Addiction is hard to recover from regardless of what the addiction is to. Many people assume that certain addictions, such as technology addiction should be an easy recovery. Addiction to technology is so difficult to recover from because it is involved in nearly every aspect of life. People need to use technology for work, school and even at times just general enjoyment. When technology usage starts to take over a majority of someone’s time, there is a problem that needs to be addressed.
Recovering from a technology addiction isn’t as easy as it seems. Simply turning off all devices and walking away from them isn’t an option for many. The following guide provides a few tips for things that you can do when you are ready to recover from technology addiction.
Track Your Tech Use
A common reason that addiction to technology occurs is that people don’t realize how often they are using their devices. Take the time to track how often you are on a device. Even if you are just checking your social media, your emails or the score for a game. Track the time and date that you were on the device. Track how long you were on it. You need to document the phone, computer, tablet, and even television usage. This can help you to see that you are using technology far more often than you think you are.
Limit Technology Use
Once you realize how often you are using technology, you can make a conscious effort to decrease your usage. Some people choose to set alarms that allow them to use their devices for a certain amount of time. This allows them to see how often they think about checking something on their devices. This can help motivate you to use technology less frequently because you realize how much it is taking up your thoughts and time. Eventually, you may get to the point where you no longer feel the urge to use technology as frequently.
Turn off all Alerts
Believe it or not, being constantly reminded about technology can make it hard to avoid it. Take the time to turn off all alerts on your devices to see if it causes you to use them less. When you aren’t alerted that an email has arrived or a new social media post is posted, you may not be urged to check them. Most devices can be adjusted in the settings menu. You can easily make the changes to your alerts that you want to make.
Certain Technology Usage is Excessive
Some people don’t realize that they are using different devices constantly checking the same forms of technology. There are people who check their social media accounts on their work computers, home computers, cellphones and even their tablets throughout the day. If you find you need to check some form of technology regularly, you may be using it excessively. You need to set a routine for yourself. You need to establish when you can focus on technology and when you need to escape from it. Establishing a specific time to turn off devices and focus on journaling or reading may help.
Find that Don’t Involve Technology
Believe it or not, technology usage typically occurs due to boredom. You may be bored and choose to fill your empty time with social media or video gaming. This can cause a technology addiction to develop because you start to feel as though you have to fill every moment of your day with some form of technology. It’s best to try to find things that you enjoy doing that don’t rely on social media. This could include taking a cooking class, enjoying yoga, playing a card game with friends or even going to a trivia night at a local restaurant. Finding things that allow you to escape from day to day life, without relying on technology, can be very beneficial. It can also be a way for you to find new things you enjoy doing that you didn’t even realize you liked.
Talk to Friends and Family
Some people assume that they are alone when it comes to technology addiction. They view it as being a weakness that they don’t want anyone to know about. It’s important to realize that technology addiction is more common than you may think. Consider talking to friends and family about your concerns, and you may be surprised to learn that they feel the same way. This provides you with people to lean on as you try to recover from your addiction. You could even work together to try to recover together.
Enroll in a Treatment Program
You may not realize that there are treatment programs available to help with technology addiction. There are 12-step programs that can make it easier to learn why your addiction developed and how to use technology safely in the future. You can talk to others who are going through the same things that you are. You aren’t going to be judged or have to worry about anyone telling your secrets when they leave the meeting. Everything is anonymous so that you can feel free to speak openly and honestly at all times. There are even sponsors available so that you can have someone to keep you accountable and to rely on when things get tough.
If you feel that your addiction is too strong to be able to overcome with regular meetings, an inpatient treatment option may be right for you. You can completely separate yourself from technology. You can learn what steps to take to ensure that you use technology responsibly when you are back in your normal everyday life. It can be helpful to have the necessary tools to learn how to avoid technology addiction from taking over your life again in the future. Many of the treatment programs offer inpatient and outpatient treatment options. This provides you with the ability to choose the right program for your particular needs.