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Is social media porn substitute?

Discussion in 'Porn Addiction' started by Fenix Rising, Mar 22, 2019.

  1. Fenix Rising

    Fenix Rising Fapstronaut

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    Hi fellow Fapstronauts,

    I've noticed that during reboots I spend more and more time on social media (especially YouTube) compared to when I'm fapping. I've read a lot about how GG, FB,YT and other intentionally manipulate with our attention based on dopamine rewards. Are we former addicts especially susceptible to this form of manipulations? If we're honest jerking off to some pixels to get quick dopamine fix is not that different than clicking YT videos compulsively? Can social media become substitute for porn? What is your experience, did you also spot strong (negative) correlation between the two?

    I'm seriously considering adding "digital detox" as my next goal after achieving 90 days "hardmode" target, because I don't want to exchange one harmful habit for another. I'm thinking of ditching my smart phone for 3 months and pre-tab websites I can visit on a browser, no exceptions allowed. I have a feeling that for some reason this could be even harder to achieve than abandoning P. I don't know, I'm not sure about it. Even thinking about it makes me scared. First no porn now no social and news media to kill time with. Will I go all crazy if I do that? What are your thoughts, would this be a good idea? Has anyone here tried it before?

    I came across this short animated movie on YT ironically and it made me thinking how much time we waste staring at some static pixels:
     
    Last edited: Mar 22, 2019
  2. BigOne79

    BigOne79 Fapstronaut

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    Absolutely, and this is another huge thing that I was also doing along with fapping as well. Going crazy on political posts and fighting with people as well. It was horrible and so addictive and does give you dopamine high as well.

    I realized when I first went on nofap I was getting anxiety from pulling up facebook and getting anhedonia from music as well. Social media should be removed for awhile as well while on nodal. Best move you can make ..
     
  3. Fenix Rising

    Fenix Rising Fapstronaut

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    Very similar to my experience. I've wasted countless hours reading and commenting on political and environmental news. It's like a drug. I'm more and more convinced that I need drastic reduction of pointless screen time.
     
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  4. Fallensoldier1

    Fallensoldier1 Fapstronaut

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    I say yes 100%. Although I don’t have trouble with YouTube because I follow mainly video game, religious channels, or something to do with vehicles or guns. Same with reddit.

    But social media like Facebook and Instagram, YES! I haven’t had Instagram in several months, i also deactivated my Facebook but randomly get it back from time to Time. But those two are terrible for me for sure. In the past I would MO to pics on there.

    I have noticed that now for instance, a couple days ago I activated it, I tend to scroll though and see pretty girl, look at that picture, and then look on her profile for more. Well my anxiety and stress has increased the past couple days, very anxious and I feel like crap.

    I think my brain can’t handle it still, it’s used to me sexually lusting over those pictures unfortunately. I can tell it has negatively affected me the last couple days. So I deactivated fb again.
     
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  5. Fenix Rising

    Fenix Rising Fapstronaut

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    This video (YT irony again) explains very well what is happening in our brain while using social media (>9:00 min). It's the same mechanism of downregulation of dopamine receptors as with PMO. This is scary… You try to grow number of dopamine receptors by no PMO rebooting and cause the same damage with social media at the same time. It's like trying to run and shooting yourself in the foot at the same time.

     
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  6. AxBlaim

    AxBlaim Fapstronaut

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    Social media is harmful to some extent yes but it's definitely not a porn substitute. Every activity nowadays releases dopamine. It's only harmful if you use social media and feel aroused by it. Other than that, you're just punishing yourself
     
  7. Fenix Rising

    Fenix Rising Fapstronaut

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    I don't know. The more I read about it, the more I see the same compulsive use pattern as with PMO. I'm probably gonna try going off grid for a month or so after reaching 90 days hardmode goal to see what absence of electronics will do to my mind. If I get the same withdrawal symptoms as with PMO, I'll know this shit is harmful to my brains and moderate it's use as much as I can, meaning using my PC and phone strictly for work purposes.
     
    Nugget9 likes this.
  8. padyr34

    padyr34 New Fapstronaut

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    Yo lo intenté un tiempo, lo máximo que lo he logrado son dos semanas. Inicié debido a la gran cantidad de contenido sexual y pornográfico que encuentras a hora en redes sociales. Pero cuando intentas dejarlo te das cuenta de la cantidad de tiempo que le dedicas al móvil y como vas creando dependencia. La desintoxicación digital es un paso a seguir.
     
  9. Fenix Rising

    Fenix Rising Fapstronaut

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    My thoughts exactly. I started to notice how much time I waste web browsing. It has to be limited. Total abstention is probably not possible, but focused task use only is.
     
  10. InTheSouth

    InTheSouth Fapstronaut

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    I have similar experiences with things like that. I tend to waste more time on internet things on NoFap days. I have drastically reduced my browsing time even before knowing about NoFap, it was clear to me that it leads to nothing substantial (like PMO). I have no social media accounts, I don't participate in hype/hate discussions anymore, I rarely play games anymore and I use the App "Feedly" to summarize the most important news of the day under one hood to prevent mindless surfing.

    NoFap + NoOnline days are the best. Pure focus on reallife.
     
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  11. davidx

    davidx Fapstronaut

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    For some it’s another means of escape when they don’t use porn.
     
  12. happy1life

    happy1life Fapstronaut

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    I played games, watch Youtube, see information flow from app, all day and night, I think it's just because boring,emptiness.
    It's hard to find real hobby other than escape.
     
    Fenix Rising likes this.
  13. Fenix Rising

    Fenix Rising Fapstronaut

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    Yes, boredom has a lot to do with it. The worst thing is I don't enjoy web browsing but I do it anyway. I believe we have to learn how to enjoy being bored again. Constant stimuli isn't good for our mental health.
     
  14. Thistimeitsfinal

    Thistimeitsfinal Fapstronaut

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    After giving up porn only for over two years, but not the M and O, I realized that creeping Facebook and Instagram was in fact a strong substitute for P. As was doing a double take at every woman driving by or at the malls. It was this site that brought me to this realization and I am grateful for it. I am now hoping that the 90 day hard reboot will sort me out, and with the support of my wife I am well on my way.
     
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  15. Thistimeitsfinal

    Thistimeitsfinal Fapstronaut

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    Oh and there are more “soft” addictions that I have given up, like reading explicit forums, stories and articles on the web. I was still an addict and have given all that up. So I keep busy in my spare time by excersizing, reading novels and the newspaper, and this has helped me so far.
     
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