Facebook addict going cold turkey, anyone done it?

[NutshellInAHole]

I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m probably depressed ... definitely suffering with anxiety. I know exercise would help but I’m addicted to Facebook and literally spend hours scrolling through shit I’m not even interested in. It sounds stupid but I feel if I’m on Facebook, I’m not doing “nothing” if that makes sense? If I didn’t have Facebook, I would have to find stuff to do. AIBU to think it might solve me some problems? Has anyone gone from Facebook addict to never using it?

I'm the same. I hate it so much but I'm so addicted. It really negatively affects my mental health and I waste hours scrolling through utter shit that mostly just makes me annoyed. I deactivated it last Sunday and I feel so much lighter. The longest I've ever stayed away is a week and a half. I don't actually want to never go on it again but I would like to reach the point where I only check it 1-2 times a week to catch up with online friends' news and the groups I'm in. I found removing the fb app from my homescreen really helps with the temptation of reactivating it. You could try setting yourself a starting goal ie a week with no fb and see how it goes?

I can highly recommend Stay focused app if you ever feel you need to get away from any app. It's good, free gor up to 6 hours at a time and hardest setting is very much... Yeah, unbreakable😂

I like fb.
A lot of the stuff I see are from bands I follow activities I do and places I go and things I have a real interest in.
So I feel like mt feed is full of positive things.
Any friends that are dolly downers are hidden!!
Could you do that so you are seeing less negatively and only decent stuff or fo you want to get rid if it fir good.

@OrangeRug

I'm the same. I hate it so much but I'm so addicted. It really negatively affects my mental health and I waste hours scrolling through utter shit that mostly just makes me annoyed. I deactivated it last Sunday and I feel so much lighter. The longest I've ever stayed away is a week and a half. I don't actually want to never go on it again but I would like to reach the point where I only check it 1-2 times a week to catch up with online friends' news and the groups I'm in. I found removing the fb app from my homescreen really helps with the temptation of reactivating it. You could try setting yourself a starting goal ie a week with no fb and see how it goes?

That’s exactly how I feel. There are some groups I would miss but like you I wish I could just log in every few days just to catch up like DH does. I post so much shit on there that I often feel embarrassed about later, I get involved in stuff that doesn’t concern me, I see videos that disturb me but it’s like car crash tv ... you just “have” to watch. I’m thinking if I delete it and go cold turkey for a week, then allow myself to check it once on certain days?

Oh me too OP. There's been so many times I've overshared on fb after too much wine 😂 That sounds like a good plan.

Deactivated years ago.
I miss groups, local gossip, what's going on in the wider world.
However, what I miss doesn't warrant going back to that place.

People are largely fake on social media, I used to get FOMO, take photos of everything and anything just to post, go places others have been, compare my life, fb stalk people.
It's very unhealthy. It took a while to get used to not being on SM but best thing I ever did.
Now I mindlessly read mumsnet! It's better, but just be careful you don't replace one for the other.
Watch some YouTube videos of the addiction of SM, things will start to make sense to you.
Be prepared for your world to get smaller - I lost touch with many people, but im comfortable with that, my real friends and family message me if they want to speak...
And send screenshots of other people's SM "slagging them off" - it's enough to make me realise its the best thing I ever did.
Nobody knows what I've been up to, what I've had for dinner, my opinion on anything unless I tell them personally.

Honestly op, do it. Resist the urge to go back, and feel your life return again.

Yep. Five years ago. Deleted my account and have never looked back. The only SM I have now is MN (hooray!) and Pintrest for crafting ideas.

I have a skeleton FB profile to sell stuff locally but other than that I came off it years ago for similar reasons.

I had to delete Twitter and Instagram too because I couldn't stop getting involved in silly commenting.

I'm thinking I may need to ditch MN soon as it's going the same way...!!

I don't miss social media, it took a while though.

I had to stop cold turkey otherwise I kept getting drawn back in.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do, it does get easier and easier.

