I tried not to come back. I even deleted my account..But..

[cakeorwine]

I came back. I left last year as I kind of got into some threads and spent a lot of time on here. I even deleted my account. Interestingly, if you delete your account, it's very hard to get back with the same email.

But I did look at some threads. And then got drawn back in.

But I promise not to spend too much time on threads. It's just that there are some great debates and discussions on here.

It is the Hotel California.

@cakeorwine

I came back. I left last year as I kind of got into some threads and spent a lot of time on here. I even deleted my account. Interestingly, if you delete your account, it's very hard to get back with the same email.

But I did look at some threads. And then got drawn back in.

But I promise not to spend too much time on threads. It's just that there are some great debates and discussions on here.

It is the Hotel California.

Hahaha it gets us all 😂😂😂

I know what you mean... I've used BlockSite to block MN on my phone and laptop. BUT - I found out that if I go in through gmail by clicking a link from an MN email, I can go on no bother. So I'm back on every day! Such a time waster -but so bloody addictive!

Oh, I get you! I've been on and off for years, deleted and vowed never to return. There's some really good practical advice on here, I like the sort-your-life-out threads - a bit like organising/hoarding programmes on TV, even if you've seen it all before it's still comforting somehow.

The Covid board is fucking awful, though, I really need to stay away from there. It was actually useful to me back in March 2020 when I was sick and got to hear from other early adopters of C-19, but it's just a shitshow now, full of the #fuckyourfeelings and iTsjUStAcOLd brigade. It's a cesspit to AIBU's bearpit

Jaron Lanier in his book 10 Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now argues that forums like this facilitate bad behaviour via a combination of anonymity and people being stimulated by negativity and aggression, among other things. I think he's right, unfortunately

For me, I think I need to stick to setting a 15-minute timer, can't come on more than once a day and, as suggested in another book I read, asking myself before I post "Is it true? Is it necessary? Is it kind?" It is hard, though!

It definitely is hard to come off. Early Covid did it for me too, and I was off for a few months but I do genuinely respect the level of thought on here. I add mumsnet to a lot of my google searches to see what has been said before about product recommendations or advice on certain situations. I'd be left with reddit to fill that gap otherwise.