Advice on going cold-turkey (Social Media & News)

danishbacon

I had a chat with a good friend yesterday who's now splitting his time between UK and southern Spain about the impacts of consuming the news/social media. When in Spain, his day to day involves a lot of time outdoors and consequently gets very little screen time. As soon as he's back in the UK he finds himself digging into his phone and reading up on all ongoing current events/posts. His take - felt immediately more negative and 'down'.

I've been battling some ghosts of my own and wanted to (once again) try to leave social media completely to see if it helps (I'm on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The first two I use daily, whilst Twitter is reserved for bitching at corporate accounts). Instagram I don't mind so much as I do see some interesting things and as a photographer it feels quite 'homey', but its tough to avoid the 'lives of others', dopamine hits from likes (or lack of) etc.

Despite having a background in journalism, I'm also aiming to cut myself off from the hyperventilating news cycle. I work on a computer though and often find myself inadvertently browsing to a number of different outlets, more out of compulsion than anything else. I can't think of a single positive thing to come of it, rather anxiety, worry and existential dread. On a daily basis I will visit The Guardian, FT, CNN, BBC, Daily Mail, Express, Telegraph, DW, MSN, The Altantic and probably more as I get sent messages from news-reading relatives who want to keep me up to date. I end up visiting these sites multiple times and more often then not, half-reading useless bits of general trivia news, multiple tabs, get anxious about not finishing articles, etc. etc. etc.

https://www.raptitude.com/2016/12/five-things-you-notice-when-you-quit-the-news/

My rational side knows I'm just 'working' for free, reading shit in exchange of some advertising ££, cookies and personal data.

Has anyone tackled media consumption addiction on their own, how did you do it? Any advice? 

I tried in the past a few times but keep 'relapsing' and want to fend it off for good.

LightB4sound

Following with interest as it's something I feel I need help with as I know this device is having a negative impact on my well being. I'm probably showing Classic signs of addiction I guess.

Keiko

Just do it, keep practising until it becomes a habit. The best thing you can do for your mental health is to cut yourself off from the news media and advertisements. They know exactly what they're doing psychologically. F*cking hypocrits harping on about mental health awareness all the time.

When the news comes on just switch it off, or try to get away from it if its coming from a source out of your control.

If you have to watch TV or  stuff online stick to "safe" things such as comedy programs. I like nature programs but even they willbombard you with doom and gloom about global warming etc.  Listening to music is awesome of course, but avoid the radio or streaming services with ads and news. 

Leave the house more, go out for walks in nature, do social activities etc. Focus on the cool stuff thats going on in your world, not the horror and misery thats going on in the world and completely out of your control or vicinity.

VimFuego

I've never gone cold turkey, but I do go through periods where i try and limit my exposure to the stuff that raises my BP (including this place). I'm not a massive social media user, don't do twitter or instagram, but when I feel a i need a break from the more rage inducing stuff, I unfollow those pages/sites/people who I know will trigger me. It's difficult for me to completely get rid of SM, as I still used FB to stay in touch with family etc. 
it's not perfect and like Don Corleon, I do occasionally find myself being drawn back.

ToneControl

I find I get that relaxing effect from sitting in my summerhouse, which has an Amazon echo, but no other media devices
Take a book, and read at your own pace

I think a lot of guys get an allotment to get away from it all

WiresDreamDisasters

It really is this simple. It's just a monumental task trying to make these huge life altering habitual changes. I struggle with it too. I think the trick is to break it down into as many small chunks as you can, and to set mini bite-sized realistic goals. Try going a week where you shut the computer off and turn off the phone for just an hour every evening. Then the next week add 30minutes, and the week after that, make it 2 hours total. And keep growing it like that.

Or if you have to be at a computer, change what you're watching or reading. Instead of news, switch it up for cartoons, music podcasts, etc.

This might seem melodramatic to post this, but checkout:
https://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/cbt.htm

They're no longer around but I really respect @frankus and @randomhandclaps and their viewpoints on this stuff. They managed something I couldn't really sustain for too long; the forum.

p90fool

ToneControl said:

I find I get that relaxing effect from sitting in my summerhouse, which has an Amazon echo, but no other media devices
Take a book, and read at your own pace

I think a lot of guys get an allotment to get away from it all

Not an allotment, but a similar idea.

Sometimes I come and sit in here just because I like the smell. With no wifi and very little phone signal, I just potter about until eventually another bike emerges into the daylight.

http://i64.tinypic.com/33fg3z8.jpg

olafgarten

Honestly, if you aren't actually seriously depressed I wouldn't stop reading the news.

Bad things are going to happen whether you know about them or not and it's best to know what is happening. 

fretmeister

One of the best ways I found on facebook was to cut the friends list down.

Start with anyone who doesn't post a lot anyway.
Then those who post a little but you never respond to their posts.
Then those who don't really post anything you want to have an opinion on.
Then those who you see regularly in real life - unless it's the only way to contact them out of hours.

I found there was a bit of a watershed when the friends list got under 75. The feed can be very quiet. So I look and there is nothing new so I move onto something else.

guitars4you

A bit easy for me - I've never signed up to Face Book or Instagram - I set up a twitter account but probably not used it for 5 years or so - Can't recall the last time I brought a newspaper

I use FB more than I should - But like it

I listen to the radio, but mainly whilst working and driving

So I can't say I've had to go cold turkey, but I've never felt I need to join the social media circus

randella

fretmeister said:

One of the best ways I found on facebook was to cut the friends list down.

Start with anyone who doesn't post a lot anyway.
Then those who post a little but you never respond to their posts.
Then those who don't really post anything you want to have an opinion on.
Then those who you see regularly in real life - unless it's the only way to contact them out of hours.

