I am genuinely worried I am addicted to the internet - Aibu to ask if Anyone else feels like this

[RocketQueenP]

I realise the irony because here I am, on the internet, posting this I just have noticed that Every spare moment I get I am on my phone I feel a bit anxious if I have not checked FB for a while I ignore DH, I ignore the DC, its worse (ie in how all consuming it is) than when I used to smoke. I lie in bed with DH reading FB, Instagram, mn, buzz feed, just any old shit. I will be watching a film or series and still be looking at my phone occasionally. I have zero attention span. I will be engrossed in a WhatsApp chat in a group I am in with my 3 closest mates and actualy get annoyed if DH or kids interrupt me as if I am actually sat there talking in person to them.

I went out for the afternoon at the weekend and deliberately left my phone at home. And by doing that, I also realised how rare it was to not even look at my phone for just 3 or 4 hours. And I know now I definitely need to cut down a lot. Life is passing me by while I have my head in my iPhone. I made a jigsaw puzzle with some of the DCs when I got home from that afternoon away from my phone and they were so happy to have my undivided attention. :( DH is as bad tbh.

Does anyone else feel like this? I honestly miss the days before goddam smart phones.

We're all just like mice in a lab, pressing the lever to get a reward
throws phone across room

Have a read of this article www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/technology/2017/mar/14/deleted-social-media-apps-facebook-instagram-emotions-likes

I've switched off all push notifications apart from texts so I have to actually CHOOSE to go and check FB or Instagram not a slave to the red notification symbol any more. I think it's helping as I don't check my phone as often

I have installed an extension to my Google Chrome browser called "Stay Focused". You can set daily time limits to time-wasting websites

Yes me too. .I could spend all day on my phone and sometimes do But I've started deleting apps and now only have instagram and whatsapp. I'm cutting down on the time I spend on MN. I have an app that disables notifications at night and another blocking app I need to set up so that I don't use my phone after a certain time at night.

I'm determined to interact more with my dd and to read more.

I switched all my notifications off, including whatsapp and texts, after I heard a radio programme on how most of us are living with a heightened sense of anxiety as we're (sub)consciously continuously listening out for the 'ping'.

Jaim that article sums up how I feel

I've managed to go on much less, haven't posted a Fb status since Sunday (how embarrassing that this is an achievement 🙄😳) and have only commented about twice and that was only because I wanted to congratulate someone for passing an exam and wish someone else happy birthday.

I feel weirdly depressed and anxious 😰 I thought I'd feel better but don't really

This is my problem too. I've spent the last few years wasting so much time online- I could have been reading or learning or pursuing hobbies and instead I dither about skimreading things (not even absorbing them properly) and jumping from website to website. I don't want to look back and realise I spent most of my free time in life slumped over my phone or at the computer! It's just so easy to sink back into it. It's such a difficult habit to break and I have to force myself to spend hours of free time without touching the internet.

Cartel same

Just feels a big waste of time. What do you do instead of surfing the internet? I honestly feel at a loss!!

Having said that though, I read some of a book this afternoon when I got home from work and just sat uninterrupted for an hour reading with a cuppa. Before I would be stopping reading every 5 mins to check social media and probably barely taken in any of the book. I've stopped going online at work as well and I've been so much more productive.

When we go out for a meal me and my OH purposely leave our phones at home. It's lovely.

I'm addicted. So is my OH - we know it. It's not good

Start with meal times & nights out & get out of the habit slowly. I do get where you're coming from

Good idea I think I'll suggest that next time DH and I go out. (Although we like to take selfies and pics of drinks 😳😳😳😳)

If you google "digital detox challenge" there are lots of ideas for weaning yourself off gradually rather than going cold turkey...

On the other hand, it does depend what you're actually doing on the internet/phone/laptop etc. It's not all bad.

For example, let's imagine an internet-free scene from the past:

Your alarm clock goes off and you and your family get up and start your day. While eating breakfast you read the newspaper. Your kids keep asking you pointless questions and you tell them to shush because you're reading an interesting bit. You get a call on the landline from a mum friend asking if it's a fancy dress day at school today or next week, she's forgotten - you double check your calendar and the letter from the school, yes, it's definitely today. You drop the kids off at school, you take a picture of the kids in their costumes. It's your day off work, you get home and realise there isn't any food in for dinner so you look at a recipe and quickly jot a list down on a post-it. You remember your cousin abroad who gave you the recipe book for Christmas and you sit down to write them a letter, you haven't been in touch for ages! You also have to plan your kids birthday party. You quickly check in an A-Z map to remind yourself where a certain address is, before hand delivering a party invitation there as it's on the way to the shop. Later that evening you have a couple of phone calls - one from a friend, and one from your boss asking if you can do an extra shift tomorrow. After dinner while your kids watch a movie on TV you read a book....

