I think people are addicted to the internet not because they have addictive personality but because all the social media now a days literally engineered by the worlds most high paid people. The moment you start to think about it, it is easier to break out from it.
Hey, just want to say that your input on the internet as in, opinions and educational videos, has been helpful to quite a few people, hope that makes it feel not completely wasted.
@@Abdellah000 archinstall utility take only about 20 minutes to install and boot with fast wifi. If I use automated scripts, it can take less than 10 minutes. Although arch is supreme, I ended up switching back to Ubuntu for more stability and more software support
I'm 19, in a week or so I will be 20. This video was basically the 'wake up call' i needed to quit all the shit and start working on myself. Whatever you said, i relate 100% to it, it hit right at home. I had so many dreams, goals, but the past 5 years, have just been over in a blink. Since i was young, there have been just so much shit happening to me, so much trauma, abuse, mental, physical, ones that drive people to insanity, till I was about 14, I had no 'escape' from it, it was too much, too hard. I didn't enjoy school, i hated everyone in my life, i didn't talk to anyone, life was too hard to cope with. When I got a computer at around 15, this all kind of changed, i had unrestricted access to the internet, and it was my.. escape from it all. I used to spend hours gaming, watching random videos, wasting time on discord, etc, and when i started learning programming at 16-17 and got interested in it, i never really made much progress, and would just waste time. During these 5 years, i formed no meaningful connections with people, no good friendships, no relationships, nothing. And although i did 'learn' alot of stuff, i didn't have to motivation to stick to a specific subject and see through it, so i can make something out of it. I learnt web dev, but never really practiced it and put the skills to any use, i learnt c++, but quit halfway through. In all my time online, i never was really 'enjoying' it, it was simply an escape from reality, a way for me to escape from the hardships and trauma i faced in the real world. I had so many ideas, hobbies, i also used to read ALOT as a child, and i mean i would read stuff while i ate food, every single day, i would read random stuff i found throughout the house, but now i'm lucky to finish a book in a YEAR. I recently started working on myself, paying more attention to not waste time. You are so right on that 'you always know what you wanna do', I always knew, but chose to waste time anyways, and it sucks. I recently started paying attention on my mental health, I started seeing a psychiatrist 2 months ago, got diagnosed for adhd and on meds for it. I also have ocd, bpd, and I started seeing a therapist for it. But even after all that, the endless scrolling had just become a terrible toxic habit for me, it was my brain's way of making my pain and trauma go away, even if for just a few hours, and even at the cost of my future. These days I feel sick whenever i'm wasting time, i feel terrible, but even if i realised that, i didn't have the power to stop because it just felt so nice to just stop thinking about the real world. Thank you for uploading this video and thank you for making me realize that its not too late yet to start. Please do more of these types of videos, where you just talk about life and stuff. I really enjoyed it, and i'm sure there are many that will do aswell.
@@flamehours4 for me ritalin didn't have any side effects so far, other than maybe lightly increasing my anxiety. I'll try concerta later but that shouldn't be too diff aswell. Adderal is banned in my country.. so out of luck on that!
I am 17 and i deal like i learned allot from internet. But, I don't know where to use // how it applies it. The problem for me is that as a blind person, I can't quit internet as i relai allot on it to liv.
You’re a wise young man, Eric. I’m nearly 40 years older than you, but I know people in my own age bracket who haven’t yet grasped in their own lives the truth of what you’re saying here. Good for you. Incidentally, your Linux-related videos in particular are EXTREMELY helpful. Also, from what I see on your website, you write very well, especially when compared to many other developers and other tech-savvy folks whose writings I follow - but, now that you’ve described how much you love to read, that makes perfect sense.
I'm Eric's agemate, but man, I love seeing responses like yours, from older people! It's nice to see people from different generations re-connecting and supporting each other ('cause normally we're so tightly locked in our own age groups, and I'm not sure it's all that healthy).
Great video, thank you for that. I turned 30 last year and all I can say is: You're not alone with all these things. I'm also struggeling with my life and with what society expects from a 30 year "old" man. But I also think that it's important to not worry too much about these things. You always had your reasons why you did things the way you did and everyone gets distrected in life from time to time. Life is no straight path as simple is that. 😉
And I wasted my 10s online 😪 but its good as a 20 year old to finally understand the importance of breathing fresh air. Some things we just realise once we get to a certain age and that's life. God bless Eric, best regards
@@ms-ig8pqthe good thing that we are still young and we definitely can change our life in the next years, the most important thing is that we should be super productive, little steps every day, we should not waste any time!! I know it's difficult but I gained experience in understanding my procrastination's causes and started to know how to solve the issue
@@chris0617 im worse than you, I didn't enjoy those years at least in playing video games I was scrolling online instead, and now I have not the time to play video games like before
I am 27 and last year, at 26, I realised the exact same thing as you. I have wasted so much time on Reddit snd 4chan; I let many of my goals, both personal and professional, slip away It's also as you described; I wasn't enjoying my time online. Only last year I started chasing my goals again, but I still struggle with my online addiction, especially reddit and TH-cam
For me personally the internet feels like a double edged sword. You can learn and acquire so much knowledge from the internet, but then on the flip side there are so many websites that can distract you from all of that. After watching this video I think trying to strike a healthy balance between knowledge and entertainment is how I'd like to go forward with my internet usage. Thanks for the video Eric.
Agreed. tbh I think almost everyone know that internet is just too much but can we resist it? maybe we can for few days when we are super motivated. but that's not the solution sadly.
I am now 33 years old. I wasted 12 years of my life on the Internet. I had a somewhat famous personality on the Internet and I lived on the interactions of my followers. I thought I was accomplishing something and that I was successful. I woke up and found my followers graduated, got jobs, and got married, and I was still in my room hugging my phone and computer. Don't make my mistake.
for me ..almost 26y with +10 year porn and game addiciton .. i numb the pain with "one day i will achive something i love" .. idk its just hard to start over .. keep it up king
Ever since the pandemic, I’ve been spending my teen years online. 8 hours a day on my phone. No social media except watching TH-cam videos, and using Reddit to learn about science. As a homeschooled teen, it’s tough.
Hey, just wanted to say your video really resonated with me. The past four years have been tough (especially since 24.02.2022), and now I'm 30... On one hand, there's not much to complain about-I'm a software developer myself, though not the best. Because, after a hard day, I find it easier to just crash on the sofa, always stressed and seem to have zero energy... But lately, I've been realizing how much I miss my old hobbies: playing guitar, singing, reading books, going for walks, and watching/doing fire-shows.
I appreciate the lack of snake oil salesman rhetoric, “This dopamine detox will fix all your problems”, “this is the one trick that turned my life around.” You’re really realistic and don’t delude yourself, most other TH-camrs are too deep to notice the values they’re propagating. I definitely have that mindset towards TH-cam where I say I hate it, yet keep watching TH-cam for hours each day. I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready to make that leap away from TH-cam.
I too don't know if I can ever quit watching TH-cam. I've been watching TH-cam videos almost everyday since I was 7 (I'm 19 now). I have developed a deep-rooted addiction to this platform. The longest I went without TH-cam was 2 weeks back in 2015 when my family was switching ISPs.
I'm 18 years old and this video hits way too close home. You are more than a decade older than me, yet I relate to it on so many levels, the never-ending youtube binge that somehow never gets boring, the constant cycling between youtube, reddit and 4chan, and the blurr when looking back on the last years. The internet has shaped my personality in many ways and I would be a completely different person without it, for better or for worse. I genuinely couldn't imagine my life without the internet, so I hope to at least use the internet for productive activities like coding instead of rotting on various websites. Lets hope I can look back when I'm in my late 20s with pride, and not with confusion as to where the heck my time went. Btw, you don't have to mention you were a /g/-tard, your channel makes it very obvious lol
I rather "waste" time online learning about Finance and Investing, Producting Licensing for my Inventions rather then Drinking, nursing Hangovers, watching sports and reruns like many of my "friends" did. People aren't doing much else out there, when you see people playing sports 9/10 times it's for a company or a place they work for.