I deleted my account four years ago and have benefitted in so many ways. I really feel better without the mental clutter of what others are doing, and I didn’t even have annoying friends really, I just didn’t like my default unconscious scrolling. I have made an effort to be in contact in more intentional ways with those I care about, and i do still use WhatsApp for communication with groups. I did miss it for some business or group related stuff initially but I think more businesses are noticing that a lot of younger people don’t use it, and are now using other modes too. I know lots of people that it works well for (with better MH than me) who aren’t dependent on it, but I’m an all-or-nothing person, so this works better for me.

Something I’ve been trying recently when tempted to disappear into social media is to ask “does this bring me joy?” (A bit Marie Kondo but with time not stuff)

So having a browse on Marketplace might, but reading all the clickbait shit - “ what would you name this dog?” - “who remembers what this car part is? Wrong answers only” absolutely does not.

Me I deactivated a year ago and never went back , it’s strange meeting people I had on Facebook as I realise I don’t know much about anyone anymore or what’s happening in their lives ... but I’d rather it that way

Been off it since October. Don't miss it. Mind you the cold turkey was helped by psycho ex friend getting all her mates to report back anything I posted

Yes and I have no self control. Feel loads better in my mental health but also happier now I am not supporting a company that (according to the UN) played a determining role in the massacre in Myanmar. If you need help motivating yourself check out the podcast Behind the Bastards. There are 5 episodes on Mark Zucherberg. He is causing so much damage.

Either way it really wasn't as hard as I expected once I realised how bad it made me feel. I have a proper addictive personality and I managed it. Because it felt better without it.

www.stitcher.com/show/behind-the-bastards/episode/part-one-mark-zuckerberg-should-be-on-trial-for-crimes-against-humanity-77917540

I was thinking about downloading my photos and deleting it. I can't "say" anything honest on there as it's mainly family on my friends list. So it's not a source of support or anything for me. Just a bind.

Yep I wouldn't say I was addicted to it, but I deactivated my account and don't use it any more. I feel so much better. I noticed every time I went on there I'd come away feeling shit, and who needs that in their life?!

That’s a point, I don’t want to lose my photos, if I just delete the app from my phone I’m assuming my photos will still be attached to my account?

You'll only lose your photos if you permanently delete your account via your Facebook settings. And even if you wanted to permanently delete you can download all your photos beforehand. You will not lose your photos by deleting the app or deactivating.

I would really miss my fb friends and support groups. I can however, limit my use so for me it is a positive. If it was ever different I would delete. I delete people who are arseholes and regularly prune unwanted groups, notifications and friends who are not really friends

Me two years ago and still to date. I ended up coming off of most social media and every now and then someone tells me some weird story they heard on fb and I'm so glad I'm no longer on it. I didn't gain anything from it personally.
I have got a log in for fb market place or local but I hardly ever use it and I have zero friends on it.
I gave it up because I felt I was wasting so much time and life on it and also because I felt I was getting sucked into wanting more because I saw someone else have something. Not my best side tbh!

@NutshellInAHole

That’s a point, I don’t want to lose my photos, if I just delete the app from my phone I’m assuming my photos will still be attached to my account?

you can download all your data including photos

m.facebook.com/help/212802592074644?locale=en_GB

I deactivated years ago, but if I wanted to right now I could sign back in, and see all the comments and photos spanning years -
Also another benefit was not seeing "this time X amount of years ago"
On dates I would never usually remember.
I don't need to be reminded of times gone by, good or bad. I need to live in the present moment.
Facebook brings you down by reminding you constantly of the past, milestones you would never remember. Posts that make you cringe, remember or long for times gone by.
It really is very, very toxic.

I spent way too much time on fb so i deleted the app on my phone, having to google facebook and log in every time seems to have broken the habit for me. I still check in every couple of days so i don't miss birthdays or whatever but i only spend a couple of minutes in it and i don't miss it at all.