You get the picture - these days ALL of that stuff can be done on a smartphone! Messages, photos, calendars, reading news, reading for leisure, looking up recipes, maps, keeping in touch with friends, family and colleagues, school, etc! So it's not completely nuts that we spend a lot of time on these devices. We're doing the exact same things we used to do, but all with one device. It's not always addiction, it's just how modern life works.

Thanks Crunchy for putting it in perspective. Very interesting .. and you're not wrong.

Agree crunchy to a certain extent but I do think being on your phone is sort of more.... all consuming (it is for me anyway!)

Have googled digital detox some good ideas

Oh my God, are you me OP?! I'm in exactly the same boat. Although I don't work pt, I'm a SAHM with a screen addicted 3yo and a schoolchild too.

On days when I don't go on my phone as much, I'm sure I have more energy. This is a normal day for me (Loved Crunchy's post)...

3.15am - wake up for a wee. Check phone. If I've got an email or message I read it. Check FB notifications. Go back to sleep.
7am - phone alarm goes off. Spend 5 mins checking fb, news and weather.
7.30am - head for shower, checking phone and replying to any posts/comments/messages

During the day I use my phone to stay in touch with friends, write out my shopping list, Google stuff (currently bathrooms as we're looking at getting a new one), check bank account, and MN of course.

8pm - 11pm on phone surfing the net and messaging friends.

Anyone else with young dc also check their phone whilst on the toilet?! It's the only time I get 5 mins uninterrupted sometimes !

I use an app called Quality Time, it's free. I've set it to block me from all social media during work hours, between 8:30 and 9:30pm so I do some housework, and from 10:30pm until 6:00am so I go to sleep. You can also switch it on for intervals called "family time" so that you can have a specified non-interrupted period e.g. if you go out for a meal or are playing a game. I still have access to calendar, email, phone and text.

I also have an app on my chrome browser at work that blocks a list of sites except for lunchtime (like mumsnet!). I am be coming more productive.

I am a week on now and I have definitely managed to keep my internet usage down....I have hardly been on the dreaded FB although I did post a status and I soon found the anxiety coming back and need to keep looking and seeing if there had been any comments etc . But that was on Sunday and haven't posted or commented at all. I am finding that if I am not "contributing" to my own facebook feed there is no point checking as I have no notifications. (if that makes sense)

I also don't even have google installed on my phone now so I don't sit googling random stuff (I am terrible for that)

Me too. I also fine that I use it more on days I feel down and it always makes me feel worse - yet I can't stop. I have always been like this with technology right from the days of Frogger that I used to play non-stop for hours as a teenager.

I am like this, I try to limit my social media usage to the evenings when dc are in bed
During the daytime I try to put my phone away out of sight (in bedroom etc) so that I'm not constantly reaching for it

Me too! I know I'm doing it too and still can't stop. It's definitely an addiction. The worst thing about it for me is when you read a book or watch tv it's a conversation starter isn't it, but you can't really make small talk with people talking about all the rubbish you've looked at on your phone! I'm definitely cutting down, starting tomorrow!

I've made a massive effort to reduce the idle phone flicking.

I've come off some local fun groups. It's so negative just lots of whinging, naming and shaming.

Last night I watched boxsets uninterrupted and it was so much better - concentrating and becoming completely embroiled.

The problem I have with my social media is that constant flicking from one thing to the next then moving on... to the next and so on.

I've come of local fb groups - not 'fun' for exactly that reason!

I have been addicted to computing and the the internet for many years. Had a home PC when computing was in its infancy and had access to the internet before most of Joe Public. I don't however do social media as such, it's mainly research for me, so serious stuff. I just don't get FB, instagram or any of that malarkey. I do have messenger installed but purely so I can call people overseas for free.

I'm enjoying this site though and am fascinated by people's reactions to situations.