Thanks for the perspective. I'm on the same boat. I'm 22 and I've been chronically online since 15 and regret not enjoying my teen years more. But, as soon as I started socializing again, I realized why I used the internet so much. I'm not at all like my peers. Most of my peers can't enjoy the same things I do. I don't want to get too detailed, but when I finally got a functioning social life and got out of my rut, I just felt more alone even with all the people around me. Now I'm kind've stuck in the middle. I can't enjoy "having a life" and can't enjoy being chronically online. Right now I feel worse than when I was an internet addict and I don't really know a way out.
I have no real (for lack of a better word) right to give advice for something like this, and it probably won’t help, but I would say you should search for more people like yourself rather than trying to smush yourself in with everyone else. I suppose you could compare it to trying to smush in a puzzle piece into a spot that it doesn’t fit into.
I suppose I’m in a similar situation as well. The internet has been my replacement for friends for quite a while and now that I know I need them, they seem so hard to find. Maybe I’m just shouting into the void but idk how to socialize properly and approach people 😭
I’m in the same boat, used to be chronically online in high school but who isn’t? I got a decent amount of friends back then so I didn’t think much about wasting my life. As high school was replaced by college I was still lonely. A lot of it was because of covid but I managed to participate in university activities and going clubbing. But I still felt lonely because loneliness isn’t not having people to hang out with, it’s feeling misunderstood and unable to relate to other people. I don’t feel like I fit in with most of my peers and after getting an ADHD diagnosis it all made sense. I feel bummed when I’m being too self aware and pitying myself for not being able to connect to people but trying too hard to fit in also doesn’t work. To anyone who feels like an outsider, don’t feel too bad about spending time online for escapism. When you feel like the real world has rejected you, you spend some time in a freeze response. Your body is spending most of its energy on existing and that’s fine. What worked for me is having a handful of friends I feel comfortable with, all others are surface level friendships.
I kind of feel this. But I kind of hate people and its not like I have had a girlfriend that pulls me away. Its easy to regret how you spent time, but comparing the options you had vs your fantasy scenario isn't fair. Edit: I didn't read your full comment before finishing. We actually feel the same. LMFAO. I regret my teen years wishing I found "the one" and good friends. But I didn't. What can I do? Nothing. We play the cards we are dealt.
Dude. You are twenty-nine. Not fifty-nine. Trust me. I know how that works. Don't beat yourself up. Just get your old lists, plans, hopes together and get after it. Also, get outside as much as you can, even if you are just sitting on the porch -- without anything electronic in your hand or field of view. That's it, brother. And thanks for all the fantastic work on this channel.
-We consume and will continue to consume too much internet -Therefore throw away internet FOMO and start cutting back online time- -We had a good time online, spending more hours online won't improve that good time. It's already hours. -Get in touch with your hobbies again, find new ones, and use them to distract yourself away from the internet. Just my to cents to rationalize and wrap up this video's advice.
In the past 2 months I started to change somethings in my routine, now I mediated everyday, I'm back in learning Italian, I'm back writing my stories. I can relate 100% what you said, can be hard to stop using social media and YT, controlling yourself is hard, but change your life by changing little things, in steps, can help a lot to create a new habit and healthy life. Thank for this video, I think this can help a lot of people to rethink theirs lifestyle and routine.
Thank for the video! For me, the Internet (especially TH-cam) is also addiction. I have to do my thesis, but every time I feel worried about it, I open TH-cam or Telegram just to abstract from REAL problems. As a result, I feel really unfoscused and demotivated. Only today I started to break my addiction. Not completely. But now I decided to use Internet consciously. If using TH-cam, then only for music while working. And you know, it somehow works. Today I wrote more than I was doing this week. The next things are to wake up earlier (not at 11, as I was doing) and to restart jogging. We will do it man! Thank you again for a very useful video! And best luck for your goals!
Grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. I spent my time training and gaining work experience as a scientist, only to ultimately never find the position I wanted. Eventually I got so frustrated at the hot mess on a stick that modern scientific work actually is that I quit it for good. Should probably use my degree certificate as toilet paper one day. And what about you and your story? I envy you.
I Never had internet addiction but being addicted to anything that doesn’t help u is bad, but u gotta accept the internet is here to stay. Best u can do is watch the useful stuff and ignore the trash
This really hit home for me. I turned 22 recently and wasted a lot of time on the internet from age ~17. So many experiences I missed out on is making me feel isolated as well. I am so scared of wasting my 20's and living with regret in the future. Thank you for this video, you perfectly mirror my own experience, and I really like what you had to say, especially regarding not identifying as a terminally online person. I've been through this cycle at least a dozen times, I feel motivated again after watching this video (like many self help videos before). What's always happened so far is that I do well for about a week, then start to loosen up a little and within another week I'm back to same old online me. I hope this time will be different, I doubt it. Thanks nonetheless.
did better for a couple of months but now i'm typing this comment as i've spent my entire saturday watching YT/films, it keeps going in waves back and forth... The problem isn't not being on the internet for me, the problem is finding different things to replace that free time with, still socially anxious/never really tried something new in years. I fucking hate this
@@stef9019 "the problem is finding different things to replace that free time with" On point. I completely relate to your struggle. I think it’s more effective to find new interests and set goals around them. This way, I'll naturally spend more time on these activities and less on wasting time. Simply restricting social media and internet use isn’t enough because, without something meaningful to fill the freed-up time, boredom will likely drive me back online. By focusing on goals or interests, I can divert your attention and avoid the constant battle of resisting the urge to be chronically online. I think you could try something similar and see if it helps.
A couple of years ago, I decided to just stop using any social media aside from TH-cam, and frankly my whole life and outlook on life changed because of it. I kept TH-cam around because I’ve never been one to mindlessly scroll anyway. I usually go on here already knowing what I’m specifically looking to watch, and every so often I’ll watch a recommended video that looks particularly interesting to me.
I spend a lot of time on the internet (I'm a 19-year-old college student), but I make sure to balance it with doing things that are NOT on the internet-reading books, playing music, being outdoors, and eating healthy-and of course, studying (and practicing, since I'm a music student). I think with those things, life has been fulfilling, and it's working well for me. I sing classical repertoire in Concert Choir and play jazz piano in one of the small-groups, so I have plenty to do and my musical interests are diverse. I just can't stop and retreat to social media all day every day when I graduate.
I've been trying to follow a book on how to quit porn addiction and it's amazing the points that you bring up that mirror the points brought up in that book. How using isn't entertaining but numbing, how using literally does nothing for you but makes you feel like it does. How there's tonnes of ways to supposedly mitigate using like blocking and so on, but when you block something it makes you want to seek it out more, so inevitably what you need is a mindset shift. The more you try and quit with an old mindset the more you feel like you're missing out on something, but as soon as you realize that it really does nothing for you that's when you can actually make progress. You mention getting your heart in the right place and I believe this is paramount to fighting an addiction, you can get your mind in the right place knowing all about how a certain addiction causes problems for you, but if your heart isn't in the right place then you won't make any progress since you'll feel like you're `missing out` on what that addiction brings you, even if logically you know it brings you nothing. Willpower is in my mind the worst way to fight an addiction and it just makes it more difficult for yourself since the whole time you'll be straining to go back to using. Of course it can be done, but it's not the ideal way. A mindset shift really is the way to go, and I wish I would've figured it out much sooner.
It's good you made this video. The type of content we engage with in the past decade or so is completely new to humanity. Companies spend generations worth of $$$ in project budgets to make sure we're addicted to it. It's crucial to acknowledge this and treat it accordingly.
Wow I can relate so much mate... Don't worry you are still young, people at their 40s still reimagine themsleves and make a successful career and form families.
