Re: Bad posts on social media are probably part of what makes them addicting
This a reply to blighttown on their post Bad posts on social media are probably part of what makes them addicting
Some time ago I used to play PUBG. At first it started in mobile, but when my LG phone started having issues and I had to start using a spare Motorola that's not good for gaming, I started playing it in PC.
Since I don't know how to play with a keyboard, I always used an Xbox controller. And look, I was good at PUBG Mobile and made really good connections there, laughed a lot, and had a blast, so it was a shame to leave it.
Eventually I became good at PUBG PC, but always in the same Maps, with the same guns and loot, and mostly doing the same thing (PUBG Mobile is gar superior). Sometimes I got my loot and many times all of those variables resulted in a great game, but not everytime. Also, sometimes I did not get my loot, and we still had a great game. So you start trying other stuff.
I coulnd't stop playing this game, and it was because of the variable reward system precisely.
Fortunately, I was aware of the addiction so I decided I was not going to play it anymore, and I haven't.
While all of this was going on, I also played COD Mobile, and that was even more addicting. So much that I noticed it and didn't last long playing it. You get many more good games that in PUBG as it is a faster paced game where you play many short matches, compared to PUBG's long games.
For the same reason I left Facebook & Instagram, and it was easy doing so because I deleted my account and that was it.
Now comes fucking Reddit. I've been trying to get off this site for years (though I've managed to browse it less every week). I'm usually not logged in to reddit, and just browse the popular. BUT HOW SHITTY THAT WEBPAGE IS.
Since I don't read the news, I always get my info from there. But damn there are shitty posts. fucking r/MadeMeSmile blows up many brain cells. But at the same posts there are always some good posts, maybe about politics, maybe gossip, maybe some great r/bald result.
I know I don't care for none of this, but I still browse it for that little variable reward.
There are some things that have worked on getting off reddit though:
- Noticing that lately there are many bots commenting and it feels weird.
- The log in screen when browsing with no account. (so I guess Reddit is shooting itself on the foot)
- NextDNS + Leechblock, both of which are easy to deactivate when I want to browse, but they still help tremendously.
So all in all, I agree that this reward system mentioned by blighttown does work, at least in me. It's what get me to addiction (am I a rat?)
It is very dangerous because you are always expecting something, though most of the times you are not even pleased wuth what you get. I also think that this is what makes us stay in bad relationships that sometimes have good things (and I think I'm going through this now tbh, haven't realized it until writing this post), and what makes us addicted to porn, which is another issue in itself. You browse and browse for the perfect video, and you see many good ones, and then a great one and you get off. Next time its gonna be the same process all over again.
I wish you, reader, that you too can get past your addictions 🐀