There are a few tips to prevent becoming addicted to social networking sites. Some are fairly obvious, while others may leave you feeling a bit edgy. Remember, you have to first recognize the behavior as addictive before you can decide it is necessary for you to do something to prevent becoming an addict. Denial and justification for your actions is a sure sign you are already addicted. No matter how severe your addiction is, acceptance is the first step J F Health can help you make the advanced move to lasting treatment.
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Limit memberships
Who needs memberships in a dozen different social networking sites, anyway? Drop it down to two sites that do the same thing. You don’t need Facebook, for example. Be sure to use discretion and the aforementioned time limits while using them.
Disable email alerts
While this should be a no-brainer, it’s amazing how many people can’t force themselves to turn off instant notification when they get a message from a friend posted on their site. It’s just too enticing to see what so and so has to say. It might be important. Think about all the friends you have in your network. Add in all the alerts of messages from these friends, and you’ll wind up spending all your time just checking and responding and getting nothing else done.
Close browser windows to these sites
Out of sight, out of mind – maybe. Too many users leave multiple windows open on their computers, including browser windows to social networking sites. Close them out. That way, you can cut down on your urges and cravings to connect.
Reconnect with friends and family in real-time
If you really want to communicate, there’s no better way to do it than spending some quality time face-to-face with family and friends. When you’re in their presence, laughing, recreating, having a meal, or just plain fun, you’re not obsessing over taking cool pictures or composing witty comments, or following the latest antics of one of your cadres of social networking friends.
Enjoy real life, not a replacement life
Getting bogged down checking up on all your friends means you’re spending all your time in pseudo-life and not real life. It’s too easy to start using social networking sites as a replacement for living instead of actually spending time to improve the quality of their lives. Instead of avoiding life by being a slave to social networking sites, get out and enjoy life.
Leave your mobile device turned off in gatherings
How annoying is it to be at a party or gathering and see someone furiously typing away a message instead of actually communicating with the people all around him or her? Such addictive behavior will really put a crimp in anyone’s social skills. Stop hiding behind your mobile device and your Facebook addiction, and get out there and mingle.
It might be nice to go on a trip where you’re totally unconnected. In the old days, they’d call it a disconnect from the stresses of work. No TV, no phone, no Internet, no newspaper, just relaxing on the beach or hitting the slopes or fishing or whatever. Try it sometime. You’ll come back refreshed and totally relaxed. Besides, the social network will be there waiting on your return.
