I've posted here in the past a few months ago when I started to get serious about quitting social media. There was one thing I didn't mention at that time.
My screen addition ran alongside a pretty ruthless nicotine addiction. I was (and still am to an extent) dealing with a lot of stress, and I would deal with it by sitting on TikTok or Reels for hours and just endlessly hitting my vape to force my brain to release dopamine. I did this for hours every morning and every night before I went to bed. I would sometimes do this for more than five hours at a time. I was unable to find a job (not for lack of trying, and I have one now) and really didn't have much to do otherwise, because existing outside often costs money. Even if I wasn't in too much pain to travel to a public park, I would often just pull my phone and vape out of my pocket there instead.
Even while I was doing it I hated that I was doing it, but I couldn't stop. It got to the point that watching a TV show almost felt productive. I actually almost got to quitting once, but right as I was making progress, my friend that I was living with committed suicide.
It's almost the end of 2025, and aside from the new year, I have a milestone birthday coming up. I decided that I really, really don't want to spend the rest of my life like this. Not even if I got the problem down to a "manageable size." I don't want to lie on my deathbed regretting all the hours I burnt my brain out on nicotine and Instagram.
As I'm writing this right now, I'm almost three days completely clean of nicotine (although I'm craving it pretty hard right now.) It's especially hard because I know one of my roommates has a vape. I told everyone I live with I intend to quit, and they agreed that if I ask to hit their vapes they will remind me, but I know they would allow me a quick hit if asked. But I need to get clean clean, so instead I bought a CBD one to help me with the oral fixation and motor habit.
I'm trying to come up with ways I can similarly train my brain off of short-form content. One of my plans is to only go online or view social media when I am sitting up at my computer, and to keep it to one app only (probably Tumblr) since I eventually want to do art commissions. Outside of screens I am trying to get back into reading physical books, and creating more physical art. I struggle with dissociation and have found this to ground me a lot better. I've also been exercising frequently which has helped fill the void of dopamine since quitting vaping.
The only social media I still have installed on my phone that I would be tempted to use (I have a few things just to keep an eye on local events) is Instagram, which I have been keeping with the excuse that I want to download my photos first.
Can someone recommend me something I could use to mass download my photos so I can wipe my account and delete the app?
In addition, I want to find someplace to listen to music besides Spotify or YouTube. Ideally I would just convert my playlists to mp3s, but the methods I have found so far keep compressing the music down to low quality. However, I'd still like to be able to listen to podcasts.
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