Everyone with a smartphone has this problem to some extent, as they are built to create it. Apps and devices are often designed in such a way to encourage you to use them as much as possible so that the billionaires that own these platforms can gather data on you and sell it to advertisers. We tend to operate these devices when we're tired, bored, or just out of habit, and so we may find ourselves falling into somewhat subconscious patterns, moving through digital spaces in a state of unthinking distraction. For example, sharing information when prompted with those big giant blue "ok" buttons, not changing the deliberately obtuse settings hidden deep within nested menus, and so on. But totally deleting everything or getting rid of your phone and computer isn't really workable, as some necessary forms of communication and social, family, or work obligations also happen through these apps and devices. Running off to live in a utopian commune away from all this stuff might work for some, but sadly not for all of us.

The real solution to this would be to change the political-economic structure of the technology industry so that these devices and the apps that run on them aren't designed to constantly fuck us all over. But since that's not happening anytime soon, the only other answer is to become less passive and more active in our use of these devices. That means changing things to switch off as much of the manipulative shit as you can, and to reduce the circumstances that make it likely for you to find yourself unthinkingly scrolling for hours. There's a lot that you can do which is quite technical (rooting your phone, installing a system-wide adblocker, etc etc), but there is also a lot you can do which anyone should be able to manage. Here's a few suggestions to try:

1. Switching off notifications for as many apps as you possibly can. You likely have to keep them on for one or two things that are important for communicating with nearby friends, family, and (unfortunately) work, but you should turn off as many notifications as you feel you can get away with. This will reduce how often you are prompted to pay attention to you phone, and likely will reduce your overall usage quite radically as people tend to do other things with their phone after responding to a notification.

2. Rearrange your homescreen so that as little as possible is on the main page. Put the most problematic apps inside a folder several swipes away. App icons work like advertisements, subtly reminding you to engage with the app. With the app icons being less visible, you're less likely to find yourself opening them.

3. If you're able to, get an old-fashioned wristwatch and alarm clock, and don't charge your phone overnight at your bedside. People who use their phones to check the time will often continue to use the device afterwards just like with notifications. And having your phone as your alarm by the bed means that it's quite likely that your phone is the last thing you look at before sleep and the first thing that you see in the morning, making it far too easy to spend all hours of the day and night lying there scrolling away. Using a non-internet connected device for checking the time and setting an alarm, and keeping the phone out of arms reach when in bed will almost certainly reduce your usage.

There's loads of other things you can do, but now I'm feeling incredibly self-conscious writing all this and feel like I need to go offline and do something else, like watch TV, or drink too much.

deleted by creator

The only luck I've ever had with this sort of thing is commmiting 100% to it. Turn off your internet, give your phone to a friend, etc. Make sure you have other things to do, but just, you know, do the thing.

~sent while shitting

This could be a bit drastic or unrealistic for you with work or school, but I replaced my smart phone with a Nokia 3310, and bought an SD card so I could put podcasts and musics on it so I would have enough internet-style hyperstimulation available to avoid getting back on the internet directly. I keep my old smart phone in my car with maps for my local area downloaded so I can still get around to new locations, and I use a car charger so I have no excuse to take it inside with me and relapse. Another big help was reading Capitalist Realism by Mark Fisher, and especially chapter 4 on 'depressive hedonia' that provided me with a really powerful self-understanding as to why I tend to self-destruct with the internet.

That being said, I'm certainly not perfect and I'm far from clean. If you'll check my post history you can pretty much track when I've brought my old phone inside, or when I've busted out my laptop, but overall getting rid of my smart phone has been the best structural aid I have been able to give myself in terms of fixing my internet habits, I really hope this helps and good luck comrade, I'm rooting for you :)

Overcome?

deleted by creator

Set up parental controls on your phone and no chargers by the bed