I'm 25 and I feel that I have wasted a ton of time the last 5 years. Lots of things I haven't done and I need to get going with my life at this point. Thanks
You are experiencing a shift from consumer mindset to creator mindset. To have original ideas one must shut out the external noise polluting one's mind. You should never look at your 20 as being wasted or with any regret. Everything happens as it does and your job is to learn from it and apply those lessons in the future. If it was not for all that wasted time on the internet, you would not be who you are today.... 30k people really appreciate who you are so you are definitely doing something right.
True. I think regret can be useful as a catalyst to make positive changes in your life going forward. But if you just mope about the past for the rest of your life that can be a problem. You're right, I've still made a lot of progress over my 20s but I know I can do way better in the future.
Yes, I wasted my 20s and sometimes feel remorseful of it for "not achieving what others have at my age" but then I remenber this is just FOMO conditioning, I'm not old nor so young either but still capable of starting again, everyone has it's own rythms with ups and downs, the important thing is to not let it influence you in a bad way but propel you to the life you really want...
Back in the 00s we killed our pain with drugs and alcohol, not a phone or social media in sight. Same feelings when trying to kick whatever dopamine pump.
I'm 22 and I've spent the last 3 years doing the exact same. TH-cam has consumed me in an endless loop of videos and I should really stop succumbing to the desire to watch just one more. I too was a big reader as a kid and I regret stopping it. I should really start reading again for my own sanity.
That is a familiar feeling, I felt something like this, before I turned 25. At that time I stopped workingon bullsht job, started to invest heavily into education, started my career, family. Do I feel that I lost something just doing nothing until 25? Yes, I do. When I see young guys, in their 18,19,20 years old having a purpose in their lives, having dedication and focus I must admit I’m a little jealous. But was it too bad? Well, probably not. Because right now love to spend some time like in those years, young, full of energy and free from all the worries, but can’t really afford that. It happened as it happened, and thanks God for that. Having a fulfilling life right now, feeling the moment, I have no worries of the time wasted. And your commitment is a very significant one. I like your videos, and thousands of folks do as well. You did much more than most of the people at your age. Don’t underestimate yourself
I needed this video, thank you so much. I've been thinking about this for some time, and this video convinced me to actually do it, I'm tired of algorithms and big companies keep me busy and tell me what should i watch and read, I should be the one who decides what to read and watch, not some unpredictable algorithm.
Can confirm; after testing both drugs and online i'm not on drugs anymore but i'm still online..... I feel you, i have been there. and still am here... and that is allready with most of the social media algorithms.... :o
Similar to my situation. I was convicted as a felon at 16 and got out at 21. When I was released it was hard to find a job due to my criminal record. So, I decided to go back to college for computer science and graduated with a master's degree. I still had a hard time finding a job then I got lucky with a small company. I now make good money but I got lucky.
I've really started to take my diet and physical health into serious consideration. I've been learning how to cook, watching out about unhealthy food, going cycling and learning how to fix bikes (I had to perform a roadside repair during my ride today lol), and visiting my friends more. You can break away from the internet, you will not encounter a void, the internet is the void. Great video, dude!
I wasn't like this before, in fact I used to be quite productive on a fairly regular basis, but right before my 18th birthday, the pandemic happened. I was somewhat of an introvert before, but man the pandemic has made me a shell of my former self in every aspect of my life, whether speaking from a physical, mental, and perhaps even intellectual, health perspective, I'm so much worse off today than how I was just like 3-4 years ago. And the worst part is that I don't even know what to do, or how to fix this downward spiral, or where to even start. A lot of people will suggest going to the gym, but unfortunately I have scoliosis and I was told that I'm not allowed to do any weightlifting, running or stretching as it could worsen my condition, the most I can do is some light legwork.
I'm 17, and I'm already feeling this dread. I think way too much about my future that I fear I may not be able to live in the present anymore. I keep thinking about what I should work on, what skills to acquire, and yet I end up nowhere. I used to just do whatever I wanted since such thoughts never crossed my mind in the first place, leaving my problems to my future self. but now that I'm that future me, I feel lost. I'm not ready to be an adult yet, but I have to be. if only there was something I could work on enough for me to feel satisfied
Bravo, this took some courage to make it public. Many can relate but few express it and commit to changes by telling people about it. It just looks so scary but I’m happy for the steps you’re actually taking
Videography tip: if you're expecting to stay in the same place, like this video, set the focus then put it in manual so it doesn't keep changing with every little movement, just make sure your aperture is not so low that you'll become out of focus when you move forward and back.
I am 19 right now and I can basically say the same thing about my 10s. When I was 11 y.o. I launched that weird TH-cam app on my phone for the first time and from that very moment it was hard to live a whole day without it. The same goes for social networks, I was very skeptical before and couldn't really get why everyone is using them so often but once I began, I was hooked too. In the past 2 years I actively searched for ways to improve my life and overanalyzed everything in my past, I attempted searching for more reasonable hobbies but something wasn't just right. After watching this video I probably know what it was. I can't think about one thing at a time. All that time spent listening youtube while eating / doing homework / walking / sleeping, all of it backfires the most painful way. Because every time I tried to shut that "party", you said about in this video, I ended up thinking almost exclusively about it and with time passing these thoughts didn't seem to disappear. I'm very glad for you though, that now you feel better. Keep making your life more worthwhile :)
I'm the same way, I always had TH-cam or a podcast on in the background when doing literally anything. It takes a bit to get used to nothing but your own thoughts
I have a question for everyone reading thie comment. When was the last time you heard a bird chirp? And I'm not talking about games and videos, when was the last time you stopped yourself and listened to birds chirping in the trees? When was the last time you stepped on an extra chrispy leaf while walking? I've got an excercise for you my friend, go outside (into the park if you live in a city), pick up a leaf and just look at it, try to remember every detail of the leaf and admire the beauty mother nature creates.
Hey Eric - I agree and share a lot of your views not only in this video but throughout some of your writings that you've put online - we're basically the same age as well. The quote "A year from now, you may wish you had started today.." springs to mind - it's better to realise now than realise in another 5 years. Good video man, keep it up... you're dope
Good video. I relate to a lot of what you've said. Meditation and writing has been my way of beating the addiction. I still slip up some days but I feel my life is better even with the slip ups because I'm making an effort to change the habit. Thanks for posting this video. I'm going to check out your other content!
the only thing that helped me get off the internet was going cold turkey. no smart phone, and unplugging the ehternet when i am not using it. also, i went to military school a few years ago, and i read more in my life than i ever had before. I realized how much i loved comics, and that i should have continued reading from when i began as a kid, I read the witcher series and a couple halo books, and i felt more immersed & satisfied in that world than i ever had on the internet. I am very easily addicted to the internet just like you, so thanks for talking about this
10:38 - This has actually been a recent issue of mine. Started WFH since 2020, so I had less time on the road to just listen to music and think to myself as I drove into the office. Then, in the mornings I started listening more and more to podcasts, initially with a waterproof Bluetooth speaker (taken into the shower while getting ready) and via headphones right up until I started work. Then after work, headphones back in to listen to podcasts. Essentially it was one form of input or another that would require attention that takes away from that “mulling over” or just time to think to yourself, displaced by the news or other information coming in from outside. I started to realize I really missed that time I had when I was commuting, or when I was getting ready in the mornings, simply thinking about my day, mentally preparing for what I was going to do next. So, podcasts, videos and etc are fine, but they _need_ to be in moderation, since it can take away from your mental “alone time” (so to speak) for sure!
the funny thing about this is that I felt the same way and have started to cut down the amount of mindless scrolling I do. but what I ended up doing instead was playing a lot of video games. which i guess is better cause now when I play them I actually enjoy them instead of just mindlessly grinding away while listening to something in the back ground. I'm like actually enjoying my time.
