all causes a small hit of emotional pain. I don't really know where this pain comes from either. Maybe some childhood trauma that I can't even remember? I don't know. The…
I’d recommend you get your testosterone levels checked. One of the symptoms of low total testosterone is depression in males.
When I was checked I was on the lower end at 200 ng/dl and had the symptoms you describe. My doctor prescribed me first stanolone (DHT) and then switched me to regular testosterone. All I can say is it has changed my life. It may not be applicable to your situation but it might help.