/lounge/ - sushi social

I'm in a similiar spot atm, it takes time to make the switch. A habit takes effort to push through.
Only thing I've noticed so far is that it helps a bit if you do something physical to sort of remind yourself that you have a body and aren't solely some piece of attention floating around webpages and system windows. I'm trying to learn juggling, it's pretty fun. Going out exploring can help too, if you're spending time in the same space all the time you might catch a bit of cabin fever. Go on small adventures every couple of days, maybe once a week to start with if you aren't used to it.
Also on getting productive on the computer, I find switching to another system helps loads to make it feel fresh again. I have a spare PC with only a bare essentials linux setup on it without all the pretyped links and droves of folders to get lost in when just looking for a PDF or something. It feels different enough that even though it's a computer it cuts off most of the baggage of the past.

Go out, nerd. Take a walk for a whole day.

Turn it off.

Getting an anxious feeling? You're probably madly stuck to whatever it is and have all the more reason to tear it's hold of you.

Does just not being on it for some time really sound that mad after all?

>>5449 is right. Turning your computer off - not just putting it to sleep - severs the cycle of never-ending distraction that surfing the web gives rise to.

After shutting the computer down, you need to decide what to do, though. I suppose everyone will find different things enjoyable, but I always felt better after reading a book in my garden. You could do a variation on this theme; buy a book of puzzles to fill in, or walk to the park to read. But there are loads of other hobbies: cooking, walking, listening to the radio, drawing, writing, model-building, and so on. It might feel weird trying these out at first, because it seems unfamiliar and unnatural. But I'm sure you would come to like at least of some of them if you stick to it.

Ganbatte, sushi roll.

Delete bookmarks, cookies, history and any personal configuration made for those sites. Many times habit is the only reason you visit certain places, so when you disconnect from them it is surprisingly easy to forget them.

Delete the accounts you use on those unwanted forums. The effort to rebuild what you had is uninviting and encourages giving up on them.

Accept that you'll have many thoughts on the back of your head wondering what is going on while you are not there because of fear of missing out or just the addiction talking.

Accept that you WILL be incedibly bored but being bored can be a very good thing and lead you to good places but it is not guaranteed.

Then turn off your pc and don't turn it on for as long as you can but force yourself to leave it off for at least 1 whole day. Don't say to yourself "one day passed so it is ok now", keep forcing yourself.

It seems that you are moved by habit which means you probably don't pay much attention to what you're doing, as such forgetting is easier; the hard part is tedium.

I was addicted to an online game as a kid and stopped cold turkey to impress my parents because they complained about it a lot. They didn't even noticed.
If i had my right hand in the peripheral vision, some moments, i would feel and see it holding a computer mouse, my hands would also shake craving the keyboard and mouse. Something like this will probably happen to you but it is fine, the problem really is boredom. Good luck.

Cold turkey is the only way to go.

Mindless browsing is a behavioural addiction; your body literally craves it, and it's much harder to ease off than to stop all together. The internet will still be there when you get back. it took me a long time to realise you don't miss anything by taking a break.

The most important thing I can recommend is get rid of your phone. They're basically remote controls for people; the convenience isn't worth the mental stress they cause or the temptation to use it for internet-y things. Being at the beck and call of anyone with your phone number at all hours of the day is really werid in the first place now that I think about it…

I actually thought bordom was the best part of going offline. People don't like being bored, we actively avoid it, and when computers can't distract us our brains have to try and un-bored themselves. This was when I felt the most creative, most energetic, the most motivated to do stuff - being bored is really great, more people should try it.

I'd recommend a library for stuff to do. Preferably a big one. Spend an afternoon there, look through hobby or craft sections, flip through books that catch your eye, try and find something you can dedicate a lot of time to, that seems rewarding and fun and interesting. I got into gardening this way.

I think you've got to really want a change of pace to get much out of disconnecting yourself. Otherwise, as you say, you'll just watch paint dry instead of pixels flicker.

I don't want to be that guy, but get a job. A lot of my social interaction is at work, and I don't think that's a bad thing. If you already have a job, try being more sociable with your co-workers, you might be surprised at how open people can be when forced to cooperate for 6-8 hours at a time. Getting a job was one of the biggest steps for me in breaking my internet addiction (though it's still an ongoing process).

But yea, like the other sushis have suggested, going cold turkey is probably best, but I think it can be balanced out as opposed to completely dropped.

Not sure if this is already your case, but instead of getting out of the computer you could try and make something productive out of your time on it. Like learning programming or 3D modeling or something.