I'm only 26 but I feel you. I stopped most of my hobbies throughout uni, which took some 6.5 years to complete, and work over the past 3 years, now full time, has completely sapped me of the will to do anything that I used to enjoy. However, recently I've started to find time for some things again. I started reading on the train. I deleted most apps and websites that I was wasting time on. And I stopped being so hard on myself when I did go and waste time on youtube or a video game. They're small wins but it adds up.
I also wasted a bunch of my life online. The thing is you still have a lot of good moments coming your way. I'd like to think you learned a big lesson when the time was right. I also am around 21 and I spent a ton of time just wasting away. The thing is we gotta look past it and move forward. Let's do it together 💪!
drugs are definitely more fun than scrolling (not fun on your wallet) but have you ever met a child who is addicted to youtube? now THAT is scary... i work as an elemetary school teacher and the legitimate withdrawal i have seen a 9-year old go through coming off of a weekend youtube bender looks no different than a junkie without their fix. the shorts/ tiktok-type stuff seems to be the most acute when it comes to this. glad you were able to use books to get your feet on the ground, though. it sounds like you've used your regret as a tool to achieve what you want, instead of letting it consume you!
Superb video. Greyscale at 8pm does help keep me off my phone but YT on my laptop is a huge time-sink for me, I create content so I use "research" as an excuse when watching videos but I'm really just lying to myself. When I stop and look around at things I have to do, the silence makes my ears ring but I'm starting to enjoy it and find completing tasks irl really fulfilling. I try to get up and away from my laptop often and when I get that mental breathing space I use it to re-organize my space, work out or do something I've been putting off. I think lockdowns really accelerated the awareness of what really matters and stopping and really thinking about what I'm doing 😅 Bonus Tip! - Join a local sport/fitness beginner class and any hobby group that requires offline activities, feels good to socialize and makes friends (sounds lame I know lol but when the endorphins hit and you'll enjoy it)
I'm so glad I realized my internet addiction at 23. The world is becoming terminally online much faster than I could have imagined. I think everyone should find friends you meet IRL consistently. It's a fundamental human need with no existing substitute.
At least for me, ADHD and autisme have been the reasons for a lot of wasted time and having a hard time to do things I should be doing. It is also something I’ve found out in late 20’s and not something I knew as a child. ADHD is also often called ADD because the hyperactivity isn’t something all have, like the classic ADHD example is a kid running around in class instead of paying attention to what is being taught. Reading fiction is something I have issue with because of my ADHD (like my mind will go somewhere else while reading), so interesting you don’t have that issue (not that you have to have ADHD and autisme to have issue with wasted time and not doing the things you should have done, also possible some with ADHD have no issues reading fiction).
I'm 22 and I have the same kind of feeling about the past 5 years. The internet is not like a drug, it IS a drug (or at least, forms one in your brain), and it's scary how many people are experiencing this same scenario of what is essentially 'internet time warp'. I've been working on removing any unneccesary 'ties' to the internet by deleting accounts, deleting games, etc. It's such a bizarre and painful thing to realise how much time has been wasted, and how fast it goes. However, it is always much easier to see the negatives than the positives. I have actually learned a lot of skills from TH-cam videos, and gained several hobbies that I never in a million years would have gotten otherwise. But I definitely need to ditch the internet for the most part if I'm going to get anywhere, since, unfortunately, I've been learning the hard way how to NOT spend my time. It's the world's most valuable currency, folks.
Your level of self-awareness is great! May I offer you a solution? Forget about books and hobbies and turn your addictive mind on finding the right girl, which might not be an easy task these days, but very doable, and then get her pregnant and start a family. Not only this is the right thing to do as a biological being, but you'll simply have no time to waste on the internet anymore, and you don't want to be anywhere else except with your kids and girl creating great memories with them as a family.
I the approximately the same experience. Like many years ago I have bought the e-reader and read so many books! After a while I started to spend more time on the Internet again. Now I had some rest and oh boy I read so much again, that felt so awesome! So, I truly agree, the time you are going to spend without Internet is precious! Thanks for the video!
Ohhhhh man much respect, im 55 atm and i respect your opinions on protecting your self from the internet. Look my dud you have a whole life ahead yourself, there is more to life than internet. If there's anything i can pass ti any young person is to travel the world before its too late cos its definitely going to change inthe next 50 years climate or otherwise. Peace my brother.
That's amazing. And I'm glad you were able to do it. *fingers crossed* I hope I can do this too. Thank you for the video and the information. Your channel is awesome. Thank you for the educational videos
Its like you feel bad after you waste few hours and thinking what I am doing and the moment you get near to your phone you are like wasting few moments can't do anything bad but you end spending couple of hours feeling same anxiety again. Why we don't get started with with real struggle is because progress is slow process in compare to quick dopamine from recommendations.
Other than wasting time playing video games, listening to music, or playing around with my website and Linux, I can't do anything else in my 10s. I tried turning things around in the past two years, however, my school implies me to waste time or do school crap, which is a sad thing. Though I have a clear vision of my 20s, which I will do everything for to get there.
You are right after watching this video I realized I have done the same thing which feels not Good without internet over usage I could be at a better place. Secondly you have such content which is not a waste, I wish I had something like this.
I keep going back and forth on this idea, where I see people like Ben Shapiro saying "absolutely no internet until my kids are 18". And while I think that would have saved me from the pitfalls like 4chan, and youtube addiction that I fell into ... I probably would have never started programming if I had 0 access to internet. Maybe I would have preferred more filtering of my internet use. Either way I'm glad to hear people at least did make it out of those habbits, and this is a good message for the next generation.
I've only been on the net because of a very tiny circle of friends I met when I was very young, dudes about my age (we were 18-19 back then), we even video chatted, showed our pets, what we were eating or even did games while doing so... I'm still friends with them... actually very close friends. They are the only reason why I'm still online doing whatever, rest is Splatoon and music and programming courses online that are much cheaper than the ones in my country.
I think people are addicted to the internet not because they have addictive personality but because all the social media now a days literally engineered by the worlds most high paid people. The moment you start to think about it, it is easier to break out from it.
Very true
I literally not using social media because of it, hell just access TH-cam in my phone is from Firefox....
@Savantastic same here
@@Savantastic TH-cam is social media too
Yep, that's i rarely used it and only open it in firefox@@saiv46
Hey, just want to say that your input on the internet as in, opinions and educational videos, has been helpful to quite a few people, hope that makes it feel not completely wasted.
Bro spent 10 years installing arch 💀
this is a linux users manifesto lol
Understandable
skill issue took me like 5 hours
@@Abdellah000 archinstall utility take only about 20 minutes to install and boot with fast wifi.
If I use automated scripts, it can take less than 10 minutes.
Although arch is supreme, I ended up switching back to Ubuntu for more stability and more software support
on the positive side, arch doesn't need child support. hope he'll dodge this trap.
I'm 19, in a week or so I will be 20. This video was basically the 'wake up call' i needed to quit all the shit and start working on myself. Whatever you said, i relate 100% to it, it hit right at home. I had so many dreams, goals, but the past 5 years, have just been over in a blink.
Since i was young, there have been just so much shit happening to me, so much trauma, abuse, mental, physical, ones that drive people to insanity, till I was about 14, I had no 'escape' from it, it was too much, too hard. I didn't enjoy school, i hated everyone in my life, i didn't talk to anyone, life was too hard to cope with. When I got a computer at around 15, this all kind of changed, i had unrestricted access to the internet, and it was my.. escape from it all.
I used to spend hours gaming, watching random videos, wasting time on discord, etc, and when i started learning programming at 16-17 and got interested in it, i never really made much progress, and would just waste time. During these 5 years, i formed no meaningful connections with people, no good friendships, no relationships, nothing. And although i did 'learn' alot of stuff, i didn't have to motivation to stick to a specific subject and see through it, so i can make something out of it. I learnt web dev, but never really practiced it and put the skills to any use, i learnt c++, but quit halfway through. In all my time online, i never was really 'enjoying' it, it was simply an escape from reality, a way for me to escape from the hardships and trauma i faced in the real world.
