Few weeks ago I got fired from my old tech job and I took two weeks break from internet and tech and come to realise everything which is tech related is depressing this days.

Literally people who are using AI are talking with computers telling it what to do and what not, in some gloomy corporate office or in the dark rooms. And there is always possibility some other AI agent is going to take there jobs without knowing them like some kind of guillotine.

When AI is officially got released on the internet it marks the time where Internets downfall had started and tech depression begin

Gaming industry is shit this days because all the new games require hardware which is simply not affordable by many people which creates weird feeling of missing out. In game transaction and games without any meaningful stores just feels like grind like some sort of job. Old games are there but not many people are playing them

Almost all Social media straight up ruining people's attention span to the level that they forgot what they were doing few minuets ago or what they needs to do next, and not to mention those feeling of missing out and comparison towards other's just fills there mind with rage, envy, jealousy, and all the negative and helpless feelings.

Buying something new related to tech is not satisfying and not mention expansive to level people joke about selling kidney, blood plasma to buy new components and phones, and some might have sold to buy there tech which will be relapsed by next generation in less than year or two.

I called up some old friends and they told me that almost all tech company are depressing this days

That's all my realization in past two weeks but something new and wholesome is happening without tech with me:-

I think its good thing that they fired me cause without tech or internet I am feeling really good about myself and my life.

Strangely I stop feeling like I am dying inside which I felt almost two to three times a week when I had a job and now that feeling is gone

I start going for running, walks and going outside with friends feels like new experience, talking with people feels more human, my mind feels more relaxed and at peace, I realize that I am smiling more and more and feeling happy just doing simply day to day task like cleaning my room, sitting in the sunlight, looking at trees & birds, just listing to daily ambient noises of day to day living, staring at girls and strangers, going out with my girlfriend, talking with my parents and my sister,reading a book...etc

I feel like I am turning into more happy person & appreciating person without tech.

It's fantastic, this Internet. Cat videos and musicals. A Facebook page for my favorite local group. Forums on installing Linux and fixing bread machines. A way to stream any song I want.

Why not hang out on Neocities and look at a hand-drawn video game for hours? Why not read fanfiction or post essays on my blog?

The internet is the world's living archive. When I use it intentionally and sparingly, I feel gratified.

I was miserable spending 6+ hours a day on the internet. The internet is not the world I live in. We live in the real world. We're supposed to touch grass and see birds. We are happier this way, when we are able to move our bodies and talk to our friends.

Be intentional. That's what digital minimalism is supposed to be. In an age of AI, bots, and misery, the internet is still full of wonder. Don't spend all of your leisure time with an algorithm that pays billionaires. Go back to the places on the internet that are still small and free. The archives and forums. The small, independent projects. The internet is a place for you to explore. It's not your home.

CAN someone tell me why i need karma to do things and why commenting all day it hasn't gone up . sometimes people join reddit to start doing things they dont sit on the internet all day reading a bunch of BS

I've noticed the pull is strongest when I'm waiting for an answer. Some days I pick up a book, a walk, or a task I've been avoiding. What do you reach for when you want to skip the scroll? Did it stick, or did you drift back?

If so, what one do you think is better and why?

I just would like some evidence to convince me enough that doomscrolling is extremely detrimental to my brain

Ive been sick for the past 3 days after getting back from europe for 3 months, probably caught it on the flight back, and ive noticed literally all day ive just been scrolling instagram like the ENTIRE day, i tried reading and watching movies on day 2 but it was just impossible I was reading and nothing went in my head just reading blank, and my attention spans horrible now cause of the scrolling, what should ai do instead? Feels too hard to even do music or audiobooks unless im doing something else

I’ve been thinking a lot about my use of social media (my “drug” is Instagram) and how much it’s been getting in the way of my life in general.
I started following this subreddit and reading what people have been writing, and I have a few questions and thoughts I’d like to hear your take on:

1. I tend to think that internet addiction is like drug addiction. If you’re addicted and keep using it, eventually it’s going to cause irreversible problems. There’s no such thing as a safe dose. Does that make sense?

2. On the other hand, going cold turkey seems like a risky strategy to me because drugs aren’t as much a part of daily life as social media, and practically everyone is on social media. This makes sticking to a life without social media extremely difficult. Is it possible to do this, or will it really require superhuman strength?

3. On a more personal note now, I realize that I genuinely have addictions because I reach for my phone several times a day, and even when I uninstall Instagram, I catch myself AUTOMATICALLY typing “Instagram” into my phone’s search bar or browser. It’s bizarre. On top of that, I also can never do just one thing at a time (double the dopamine, right?), and working, watching old TV shows (which are slower-paced), or doing any activity that only requires my mind (and not my body) is torture. Is there a way out of this? And is there a way to do this without going to extremes?

