Freedom from Facebook

This is my story of how addicted I was to Facebook.

Foreword:

It actually is unbelievable that facebook could change things so much. It may not be so for all, many are quite busy to login even once a day.. but for me it made a huge difference since I spent almost 5 hrs on FB each day, cumulatively, at work, at home, outside and (sometimes) even, in the bathroom.. Yep.

Being so into it, I failed to realise how much social media was brainwashing me subconsciously, influencing my thoughts and beliefs. Social platforms study our activities and give us what we want rather than what really is. Doping us and thereby addicting us to a false sense of glitz, reality and living.

A lie, if repeated a thousand times, becomes a reality..

I once read a post, " Guy, quits his job and makes millions by touring the world."
We may never know the truth behind it.. or what happened before or after that.

Did you feel miserable with your life after reading it? I sure did, for one.
This is just an example.. there are many such ads out there that give us a false idea/image of what better living is. It's all just marketing.
Honestly, our lives are not bad, it's just normal, and in fact, better than many.
It's fine to be normal, it's fine not to be in glitz, it's fine to not own a Lambhorgini, and it's fine to not tour the world.

Life is indeed quite beautiful, if kept simple, and like our ancestors, in reality. I feel am engaging too much in social media, and the lies it feeds me with, in virtuality, that I'm losing the sense of living a normal life.

Text:

I've tried to stay away from FB over the past two weeks..

Week 1 :
Couldn't resist logging in.. Logged in as usual to check posts, but avoided commenting, or liking or sharing anything. It was not making much of a difference.. So, decided to stay away from the app.

Week 2 :
Stopped checking into FB. Started feeling restless and bored. Realised how much free time I actually have. Tried watching series in the free time.. didn't work. Wanted to check into FB again but disabling the app helped me stay away.

2 days later, I started having continuous headache, nausea, and uneasiness. I didn't understand why.. Started feeling confused and restless.
[It was like the withdrawal symptoms of a chronic addiction.. Gosh! I was actually addicted to FB without even realising it! I was literally shocked.]

Decided to stay away from FB no matter what. Did everything I could to keep my mind occupied at all times. Didn't login to Facebook.

In the next few days, i sensed a change in me. Being away from all the hustle, fustle, drama and depiction, it was just me, and my world became quite small.

No hateful posts to provoke me, No memes to confuse me, No glitz to make me feel bad, No drama, No politics, and No gruesome news. Nothing to influence my thoughts anymore. I was free.

Felt kind of peaceful. I saw just myself, and what I was doing, introspectively and extrospectively.

Most of all, finally found the time or rather the mind to go to the temple near my home, almost after a year now. It felt good. Feels like I finally have some control over my day.

Now:
I've disabled the app on my phone, and won't ever be using it as often as I used to. Will check in on my pc, and will try to limit it to once a day.

Though still do feel tempted to use the app.. hope i will completely get over it eventually.
Peace. ✌

- R V Shantharam.