I had so many ideas, hobbies, i also used to read ALOT as a child, and i mean i would read stuff while i ate food, every single day, i would read random stuff i found throughout the house, but now i'm lucky to finish a book in a YEAR. I recently started working on myself, paying more attention to not waste time.
You are so right on that 'you always know what you wanna do', I always knew, but chose to waste time anyways, and it sucks. I recently started paying attention on my mental health, I started seeing a psychiatrist 2 months ago, got diagnosed for adhd and on meds for it. I also have ocd, bpd, and I started seeing a therapist for it.
But even after all that, the endless scrolling had just become a terrible toxic habit for me, it was my brain's way of making my pain and trauma go away, even if for just a few hours, and even at the cost of my future. These days I feel sick whenever i'm wasting time, i feel terrible, but even if i realised that, i didn't have the power to stop because it just felt so nice to just stop thinking about the real world.
Thank you for uploading this video and thank you for making me realize that its not too late yet to start. Please do more of these types of videos, where you just talk about life and stuff. I really enjoyed it, and i'm sure there are many that will do aswell.
bro dont take ritalin or adderal man, im 19, i was also diagnosed ADD. i would say ritalin messed up my diet .
@@flamehours4 for me ritalin didn't have any side effects so far, other than maybe lightly increasing my anxiety. I'll try concerta later but that shouldn't be too diff aswell. Adderal is banned in my country.. so out of luck on that!
I am 17 and i deal like i learned allot from internet. But, I don't know where to use // how it applies it.
The problem for me is that as a blind person, I can't quit internet as i relai allot on it to liv.
I have read your whole comment. Good wish for you. ❤
This comment hits so close to home for me. And made me realize just how much I need to improve my life and just step away from the internet Ty.
You’re a wise young man, Eric. I’m nearly 40 years older than you, but I know people in my own age bracket who haven’t yet grasped in their own lives the truth of what you’re saying here. Good for you.
Incidentally, your Linux-related videos in particular are EXTREMELY helpful. Also, from what I see on your website, you write very well, especially when compared to many other developers and other tech-savvy folks whose writings I follow - but, now that you’ve described how much you love to read, that makes perfect sense.
I'm Eric's agemate, but man, I love seeing responses like yours, from older people! It's nice to see people from different generations re-connecting and supporting each other ('cause normally we're so tightly locked in our own age groups, and I'm not sure it's all that healthy).
@@daniellaurin9566 He's not 40, he's 40 years older than 30.
Great video, thank you for that. I turned 30 last year and all I can say is: You're not alone with all these things. I'm also struggeling with my life and with what society expects from a 30 year "old" man. But I also think that it's important to not worry too much about these things. You always had your reasons why you did things the way you did and everyone gets distrected in life from time to time. Life is no straight path as simple is that. 😉
And I wasted my 10s online 😪 but its good as a 20 year old to finally understand the importance of breathing fresh air. Some things we just realise once we get to a certain age and that's life. God bless Eric, best regards
wasting your 10s isn't as bad. Better get that out of the way early
Im 20 yo too and I will change that!
@@ms-ig8pqthe good thing that we are still young and we definitely can change our life in the next years, the most important thing is that we should be super productive, little steps every day, we should not waste any time!! I know it's difficult but I gained experience in understanding my procrastination's causes and started to know how to solve the issue
Same. I'm 21 and i lost part of My 12-18 playing videogames 🗿
@@chris0617 im worse than you, I didn't enjoy those years at least in playing video games I was scrolling online instead, and now I have not the time to play video games like before
I am 27 and last year, at 26, I realised the exact same thing as you.
I have wasted so much time on Reddit snd 4chan; I let many of my goals, both personal and professional, slip away
It's also as you described; I wasn't enjoying my time online.
Only last year I started chasing my goals again, but I still struggle with my online addiction, especially reddit and TH-cam
same
You can do it, we're all gonna make it
@@EricMurphyxyza real 4chan anon post moment haha
how can you spend any time on 4 chan
this is the tldr of this vid
For me personally the internet feels like a double edged sword. You can learn and acquire so much knowledge from the internet, but then on the flip side there are so many websites that can distract you from all of that. After watching this video I think trying to strike a healthy balance between knowledge and entertainment is how I'd like to go forward with my internet usage.
Thanks for the video Eric.
problem is it's impossible to completely cut it off. pretty much everything needs to be done online now unfortunately.
Agreed. tbh I think almost everyone know that internet is just too much but can we resist it? maybe we can for few days when we are super motivated. but that's not the solution sadly.
I am now 33 years old. I wasted 12 years of my life on the Internet. I had a somewhat famous personality on the Internet and I lived on the interactions of my followers. I thought I was accomplishing something and that I was successful. I woke up and found my followers graduated, got jobs, and got married, and I was still in my room hugging my phone and computer. Don't make my mistake.
for me ..almost 26y with +10 year porn and game addiciton .. i numb the pain with "one day i will achive something i love" .. idk its just hard to start over ..
keep it up king
Ever since the pandemic, I’ve been spending my teen years online. 8 hours a day on my phone. No social media except watching TH-cam videos, and using Reddit to learn about science. As a homeschooled teen, it’s tough.
Hey, just wanted to say your video really resonated with me. The past four years have been tough (especially since 24.02.2022), and now I'm 30...
On one hand, there's not much to complain about-I'm a software developer myself, though not the best. Because, after a hard day, I find it easier to just crash on the sofa, always stressed and seem to have zero energy...
But lately, I've been realizing how much I miss my old hobbies: playing guitar, singing, reading books, going for walks, and watching/doing fire-shows.
I appreciate the lack of snake oil salesman rhetoric, “This dopamine detox will fix all your problems”, “this is the one trick that turned my life around.” You’re really realistic and don’t delude yourself, most other TH-camrs are too deep to notice the values they’re propagating. I definitely have that mindset towards TH-cam where I say I hate it, yet keep watching TH-cam for hours each day. I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready to make that leap away from TH-cam.
I too don't know if I can ever quit watching TH-cam. I've been watching TH-cam videos almost everyday since I was 7 (I'm 19 now). I have developed a deep-rooted addiction to this platform. The longest I went without TH-cam was 2 weeks back in 2015 when my family was switching ISPs.
I'm 18 years old and this video hits way too close home. You are more than a decade older than me, yet I relate to it on so many levels, the never-ending youtube binge that somehow never gets boring, the constant cycling between youtube, reddit and 4chan, and the blurr when looking back on the last years. The internet has shaped my personality in many ways and I would be a completely different person without it, for better or for worse. I genuinely couldn't imagine my life without the internet, so I hope to at least use the internet for productive activities like coding instead of rotting on various websites. Lets hope I can look back when I'm in my late 20s with pride, and not with confusion as to where the heck my time went.
Btw, you don't have to mention you were a /g/-tard, your channel makes it very obvious lol
I rather "waste" time online learning about Finance and Investing, Producting Licensing for my Inventions rather then Drinking, nursing Hangovers, watching sports and reruns like many of my "friends" did.
People aren't doing much else out there, when you see people playing sports 9/10 times it's for a company or a place they work for.
Thanks for the perspective.
I'm on the same boat. I'm 22 and I've been chronically online since 15 and regret not enjoying my teen years more.
But, as soon as I started socializing again, I realized why I used the internet so much.
I'm not at all like my peers.
Most of my peers can't enjoy the same things I do. I don't want to get too detailed, but when I finally got a functioning social life and got out of my rut, I just felt more alone even with all the people around me.
Now I'm kind've stuck in the middle. I can't enjoy "having a life" and can't enjoy being chronically online.
Right now I feel worse than when I was an internet addict and I don't really know a way out.
I have no real (for lack of a better word) right to give advice for something like this, and it probably won’t help, but I would say you should search for more people like yourself rather than trying to smush yourself in with everyone else. I suppose you could compare it to trying to smush in a puzzle piece into a spot that it doesn’t fit into.