I found there was a bit of a watershed when the friends list got under 75. The feed can be very quiet. So I look and there is nothing new so I move onto something else.

This is pretty solid advice.  I took a slightly different approach with FB and it was to only ever be bothered about having people on my friends list who I'd enjoy going for a pint and a catch-up with.

In the end though, I realised I wasn't deriving any enjoyment from it as FB decides who you're going to hear from, and I just got the same old posts.  After a brief thought about it all I binned it.  Please don't think I'm taking the high-and-mighty view here of "yeah check me out I'm not on FB and I'm better than you" - I just realised it wasn't adding anything positive to my life.

I've replaced it with a bunch of Whatsapp groups for various different friends.  Every so often someone posts and if not no worries.  Plus no targeted advertising which is really getting to saturation point on FB.

I've always despised Twitter and I can never find enough things of interest to photograph for Insta so other than this place that's me off the wheel.

So yeah sorry, TL;DR - maybe have a look at trimming it back slowly instead of doing it all at once.  Have a think about the bits that bring you down and bin those.

Blaendulais

I play guitar I find it helps

Caffeine_Vampire

I lost my driving licence 3 years ago because of my health. It was the best thing that ever happened to me. I discovered that everything I needed was on my doorstep. Now I rarely even use public transport. I don’t check the news or social media when I go out walking because nature is far more interesting. 

I put my name down for an allotment a few weeks back. 

Tune out, turn off, drop out. 

Roland

danishbacon said:

... advice on going cold turkey ...

JDFI. My bass play has just done this. It has saved him several hours per day, and he wasn’t a heavy user.

Tell your friends that if they want to contact you they’re going to need to use email or pick up a phone. If they don’t bother then they’re not actually friends. Then drop all social media for at least two weeks. After that you can begin to use the essentials such as theFretBoard and er .... well, I can’t think of any others.

DrCornelius

I've binned the smartphone and started using an old school Nokia. Its made a massive difference to me - I take a book on the train now or listen to the radio via the phone and I don't have the continual temptation to check work emails, social media shite or (gulp) guitars and amps I don't really need on here.
Rediscovering books is great, I'm genuinely excited to free up half an hour to get stuck into one and I've found I'm watching films and listening to music as I should be now - ie without the smart phone on my lap.

Next step for me would be buying a train set and going fully Neil Young - that's my idea of mindfulness (well that, reading and playing the guitar) 

If I'm struggling mentally I find even click bait adverts on social media set me off - the usual 'Casinos don't want you to know this secret' type stuff for whatever reason really kick me in the nuts (no idea why though !)

skay

I read that Raptitude link, or something very similar a few months ago, after being fed up with myself constantly checking the online news coverage of the Brexit process. 

Every day was a make or break day, every week was a last chance, every story was describing being on the edge of a disaster, and it just got really tiring of hearing nonsense spouted as fact when no one knows what is really happening or how it's gonna turn out, or what that will actually mean. 

For almost 3 months I haven't read any online news, watched TV news, listened to news on the radio or even picked up the Metro, and I don't feel like I've been missing out at all.

Read the link, you might agree with what they are saying, and stop consuming nonsense that doesn't benefit your life, and in fact may even allow you to enjoy the world around you a little bit more. 

fretmeister

Another good thing is work out who annoys you but would be difficult to unfriend due to work or family issues...

Just use the Custom Sharing option so they never see your posts. That way you are still friends but they don't see anything.
They may well unfriend you in time if you look like you are never on.

Either that or post so ONLY they can see it, with some objectionable shit (probably not if it causes work issues though!)

DefaultM

I did it. Used to be on facebook constantly, like I would read it, put my phone back in my pocket, then literally 3 seconds later take it out and check again. Just out of habit. 
I wasn't even interested in what I was reading. Very few people were acting like they would in real life. It was just post after post of links to depressing news stories.

Got rid of it all just by suspending my accounts and deleting the apps. At first my thumb would go to where the app used to be on my phone, but after a bit I forgot about it. 

Same with news. My phone would vibrate and it would be a news app telling me 20 people had just died in a bus crash. What am I supposed to do with that information? I can't do anything about it. I can't help in any way, so why does this device in my pocket need to interrupt me to tell me about it?

I would say go for it and prepare to find out who your friends really are. Out of over 200 facebook friends only one bothered to stay in touch, despite me having had the same mobile number for 10 years.

My other friends had apparently asked him where I'd gone. As though the fact I've deleted an app means I'm no longer there. As soon as they found out I'd not deleted them that's all they seemed to care about. "Oh we haven't fallen out that's good. Too much hassle to talk to him on anything other than facebook though".

monquixote

I stopped using Facebook and all other social media a while back. It's been a very positive experience.

I have also cut back on news and for a bit this place though I weakened on that one.

One negative is that because you aren't on Facebook most people assume you don't exist and you lose contact with them, but it has been a price worth paying.

Iamnobody

As a start you could delete the Facebook app from your phone. Having to browse to it and enter passwords etc means you’re less likely to ‘check’ frequently. Worked for me although I was never a big user anyway. 

I dont know (without googling) what Instagram does but im sure you could delete it. 

If if you only use twitter to ‘bitch at corporate accounts’ ask yourself if you should really consider deleting it as well. That’s not a healthy activity.

Re. news I honestly only find out about some of the lesser headlines from this place or chats with other friends/family/colleagues. I don’t watch the news on TV daily or read a paper. I occasionally use the iPhone news app.

UnclePsychosis

Can totally understand wanting to step away from social media.

But cutting yourself off entirely from the news and global affairs strikes me as socially irresponsible.