The former is my particular case, the latter is something I try to get into but haven't quite been able to.

>>5455
How fucking dumb am I

>post before reading the whole fucking OP

>>5456
Don't be so hard on yourself, sushi.

I think you should try creating things creating things, maybe start with things you find entertaining and try to create your own or lean how. When I take breaks from the internet, I also spend time reading books and writing in a journal which are ok. Sometimes I feel like my life is stagnating and I’m just doing the same thing all the time but having to create things and not having them readily available seems to change that. Also, an example of this would be trying to write stories to entertain myself. I’m not good at it but for some reason it’s pretty fulfilling.

If you are having trouble being productive, I’ve found that figuring out what you should do or work on, going to bed relatively early (melatonin helps a lot,) and waking up relatively early and doing whatever it is you decided to do as soon as you wake up helps a lot. If you start being productive before you have breakfast or do whatever else you do, you won’t have time to procrastinate, get sucked into some form of escapism, or get overwhelmed with whatever you are working on and it will be easier to concentrate for the rest of the day.

Just get outside. I've been skating around with headphones on the past few days and I feel like a kid again. Just take it in moment by moment. Psilocybin was a big help for me, it made me realize that being outside isn't threatening.
I fell yesterday and almost broke my leg, but I still feel great nonetheless.

In my experience, once I started going to university and had a lot to do, I started spending a lot less time on the computer (granted I'm doing it now instead of studying). Still, I think one of the best things you can do to help is to start dedicating a lot of time to something worthwhile. At least then, even if it involves the computer, you will be getting something done and you will feel better about your use of it. Maybe just going outside with a laptop to a park somewhere might change the mood around your pc use.

Cultivating social relationships is also a great way of waning yourself off if you have that option. It definitely helps me.

If you really want to get away from anything electronic, there are ways to do worthwhile things without the internet. Even learning a language (something I've been spending a lot of time doing in my free time) can be done with a physical spaced repetition system. You could read physical books, work on maths by hand, make physical art, do exercise. As another sushi here said, try psychedelics, maybe it would give you some perspective.

>>5446
I like to ride public transportation with a book. I think my computer use is healthier when I have friends to go out with since I have less time to browse mindlessly. Somehow I never got addicted to my phone. I can't stand browsing on such a small screen, long loading times, and more ads.

>>5472
I started building a board recently, just ordering a few parts at a time. I've been trying to find something fun to do outside for about a year. Tried archery, got bored, tried rollerblading but realized it's too gay and not ready to come back yet. Although I've heard in places like Europe and some parts of asia it's still kind of cool to rollerblade. Skating is like my last hope for an outdoor hobby cus I hate everything else!!! I don't know anything about those mushrooms though.(i had to look it up).

>>5446
Have you tried working out? Look for a simple strength training program (shouldn't take more than 30-45 minutes) and do it three times a week. It will increase your confidence and improve your mood for sure, which will make you probably less dependant on the internet.

By the way, do you have sauce on that picture? Not the first time I've seen it on imageboards, but I've never managed to find out where does it come from

Mmmhh yes, I've seen this before. Dont worry though theres a excellent solution that always works!

1• become an artist!
2• to become an artist you need certian tools, a camera or just your phone if that's all you have.
3• your first series of photos will be derived from a set of situations you will orchestrate.
4• go to a coffee house, after enjoying a few sips "accidentally" knock it over and watch as it spill everywhere, in the very next moment take a selfie capturing the your expression after just experiencing what you just did.
Take another photo of the spilled coffee and If someone helps you clean it up take a photo of that to.
5• in preperation of next photo buy a bunch of fancy candy and go door to door in a rich neighborhood giving it away for free, be very careful to explain that you dont want anything in return you just wanted to do nice things for people, keep doing this until one of them asks you what you do for a living, than explain you are a photographer artist! And tell them you've been struck with a moment of inspiration and may you come in to do a photoshoot with them, take a photo of everything in the house YOU find interesting, give them the remaining
Candy and get there contact info, they will become a great freind 0f yours! Vist them often.
6• do what you have to in preperation and then vist the mettopolitan museum of art. Take lots of photos on the trip of everything that inspires you.
7• after doing all of that return here for further instruction on your journey. Also post photos from these experience as proof.

You are on your way to becoming a renound photographer, who's story will be told far and wide, your journey begins here!

>>5446
I'm literally in the same exact position as you are.