I suppose I’m in a similar situation as well. The internet has been my replacement for friends for quite a while and now that I know I need them, they seem so hard to find. Maybe I’m just shouting into the void but idk how to socialize properly and approach people 😭
Same brother. Same from middle east too...
I’m in the same boat, used to be chronically online in high school but who isn’t? I got a decent amount of friends back then so I didn’t think much about wasting my life. As high school was replaced by college I was still lonely. A lot of it was because of covid but I managed to participate in university activities and going clubbing. But I still felt lonely because loneliness isn’t not having people to hang out with, it’s feeling misunderstood and unable to relate to other people. I don’t feel like I fit in with most of my peers and after getting an ADHD diagnosis it all made sense.
I feel bummed when I’m being too self aware and pitying myself for not being able to connect to people but trying too hard to fit in also doesn’t work. To anyone who feels like an outsider, don’t feel too bad about spending time online for escapism. When you feel like the real world has rejected you, you spend some time in a freeze response. Your body is spending most of its energy on existing and that’s fine. What worked for me is having a handful of friends I feel comfortable with, all others are surface level friendships.
I kind of feel this.
But I kind of hate people and its not like I have had a girlfriend that pulls me away.
Its easy to regret how you spent time, but comparing the options you had vs your fantasy scenario isn't fair.
Edit: I didn't read your full comment before finishing. We actually feel the same. LMFAO. I regret my teen years wishing I found "the one" and good friends. But I didn't. What can I do? Nothing. We play the cards we are dealt.
thank you for saying this in a realistic way, sometimes people make the bar so high i just want to give up
Dude. You are twenty-nine. Not fifty-nine. Trust me. I know how that works. Don't beat yourself up. Just get your old lists, plans, hopes together and get after it. Also, get outside as much as you can, even if you are just sitting on the porch -- without anything electronic in your hand or field of view. That's it, brother. And thanks for all the fantastic work on this channel.
-We consume and will continue to consume too much internet
-Therefore throw away internet FOMO and start cutting back online time-
-We had a good time online, spending more hours online won't improve that good time. It's already hours.
-Get in touch with your hobbies again, find new ones, and use them to distract yourself away from the internet.
Just my to cents to rationalize and wrap up this video's advice.
In the past 2 months I started to change somethings in my routine, now I mediated everyday, I'm back in learning Italian, I'm back writing my stories. I can relate 100% what you said, can be hard to stop using social media and YT, controlling yourself is hard, but change your life by changing little things, in steps, can help a lot to create a new habit and healthy life.
Thank for this video, I think this can help a lot of people to rethink theirs lifestyle and routine.
Meditation definitely helps.
Thank for the video! For me, the Internet (especially TH-cam) is also addiction. I have to do my thesis, but every time I feel worried about it, I open TH-cam or Telegram just to abstract from REAL problems. As a result, I feel really unfoscused and demotivated. Only today I started to break my addiction. Not completely. But now I decided to use Internet consciously. If using TH-cam, then only for music while working.
And you know, it somehow works. Today I wrote more than I was doing this week. The next things are to wake up earlier (not at 11, as I was doing) and to restart jogging. We will do it man! Thank you again for a very useful video! And best luck for your goals!
Grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. I spent my time training and gaining work experience as a scientist, only to ultimately never find the position I wanted. Eventually I got so frustrated at the hot mess on a stick that modern scientific work actually is that I quit it for good. Should probably use my degree certificate as toilet paper one day. And what about you and your story? I envy you.
I Never had internet addiction but being addicted to anything that doesn’t help u is bad, but u gotta accept the internet is here to stay. Best u can do is watch the useful stuff and ignore the trash
This really hit home for me. I turned 22 recently and wasted a lot of time on the internet from age ~17. So many experiences I missed out on is making me feel isolated as well. I am so scared of wasting my 20's and living with regret in the future.
Thank you for this video, you perfectly mirror my own experience, and I really like what you had to say, especially regarding not identifying as a terminally online person.
I've been through this cycle at least a dozen times, I feel motivated again after watching this video (like many self help videos before). What's always happened so far is that I do well for about a week, then start to loosen up a little and within another week I'm back to same old online me.
I hope this time will be different, I doubt it.
Thanks nonetheless.
did better for a couple of months but now i'm typing this comment as i've spent my entire saturday watching YT/films, it keeps going in waves back and forth... The problem isn't not being on the internet for me, the problem is finding different things to replace that free time with, still socially anxious/never really tried something new in years. I fucking hate this
@@stef9019 "the problem is finding different things to replace that free time with" On point. I completely relate to your struggle. I think it’s more effective to find new interests and set goals around them. This way, I'll naturally spend more time on these activities and less on wasting time. Simply restricting social media and internet use isn’t enough because, without something meaningful to fill the freed-up time, boredom will likely drive me back online. By focusing on goals or interests, I can divert your attention and avoid the constant battle of resisting the urge to be chronically online. I think you could try something similar and see if it helps.
here again, just gonna keep commenting on this parent until i dont come back here i guess
A couple of years ago, I decided to just stop using any social media aside from TH-cam, and frankly my whole life and outlook on life changed because of it. I kept TH-cam around because I’ve never been one to mindlessly scroll anyway. I usually go on here already knowing what I’m specifically looking to watch, and every so often I’ll watch a recommended video that looks particularly interesting to me.
I spend a lot of time on the internet (I'm a 19-year-old college student), but I make sure to balance it with doing things that are NOT on the internet-reading books, playing music, being outdoors, and eating healthy-and of course, studying (and practicing, since I'm a music student). I think with those things, life has been fulfilling, and it's working well for me. I sing classical repertoire in Concert Choir and play jazz piano in one of the small-groups, so I have plenty to do and my musical interests are diverse. I just can't stop and retreat to social media all day every day when I graduate.
I've been trying to follow a book on how to quit porn addiction and it's amazing the points that you bring up that mirror the points brought up in that book. How using isn't entertaining but numbing, how using literally does nothing for you but makes you feel like it does. How there's tonnes of ways to supposedly mitigate using like blocking and so on, but when you block something it makes you want to seek it out more, so inevitably what you need is a mindset shift. The more you try and quit with an old mindset the more you feel like you're missing out on something, but as soon as you realize that it really does nothing for you that's when you can actually make progress. You mention getting your heart in the right place and I believe this is paramount to fighting an addiction, you can get your mind in the right place knowing all about how a certain addiction causes problems for you, but if your heart isn't in the right place then you won't make any progress since you'll feel like you're `missing out` on what that addiction brings you, even if logically you know it brings you nothing. Willpower is in my mind the worst way to fight an addiction and it just makes it more difficult for yourself since the whole time you'll be straining to go back to using. Of course it can be done, but it's not the ideal way. A mindset shift really is the way to go, and I wish I would've figured it out much sooner.
The Easy Peasy Method? Lol
It's good you made this video. The type of content we engage with in the past decade or so is completely new to humanity. Companies spend generations worth of $$$ in project budgets to make sure we're addicted to it. It's crucial to acknowledge this and treat it accordingly.
I am 57. Your message here is 100% on point. Your message hits home on so many levels. You are on the right path. Stick to it.
Wow I can relate so much mate... Don't worry you are still young, people at their 40s still reimagine themsleves and make a successful career and form families.
This video is gold. Thanks for making this.
Thanks man this video really helped me, truly an eye opener for someone who is going to be in his early 20s soon
I'm 25 and I feel that I have wasted a ton of time the last 5 years. Lots of things I haven't done and I need to get going with my life at this point. Thanks
This hits home I’m 20 and the last 3 years were kind of a blur I’ll take in this advice for my 20s
You got this
Remember there is not wasting in life. Whatever you did you would have the same reaction at 30 its called midlife crisis
You are experiencing a shift from consumer mindset to creator mindset. To have original ideas one must shut out the external noise polluting one's mind. You should never look at your 20 as being wasted or with any regret. Everything happens as it does and your job is to learn from it and apply those lessons in the future. If it was not for all that wasted time on the internet, you would not be who you are today.... 30k people really appreciate who you are so you are definitely doing something right.
