How to overcome internet addiction

Do you spend so much time online that you barely have time for sleep and chores or to pay attention to your hobbies or interests? Well, you might be addicted.

Social media addiction is a behavioural condition that affects over 330 million people aged between 15 and 24 years globally. According to counselling psychologist Caroline Mbae, most of those addicted don’t even realise they are affected.

“Those addicted to social media find themselves to be overly concerned about social media, and are driven by an uncontrollable urge to log on to and use social media. 

“You know you’re addicted to social media if it prevents you from doing important things like house chores, or if it reduces your interaction with friends and family, and if you uncontrollably spend money on buying internet bundles,” she added.

If not addressed, social media addiction can negatively affect an individual’s personality, confidence, and even life goals.

“It exposes one to cyberbullying, wastes time one could otherwise use to work on their hobbies and long-term goals, and in some cases, one will suffer depression and withdrawal as a result of the addiction,” Catherine says.

Here are some tips that could help you overcome this condition.

Disable Notifications
Smart phones allow users to disable notifications for all applications. If you find yourself always distracted by the pinging or vibration of your phone or tablet, you can start by disabling notifications for the distracting apps. This will reduce the number of times your attention shifts to social media and help you focus on more important tasks.

Social Media Detox
“Every addiction needs detoxification to reverse the compulsion or break the unending desire to use the addictive substance. Social media detoxification involves taking as much time as possible away from digital devices and the internet,” she adds. Staying away from our phones might be difficult, but finding alternative things to do might help. For example, find a new hobby, take swimming lessons, learn how to play an instrument, or go to social events and make new friends.

Digital Discipline
Most modern smart phones have a Digital Wellbeing setting that allows users to shape their digital discipline by assigning how much time they can spend on a social media app per day. Once that time elapses, the app will remain inactive for the rest of the day and will not open or show notifications. You should consider using this feature to improve your digital discipline and improve your focus on other tasks during the day.

Morning Routine
“What you do when you wake up determines how your day will go. You should avoid as much as possible the temptation to look at your phone when you wake up, because once you do, you will keep wanting to look at it throughout the day,” Catherine says. Sleeping away from your phone can help change your morning routine or the temptation to look at your phone in the middle of the night.

Parental Control
The majority of social media addicts are youth, most of who are still under the care of parents. According to Catherine, parents have a key role to play in shaping their children’s interaction with social media.

“Parents should pay attention to what their children do with their digital devices, and generally be more present,” she says.

Seek Help
If you can’t seem to find a lasting solution to your addiction, talk to a counsellor or join a support group.

“Social media addiction is a serious addiction like any other and one might need help to overcome it. There’s no shame is seeking help, and in most cases, it will be very useful,” Catherine advises.

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