1 Introduction
This is a guide on how to quit unhealthy social media (USM), condensed from multiple books on addiction as well as inspired by my own experience.
I myself was addicted to video games and USM for years. Like many, I made attempts to cut down or quit, but failed every time. I feared I was chained to USM for life and even if I did quit I would slip back down eventually. I looked down on myself for not having enough willpower to stop. Today I am completely free from USM and video game addiction. I didn’t do it with incredible self-control or with the encouragement of friends and family - it was a matter of reading the right ideas and coming to the right realizations at the right time. I learned that addiction is not a problem of having enough willpower, but a fiendish puzzle - frustratingly hard to solve on your own, but if you know the answer, it becomes trivial. I wrote this guide to share the answer to the puzzle with as many people as possible, because I believe that anyone can not only quit USM but be FREE. I say this as someone who went through the worst of it and knows the shame, self-doubt, and fear caused by being addicted.
When I say “addicted” I don’t mean to scare you or bring up images of drug abusers who would do anything for a fix. The fact is that USM is inherently physically addictive, in that as you use it you need more and more to get the same result, and you experience withdrawals and cravings when you are not using it. Most Americans are physically addicted to USM, many without realizing. Don’t worry, the fact that you’re addicted won’t make it any harder to quit. In fact, it will be slightly easier now because you’re closer to solving the puzzle.
I use the term USM because I believe that social media platforms are not 100% bad when used in specific ways. Social media use is USM if, for, example:
- You want to quit it, but can’t
- You use it much more than you intend to
- You obsess over it while you’re not using it
- You find it difficult to be without it
- It gets in the way of real life
This is in contrast to healthy social media use, which can enrich your life, by e.g. allowing you to connect with loved ones who are physically far away.
The intended audience is anyone who wants to cut down or quit their USM use, from someone who uses it “only” half an hour per day to heavy users who use it most of the day. The book is written as if you’re a moderate to heavy user, but the principles should work for everyone.
This guide is more like a set of notes than a book. If you skim, there’s a good chance you miss an important point and don’t understand the message. If concepts don’t stick or you’re confused, reread sections. Refer back to the guide if you’re having trouble - it’s definitely possible you forgot something. Take notes on the most important or most impactful points.
I’d wish you good luck, but you won’t need it.
This book can be downloaded as a PDF file.
QuitUSM by Mohamed Lashuel is licensed under CC-BY 4.0.
This website’s code is open source and hosted on Github here licensed under the MIT License.