4 ms·

That's not how addiction works. If you could "just stop" then it isn't really an addiction.

dmix 9mo ago
Huh, that's exactly the solution to addiction? Step 1 is always changing your behaviour patterns to break out of habits and avoid things that draw you into it. Make your bedroom a phone-free zone, charge it in the living room overnight, use the built in parenting and screentime controls that every modern phone OS has, don't let your kids stare at the screen all day. Etc. This isn't rocket science. Self control is one of the most important things you need to learn. It sucks and it's hard but it's basic life stuff. The only difference with social media addiction vs drugs/gambling is that it's not socially ostracized like other addictions so people ignore it.
- NoPicklez 9mo ago
  I think we can all agree that the solution is to stop, but that it is difficult to do so. I'm not addicted to alcohol or gambling, but I know that it takes significantly more willpower for those that are to just stop than it does for me to not have that chocolate bar at night. There is a proportionality to it
  - deleted 9mo ago
    [deleted]
ajam1507 9mo ago
This is the lie that keeps people addicted. Plenty of people quit their very real addictions every day. If you imagine you're helplessly addicted, you will remain addicted.
- Aerbil313 9mo ago
  I believed that for years, I did CBT, changing beliefs, "just do it" et cetera and I was helpless still, went from one addiction to another. Turns out I had ADHD. My life was totally changed after medication. You don't have infinite willpower. If humans had infinite willpower humanity would have worked itself to death long ago. There is a natural balance of willpower in your brain, it's called the dopaminergic system. If you have ADHD, you have much, much less willpower than a normal person because you literally lack the dopamine hormone in your prefrontal cortex. No amount of belief will magically create dopamine in your brain out of thin air.

dmix 9mo ago

Huh, that's exactly the solution to addiction? Step 1 is always changing your behaviour patterns to break out of habits and avoid things that draw you into it. Make your bedroom a phone-free zone, charge it in the living room overnight, use the built in parenting and screentime controls that every modern phone OS has, don't let your kids stare at the screen all day. Etc. This isn't rocket science. Self control is one of the most important things you need to learn. It sucks and it's hard but it's basic life stuff. The only difference with social media addiction vs drugs/gambling is that it's not socially ostracized like other addictions so people ignore it.

NoPicklez 9mo ago
I think we can all agree that the solution is to stop, but that it is difficult to do so. I'm not addicted to alcohol or gambling, but I know that it takes significantly more willpower for those that are to just stop than it does for me to not have that chocolate bar at night. There is a proportionality to it
- deleted 9mo ago
  [deleted]

ajam1507 9mo ago

This is the lie that keeps people addicted. Plenty of people quit their very real addictions every day. If you imagine you're helplessly addicted, you will remain addicted.

Aerbil313 9mo ago
I believed that for years, I did CBT, changing beliefs, "just do it" et cetera and I was helpless still, went from one addiction to another. Turns out I had ADHD. My life was totally changed after medication. You don't have infinite willpower. If humans had infinite willpower humanity would have worked itself to death long ago. There is a natural balance of willpower in your brain, it's called the dopaminergic system. If you have ADHD, you have much, much less willpower than a normal person because you literally lack the dopamine hormone in your prefrontal cortex. No amount of belief will magically create dopamine in your brain out of thin air.