True. I think regret can be useful as a catalyst to make positive changes in your life going forward. But if you just mope about the past for the rest of your life that can be a problem. You're right, I've still made a lot of progress over my 20s but I know I can do way better in the future.
Yes, I wasted my 20s and sometimes feel remorseful of it for "not achieving what others have at my age" but then I remenber this is just FOMO conditioning, I'm not old nor so young either but still capable of starting again, everyone has it's own rythms with ups and downs, the important thing is to not let it influence you in a bad way but propel you to the life you really want...
Back in the 00s we killed our pain with drugs and alcohol, not a phone or social media in sight. Same feelings when trying to kick whatever dopamine pump.
I'm 22 and I've spent the last 3 years doing the exact same.
TH-cam has consumed me in an endless loop of videos and I should really stop succumbing to the desire to watch just one more.
I too was a big reader as a kid and I regret stopping it. I should really start reading again for my own sanity.
That is a familiar feeling, I felt something like this, before I turned 25. At that time I stopped workingon bullsht job, started to invest heavily into education, started my career, family. Do I feel that I lost something just doing nothing until 25? Yes, I do. When I see young guys, in their 18,19,20 years old having a purpose in their lives, having dedication and focus I must admit I’m a little jealous. But was it too bad? Well, probably not. Because right now love to spend some time like in those years, young, full of energy and free from all the worries, but can’t really afford that. It happened as it happened, and thanks God for that. Having a fulfilling life right now, feeling the moment, I have no worries of the time wasted.
And your commitment is a very significant one. I like your videos, and thousands of folks do as well. You did much more than most of the people at your age. Don’t underestimate yourself
I needed this video, thank you so much.
I've been thinking about this for some time, and this video convinced me to actually do it, I'm tired of algorithms and big companies keep me busy and tell me what should i watch and read, I should be the one who decides what to read and watch, not some unpredictable algorithm.
Me too brother, I have wasted at least last 5 years since 2018 absolutely wasting on internet, youtube, ... and I didn't even realized it..
you're turning 30? oh man you look younger!
Ikr he looks 25ish
I was really moved by what you said. You saved your entire generation. There's hope! ❤
Can confirm; after testing both drugs and online i'm not on drugs anymore but i'm still online..... I feel you, i have been there. and still am here... and that is allready with most of the social media algorithms.... :o
This is very vulnerable and such a great service to myself and others in your audience. Thanks a lot.
Similar to my situation. I was convicted as a felon at 16 and got out at 21. When I was released it was hard to find a job due to my criminal record.
So, I decided to go back to college for computer science and graduated with a master's degree. I still had a hard time finding a job then I got lucky with a small company. I now make good money but I got lucky.
I've really started to take my diet and physical health into serious consideration. I've been learning how to cook, watching out about unhealthy food, going cycling and learning how to fix bikes (I had to perform a roadside repair during my ride today lol), and visiting my friends more. You can break away from the internet, you will not encounter a void, the internet is the void. Great video, dude!
I wasn't like this before, in fact I used to be quite productive on a fairly regular basis, but right before my 18th birthday, the pandemic happened. I was somewhat of an introvert before, but man the pandemic has made me a shell of my former self in every aspect of my life, whether speaking from a physical, mental, and perhaps even intellectual, health perspective, I'm so much worse off today than how I was just like 3-4 years ago. And the worst part is that I don't even know what to do, or how to fix this downward spiral, or where to even start. A lot of people will suggest going to the gym, but unfortunately I have scoliosis and I was told that I'm not allowed to do any weightlifting, running or stretching as it could worsen my condition, the most I can do is some light legwork.
I'm 17, and I'm already feeling this dread. I think way too much about my future that I fear I may not be able to live in the present anymore. I keep thinking about what I should work on, what skills to acquire, and yet I end up nowhere. I used to just do whatever I wanted since such thoughts never crossed my mind in the first place, leaving my problems to my future self. but now that I'm that future me, I feel lost. I'm not ready to be an adult yet, but I have to be. if only there was something I could work on enough for me to feel satisfied
Bravo, this took some courage to make it public. Many can relate but few express it and commit to changes by telling people about it. It just looks so scary but I’m happy for the steps you’re actually taking
I think I am wearing the same shoes as yours. Reflect, retrospect, and move on. Let's continue to work our best for our future.
Wise words!
thanks for sharing man! pretty sure some many people out there feels identify with your experience hope. I wish you the best :D
Videography tip: if you're expecting to stay in the same place, like this video, set the focus then put it in manual so it doesn't keep changing with every little movement, just make sure your aperture is not so low that you'll become out of focus when you move forward and back.
I am 19 right now and I can basically say the same thing about my 10s. When I was 11 y.o. I launched that weird TH-cam app on my phone for the first time and from that very moment it was hard to live a whole day without it. The same goes for social networks, I was very skeptical before and couldn't really get why everyone is using them so often but once I began, I was hooked too. In the past 2 years I actively searched for ways to improve my life and overanalyzed everything in my past, I attempted searching for more reasonable hobbies but something wasn't just right. After watching this video I probably know what it was. I can't think about one thing at a time. All that time spent listening youtube while eating / doing homework / walking / sleeping, all of it backfires the most painful way. Because every time I tried to shut that "party", you said about in this video, I ended up thinking almost exclusively about it and with time passing these thoughts didn't seem to disappear.
I'm very glad for you though, that now you feel better. Keep making your life more worthwhile :)
I'm the same way, I always had TH-cam or a podcast on in the background when doing literally anything. It takes a bit to get used to nothing but your own thoughts
I have a question for everyone reading thie comment. When was the last time you heard a bird chirp? And I'm not talking about games and videos, when was the last time you stopped yourself and listened to birds chirping in the trees? When was the last time you stepped on an extra chrispy leaf while walking? I've got an excercise for you my friend, go outside (into the park if you live in a city), pick up a leaf and just look at it, try to remember every detail of the leaf and admire the beauty mother nature creates.
I completely relate, Thanks man for this honest video
Hey Eric - I agree and share a lot of your views not only in this video but throughout some of your writings that you've put online - we're basically the same age as well.
The quote "A year from now, you may wish you had started today.." springs to mind - it's better to realise now than realise in another 5 years.
Good video man, keep it up... you're dope
Good video. I relate to a lot of what you've said.
Meditation and writing has been my way of beating the addiction. I still slip up some days but I feel my life is better even with the slip ups because I'm making an effort to change the habit.
Thanks for posting this video. I'm going to check out your other content!
internet is like tv, you grab what you want
the only thing that helped me get off the internet was going cold turkey. no smart phone, and unplugging the ehternet when i am not using it. also, i went to military school a few years ago, and i read more in my life than i ever had before. I realized how much i loved comics, and that i should have continued reading from when i began as a kid, I read the witcher series and a couple halo books, and i felt more immersed & satisfied in that world than i ever had on the internet. I am very easily addicted to the internet just like you, so thanks for talking about this
Cold turkey is the right answer.
10:38 - This has actually been a recent issue of mine. Started WFH since 2020, so I had less time on the road to just listen to music and think to myself as I drove into the office. Then, in the mornings I started listening more and more to podcasts, initially with a waterproof Bluetooth speaker (taken into the shower while getting ready) and via headphones right up until I started work. Then after work, headphones back in to listen to podcasts.