>>5447
>I have a spare PC with only a bare essentials linux setup on it
I've been interested in doing this with a laptop that I have just sitting around not really being used. I want to make my jump into the Linux scene so bad.


>>5448
>>5450
I have extreme depression and anxiety. I'm afraid to go outside and out around the public. That's another problem I need to tackle and deal with. Plus my town doesn't really have sidewalks it isn't exactly somewhere friendly to not owning and driving a vehicle at least until you get to the main part of uptown. But I do need to focus more on my hobbies and interests I agree with you there. Sadly a lot of them I can do on my PC. Such as watching anime, playing video games, reading, listening to music, and much more. I have wanted to get into physically painting lately but I don't exactly have anywhere to properly do this or store my supplies at the moment.

>>5452
>get rid of your phone
I don't use a phone at all. I use an online system to make calls and texts the rare times that I actually need to and use my headset.

>>5453
Every time I've attempted working at a job in the past I end up becoming suicidal and harm myself. At my last job I became so distressed that I went into the bathroom and started cutting myself with a box cutter. Then the previous jobs once my anxiety levels reached too high I just walked out and left crying, biting myself, then even literally ripping my hair out.

>>5468
I used to work on YouTube videos, take photography, and do other forms of digital art using photoshop. But I ended up quitting all of that during the "smartphone boom" that I absolutely hated and still continue to. Also really hate the state of social media and how people's personalities conflict online now with the state of censorship, politics, and just everything else. Plus I find myself very uninteresting as a person these days. I've thought about joining in on Twitch multiple times streaming myself playing retro games, etc. But I don't really want to talk much or know how to "put myself out there". Also I do get overwhelmed a lot as well as heavily focus way too much on a "brandname" for my account. Then I'll get upset and want a better one or one that's more fitting to who I am.

>>5923
I need to start really working out as I'm physically getting a lot weaker and not any younger. I honestly just don't know where to start as I'm afraid to get out of the house to really exercise.

>>5927
I live in a backwoods small rural town that would never end well doing anything like that. Also there's nothing like that here.

>>5936
In a similar place here, subrural carnie town where it's too hot to go outside in the day and too many druggies out at night to go walk safely.
Found a good way to get off the computer in cooking. Only need to go out to the store once or twice a week if you plan ahead and know what you want to make. Then once you got everything you can afford to burn a lot of time quietly working away on something you'll probably enjoy having by the end of it. Especially long but not very stressful things like breads, roasts, and stews.
There's a quiet calm in spending a couple hours peeling vegetables, waiting for water to boil, kneading dough, etc. Then you get to have a nice meal to cap it off, if people live with you then you also get that satisfaction. And hell if they don't and you make too much you could give extra away to neighbors. Good food can make some good friends.

If you find yourself just waiting on something with nothing to do it helps to do general prep work or clean to kill the time. Like I always have a big plastic container of chopped onions, peeled garlic, and bell peppers at the ready. Then there's extra little things you don't think about much like compound butters, just mince some herbs and stuff and mush it with soft butter, wrap it up and let it chill so you can add it to whatever. So like if you ever want a grilled cheese with peppers and garlic you can just have that whenever. Also freezer meals, that's especially good for giving to people.

>>5936
You can easily work out at home. If you do so, I would strongly recommend installing a pull up bar (you should be able to find one around 20-30 bucks). Pull ups are simple yet very effective exercises that cannot go wrong. If you do not exercise regularly, just by doing a few sets of pull ups and push ups 4-5 times a week you can see some pretty good progress. Just make sure to write down how many reps you do every day, and rest properly (at least 90 seconds) between sets.

>>5938
That sounds really comfy. I have to cook out of necessity but never found it that enjoyable.

>>5940
Yeah cooking is only as much a chore as you think it to be. Think of it less as 'I need to do this to eat' and more 'I'm doing this because it's relaxing and I get to eat nice food'

Just that little reframe from an annoyance to eat to treating myself to a tasty meal changed the whole game for me.

>>5938
Yeah cooking would be good for me to do anyways since I have literally no skill in cooking and needing to do it for my own survival anyways. I need to focus on my health and it would be a good way to do so. I think that's one aspect I'm going to take on. I'll be home alone for about a week next month so I'll need to learn a couple of recipes to survive on anyways.

I probably couldn't do a pull up bar in my house. There's a lot of weak structures inside. That's my biggest fear. I live in a pretty small basic house. I might however be able to do that in the building possibly. I'd have to find someone to help me install it or be able to understand an instruction on how to do so. I'm pretty clumsy and not good with my hands. How many push ups would you recommend?

