What being away from the internet does to you
The depth of the problem in today’s reality
It seems scary at first, especially when it’s unplanned; Like going to the mountains and not having signal on your phone, or when your phone suddenly dies. You forgot the feeling of not being able to check your socials every few minutes. Your hand still unconsciously opens these applications, even though you know there’s no signal. But the real signal is the one in your mind, telling you to tap your phone every second. Come to think about it, it’s scary to think about the fact that we truly struggle to be away from the internet, so much so that we don’t even know how to act without it.
You’ve been sunk in the depth of a never ending cycle of phone addiction for years, you lost yourself on the way. Even in knowing that it’s mentally destructive, physically damaging, and sometimes a total waste of time, you still continue to do it, because it’s reached a point where it truly feels like it’s out of your control.
It will feel like you have so much time, too much time that it truly frightens you. As if someone finally woke you up, from a deep unconscious of attachment. You might even ask yourself “do I know life without the internet? Do I ever stop to look at the people surrounding me? The beautiful ocean, or the trees that have been growing while I am still stuck in my little box of red notifications.”
The point behind this article isn’t to stop using the internet completely, but to detach yourself from it frequently, just to build a sense of control inside of you and presence in reality that you had lost.
Life is too precious
Life moves fast. Life is precious, time is precious. Every single day, is valuable. Know, that your health is at stake, and health is the one thing that matters most. Scrolling for hours won’t benefit you in any way, other that feed your mind with instant gratification and dopamine molecules that only last in the present moment. Know, that you are trapped, and you must save yourself, no matter how hard it may seem.
Oh me! Oh life! of the questions of these recurring,
Of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities fill’d with the foolish,
Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and who more faithless?)
Of eyes that vainly crave the light, of the objects mean, of the struggle ever renew’d,
Of the poor results of all, of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me,
Of the empty and useless years of the rest, with the rest me intertwined,
The question, O me! so sad, recurring — What good amid these, O me, O life?
Answer.
That you are here — that life exists and identity,
That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse. — BY WALT WHITMAN
and you may contribute a verse…what will your verse be?
Put your phone down for a second, what would you rather be doing to contribute to the change you want to see in the world, to the potential you have in a passion that hasn’t yet died. Work on the things that matter, stop yourself from scrolling, before it’s too late.
Tips on dealing with being away from the socials
- Mentality: You must first understand that this is a good thing. The world is finally quiet, you can finally breathe. There is so much to do, outside your little box of superficial distractions. Understand that ‘life exists and identity’, and that life around you is beautiful, and that you need to be present and appreciate the ground beneath you and the vast sky above you. The people you love have missed you, and your eyes needed a rest.
- Detachment and clarity: Trust me when I tell you, you’re not missing out on anything worth worrying about. It’s the same crap, over and over again. You need to detach yourself completely from a little world filled with noise and chaos. You will learn a lot about yourself from detachment, for sitting alone with nothing but yourself will teach you a great deal of things you never knew about yourself. You might even have ideas to start something new. It will give you the clarity to plan out your days and really think for yourself.
- Replacements: You must feel afraid that you no longer know what to do with all this free time. The sound of silence has become too loud, and you may start to act out. This is why you must try and find hobbies, or therapeutic activities to fill your time that you used to spend on your socials. Some necessary and effective ones are, exercising, journaling, painting, baking/ cooking, meditating, gardening, reading, etc. Whatever it is you may enjoy the most, do it.
- Exercising is a great one because it forces you to be away from your phone and it gives you a natural high that you craved from an addiction for instant gratification.
- Journaling: I want to empathize on the importance of journaling, especially when hand written, can change your life completely. For it allows you to organize your thoughts, understand and express yourself in ways you didn’t know were possible. There are no rules for journaling, do it in whatever way works best for you.
- Inspiration: Get inspired by the world that surrounds you, write down your ideas and be encouraged to work on them. Flourish your creativity that is a gift, given to you by God himself. Observe the people and the things that you never looked at before, and remember your reason to live. Revive your vision that you had lost.
We are all victims of this insoluble issue, but we can get out, only if we truly want to. Don’t fear what it will be like to be away from the internet for a while, fear what being attached to it all the time will do to you. Understand the long term advantage it will bring to you, for a small suffering in the present moment of dealing with detachment from the internet. Enjoy your time alone, your own company can be beautiful. You are only free when you straighten your neck, sit with your thoughts and not fear them, but rather, befriend them. Sometimes, that silence is the peace you had been longing for, all these years.