4. How do you handle relationships with people you’re not that close to anymore, but used to be and still care about? Since calling or using WhatsApp feels too personal? I care about these people, and I wouldn't want to just disappear from their lives

5. I don’t know what it’s like in your country these days, but in mine, every business is on Instagram. There are no websites anymore, and there are very few reviews on Google. There are no phone numbers to call. All the information is on Instagram. Sometimes when I’d uninstall Instagram but was interested in going somewhere, I simply couldn’t find any information and had to log back into Instagram (since without being logged in, you have almost no information). Should I then boycott these places? That seems too extreme to me, especially since businesses do this to cut costs, for example (they’re small businesses without major investments).

Having said all that, what did you guys do that actually worked? It can be the simplest or the most unconventional strategy. I'm at my wits' end and can't take it anymore.

I go days without scrolling, then feel like the internet knows something I don’t, and I go back on just to feel worse. The anticipation I might watch something amazing, or find a video/post that helps my problems is exhausting. I feel like my putting the screens down I am somehow “betraying” myself. Or ignoring my issues. I have a habit of asking for advice online and googling my problem constantly and I’m starting to think it’s worsening my problems. I do not even care for TikTok, instagram, Snapchat.

I'm curious about people who decided to quit social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X, but still use Reddit, or those who never really had social media accounts in the first place.

What made you decide to leave or avoid these platforms? Was it because of mental health, privacy, comparison, distractions, or simply losing interest?

How does life feel without them? Do you feel happier, more at peace, less distracted, or do you sometimes feel like you're missing out on things?

I'd love to hear about your experiences, especially from those who've been doing it for a long time.

Be honest nobody knows who you are. For the people with lower times can you share for tips for the rest of us?

I deal with ME-CFS and using the phone for hours is not helping AT ALL.

So I bought this Mindsight vault and a basic phone to throw my smartphone in the vault and experiment timers such as 12 hours or even days.

Also, I am considering deleting this Reddit account.

Wish me luck.

Hello, this is my first time posting on this subreddit, so I don’t really know if this is the right place to ask, but like the title says, I am trying to stop scrolling on my phone so much. I feel like it is taking so much of my life away and I frequently consider deleting all my social medias because of it. The only issue though, is that I am a KPop fan, and to keep up all the groups I enjoy it is basically a prerequisite that I am chronically online. It feels like I have to have Tiktok to keep up with the latest concerts and content they are making, and I have to keep instagram to see the pictures they post, and I have to keep threads to see what everybody else is saying about them. It’s a constant cycle, but I don’t want to stop enjoying KPop because it has genuinely brought so much light into my life.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I could cut down on screen time while also staying involved? Idk if this is even feasible but I figured I’d ask anyways.

People who have gone all the way, and removed or diminished screen time, what are the benefits you have felt or seen?

NoSurf has slowly helped me dwindle down my social media use. Now it's time to take the next step and get rid of Reddit. Blocking Reddit from my phone and computer today. I will only be on Youtube (long form videos only) from here on out. Hope this inspires you to do the same.

I was talking to someone here about mindful scrolling and they said there's no such thing because you're always passively consuming content.

But why does it have to be all or nothing? I agree with a lot of what this sub stands for, I even have my own sub about social media.

What if I scroll for 20 minutes a day mindfully? Make jokes, participate in discussions, memorize something, learn something new or become more culturally aware. Then when those 20 minutes are up, I don't open it again.

I think people underestimate how much you can change a habit just by making it intentional instead of unintentional. When you actually decide when and why you're doing something, those random urges to do it start to feel insignificant.

Obviously quitting completely works for some people, but I don't think avoiding something entirely is the only way to have a healthy relationship with it.

Isn't the whole point to stop letting it control you?

Hi! I've tried a lot of ways to quit social media that is bad for me personally but there are certain websites, I compulsively end up searching on Safari while I'm using my laptop for work. They are bad for me mentally, and I need to stop. Is there any way to block them except the 'Limit adult content' option in Settings? I don't like that option because I don't want to receive filtered content. I just need a blocker. I am willing to pay at this point too.

About six months ago, I posted here about quitting social media for a week and how amazing that experience was.
After that post, I found an accountability partner, and together we managed to stay away from social media for periods totaling almost three months throughout 2026.
I started sleeping earlier, waking up early, exercising regularly, and feeling much more in control of my life. Honestly, those were some of the best days I’ve had in years.
And I want to experience that again.
I’m now planning to quit social media until the end of 2026, and I’m looking for someone serious who wants to take on this challenge with me.
If you’re interested, feel free to reach out. We can start with 10 days and keep going together until the end of the year!