>>5940
>>5941
Yeah, I need to break that feeling as well that cooking would only be a "chore" and nothing more.

>>5945
>I'll need to learn a couple of recipes to survive on anyways.
If you know what sorts of foods you like I could give you some easy beginner recipes.

>>5945
Well, the number of push ups depends on your physical capabilities. First you should try and see how many push ups you are able to do in a row (max reps). If you cannot do more than 10, it would probably be better to do kneeling push ups until you can.

Once you know your max reps, you can start doing a few sets (3, maybe 4 or 5 if you still can get going) of half your number of max reps. The key is to be methodical: train on a regular basis and keep track of how many reps you do. You should try to increase the number of reps little by little. Even just one extra rep in a single set is good progress!

Also pay attention to your body. You should be tired by the end of the training, without forces to do much more push ups, but your arms shouldn't be shaking uncontrollably at the last reps. If you haven't worked out in a long time, expect sore muscles one or two days after training. That's completely normal, and it will get better with time.

>>5947
I'm a bit of a picky eater. But I'll come back with a list of things in a day or two. I'll need some time to think of a detailed list I could go off of. I will say that I need to start eating a lot more vegetables though and figure out a way that I could like them more.

>>5948
I can do around 10-15 typically. But I do start to get a tad bit sore and shaky in my arms as I'm doing them. Just as writing this I was able to do 11 until I had to stop. Do a few sets a day or a week?

>>5952
Daily. Get away from the computer, do a ser, rest 60-90 seconds, do another. Do at least 3 sets, 4 or 5 if possible.

>>5936
People who complain for advice and and then never take any of it because they base their entire life on coming up with excuses are truly the scum of the earth. I'd say more but why bother trying to help someone who wont even help themselves.

>>6006
Maybe they are trying to compensate for something? I know that there are a lot of things I want to do in my life, but I'd never do them in fear of losing my job, for example.

>>5446
Get into reading. The slower pace of sitting down and reading a book is a welcome change from browsing the internet.

Sensory deprivation. Noise cancelling and blindfold. Lay on your back, on the floor, so you don't fall asleep. It will clear out all the electronic junk in your head.

>>5446
>I guess I'd stare at the wall?
Ah, the Zen route.

As for myself, I've tried nothing and I'm all out of ideas. I could just read, like I used to do, but that is just another form of consumption. There really doesn't seem to be much in this world that is "both" interesting and attainable.

>Hey sushis, how the hell do I get off the computer?
Get busy with real life stuff, from exercise to going to the library or walks to meet people in meetups, events, conventions idk
Well that's how I try, sometimes it works, but for job reasons need to get better at coding so that needs a computer.

it's hard isn't it. The way is to find something fun outside of computers to fill your time with.

>>5447
Yup, I think distraction is key. You have to fill the void with something else.

>>7635
>>7641
Exactly. I've been brainstorming for weeks now on something I can do off the computer (and outside in general), and I finally found something: playing w/ a super ball. Childish? Maybe. But if it's not hot/rainy outside, it's great cardio and a fun way to kill 30 minutes.

As I've gotten older I've gradually lost the anxiety and fear of missing out if I'm not constantly on the computer. Also got rid of browser bookmarks so I don't default to mindless browsing.

When I feel like I'm defaulting I just get up and take a walk or start sewing. I find myself wandering outside more now that I bought a camera.

>>5446
Tried drawing? Pen and paper?

>>5452
When I am bored I just start to think about stuff I could do, but that's it.
I never feel energetic, or motivated or creative. Someone once told me this is simply because I didn't find a hobby yet, which I am not quite sure about.
I like to cook, read, bask in the sun, go for strolls and work out, but indeed spend the most time on the computer.
Sometimes this satisfies me, sometimes it doesn't. I just don't get it.

>>5446
BAKE

Be a logical, rational adult and just stop.

I've never understood how people get "addicted" to stuff like this. If something makes you miserable, why the hell do you keep doing it?

>>13148
It's like an island, in order to get off of it you have to swim through some pretty scary thoughts and truths that it's easier to swim away from. Nobody ends up on the island if they aren't already in the middle of a lake they'd rather not be in anymore.

>>5446
Get a schedule; make it a habit.

>>5446
Just Do It
That path leads to victory

>>5446
I had the same problem. Took up chinese cooking with a wok and it seems to work for me

>>13148
1) you're supposed to put an actual email in the email box, not just the word "sage"
2) don't be a dick

>>15446
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>>15446
Leave while you still can!!