Essentially it was one form of input or another that would require attention that takes away from that “mulling over” or just time to think to yourself, displaced by the news or other information coming in from outside. I started to realize I really missed that time I had when I was commuting, or when I was getting ready in the mornings, simply thinking about my day, mentally preparing for what I was going to do next. So, podcasts, videos and etc are fine, but they _need_ to be in moderation, since it can take away from your mental “alone time” (so to speak) for sure!
the funny thing about this is that I felt the same way and have started to cut down the amount of mindless scrolling I do. but what I ended up doing instead was playing a lot of video games. which i guess is better cause now when I play them I actually enjoy them instead of just mindlessly grinding away while listening to something in the back ground. I'm like actually enjoying my time.
Read "Digital Minimalism" by Cal Newport
I'm only 26 but I feel you. I stopped most of my hobbies throughout uni, which took some 6.5 years to complete, and work over the past 3 years, now full time, has completely sapped me of the will to do anything that I used to enjoy. However, recently I've started to find time for some things again. I started reading on the train. I deleted most apps and websites that I was wasting time on. And I stopped being so hard on myself when I did go and waste time on youtube or a video game. They're small wins but it adds up.
I also wasted a bunch of my life online. The thing is you still have a lot of good moments coming your way. I'd like to think you learned a big lesson when the time was right. I also am around 21 and I spent a ton of time just wasting away. The thing is we gotta look past it and move forward. Let's do it together 💪!
drugs are definitely more fun than scrolling (not fun on your wallet) but have you ever met a child who is addicted to youtube? now THAT is scary... i work as an elemetary school teacher and the legitimate withdrawal i have seen a 9-year old go through coming off of a weekend youtube bender looks no different than a junkie without their fix. the shorts/ tiktok-type stuff seems to be the most acute when it comes to this.
glad you were able to use books to get your feet on the ground, though. it sounds like you've used your regret as a tool to achieve what you want, instead of letting it consume you!
Yeah, what we have to deal with is bad enough. I'm worried for the next generation.
fax man thx for this kind of info
Really good and honest video. I listened to it when I was cleaning and stopped to watch the whole thing.
I completely relate, this video is very eye-opening
Superb video.
Greyscale at 8pm does help keep me off my phone but YT on my laptop is a huge time-sink for me, I create content so I use "research" as an excuse when watching videos but I'm really just lying to myself.
When I stop and look around at things I have to do, the silence makes my ears ring but I'm starting to enjoy it and find completing tasks irl really fulfilling. I try to get up and away from my laptop often and when I get that mental breathing space I use it to re-organize my space, work out or do something I've been putting off.
I think lockdowns really accelerated the awareness of what really matters and stopping and really thinking about what I'm doing 😅
Bonus Tip! - Join a local sport/fitness beginner class and any hobby group that requires offline activities, feels good to socialize and makes friends (sounds lame I know lol but when the endorphins hit and you'll enjoy it)
I'm so glad I realized my internet addiction at 23. The world is becoming terminally online much faster than I could have imagined. I think everyone should find friends you meet IRL consistently. It's a fundamental human need with no existing substitute.
At least for me, ADHD and autisme have been the reasons for a lot of wasted time and having a hard time to do things I should be doing. It is also something I’ve found out in late 20’s and not something I knew as a child.
ADHD is also often called ADD because the hyperactivity isn’t something all have, like the classic ADHD example is a kid running around in class instead of paying attention to what is being taught.
Reading fiction is something I have issue with because of my ADHD (like my mind will go somewhere else while reading), so interesting you don’t have that issue (not that you have to have ADHD and autisme to have issue with wasted time and not doing the things you should have done, also possible some with ADHD have no issues reading fiction).
I'm 22 and I have the same kind of feeling about the past 5 years. The internet is not like a drug, it IS a drug (or at least, forms one in your brain), and it's scary how many people are experiencing this same scenario of what is essentially 'internet time warp'. I've been working on removing any unneccesary 'ties' to the internet by deleting accounts, deleting games, etc. It's such a bizarre and painful thing to realise how much time has been wasted, and how fast it goes. However, it is always much easier to see the negatives than the positives. I have actually learned a lot of skills from TH-cam videos, and gained several hobbies that I never in a million years would have gotten otherwise. But I definitely need to ditch the internet for the most part if I'm going to get anywhere, since, unfortunately, I've been learning the hard way how to NOT spend my time. It's the world's most valuable currency, folks.
Your level of self-awareness is great!
May I offer you a solution? Forget about books and hobbies and turn your addictive mind on finding the right girl, which might not be an easy task these days, but very doable, and then get her pregnant and start a family. Not only this is the right thing to do as a biological being, but you'll simply have no time to waste on the internet anymore, and you don't want to be anywhere else except with your kids and girl creating great memories with them as a family.
This is the best advice although reading and learning and having hobbies can help towards that too.
At 25 I agree this is really important. I lose time at Instagram and TH-cam shorts. Without even having a TikTok account
I the approximately the same experience.
Like many years ago I have bought the e-reader and read so many books!
After a while I started to spend more time on the Internet again.
Now I had some rest and oh boy I read so much again, that felt so awesome!
So, I truly agree, the time you are going to spend without Internet is precious!
Thanks for the video!
What do you mean wasted bro, your content helped me on so much things. Love you, pelase keep up your good work.
Appreciate it, that means a lot.
It's time planed to be wasted is not wasted. So one must plan ahead on future waste.
Ohhhhh man much respect, im 55 atm and i respect your opinions on protecting your self from the internet. Look my dud you have a whole life ahead yourself, there is more to life than internet. If there's anything i can pass ti any young person is to travel the world before its too late cos its definitely going to change inthe next 50 years climate or otherwise. Peace my brother.
Damn, he really disappeared.
This is really sad and depressing.
this was a wakeup call that I needed, thank you
I identity with this so much, I've been compulsively on the internet since like 13.
That's amazing. And I'm glad you were able to do it. *fingers crossed* I hope I can do this too.
Thank you for the video and the information.
Your channel is awesome. Thank you for the educational videos
reminds me when luke smith had his internet /linux ptsd breakdown and announced a hiatus a couple of years back
The mid-life crisis for Linux youtubers
He returned to baldee without internet...
Its like you feel bad after you waste few hours and thinking what I am doing and the moment you get near to your phone you are like wasting few moments can't do anything bad but you end spending couple of hours feeling same anxiety again. Why we don't get started with with real struggle is because progress is slow process in compare to quick dopamine from recommendations.
It isn't what it used to be.. THEY ARE MAKING IT THAT YOU CAN NOT EVEN LIVE, WITHOUT A SMARTPHONE... 😢 YOU NEED TO GO CAMPING BUT WITH REAL PEOPLE.. ❤
BUT YOU CAN HELP CHANGE IT
Great video, and the message at the end
Other than wasting time playing video games, listening to music, or playing around with my website and Linux, I can't do anything else in my 10s. I tried turning things around in the past two years, however, my school implies me to waste time or do school crap, which is a sad thing. Though I have a clear vision of my 20s, which I will do everything for to get there.
Сладкие конфеты минутных послаблений нейтрализуют горечь несбывшихся надежд
It was my teens for me
It was a good part of my teens as well. I don't want to know how many hours I put into OSRS
You are right after watching this video I realized I have done the same thing which feels not Good without internet over usage I could be at a better place.
Secondly you have such content which is not a waste, I wish I had something like this.
I keep going back and forth on this idea, where I see people like Ben Shapiro saying "absolutely no internet until my kids are 18". And while I think that would have saved me from the pitfalls like 4chan, and youtube addiction that I fell into ... I probably would have never started programming if I had 0 access to internet. Maybe I would have preferred more filtering of my internet use. Either way I'm glad to hear people at least did make it out of those habbits, and this is a good message for the next generation.
I've only been on the net because of a very tiny circle of friends I met when I was very young, dudes about my age (we were 18-19 back then), we even video chatted, showed our pets, what we were eating or even did games while doing so... I'm still friends with them... actually very close friends.
They are the only reason why I'm still online doing whatever, rest is Splatoon and music and programming courses online that are much cheaper than the ones in my country.
"blah blah blah look at me wallowing in self-pity"
Did you watch the whole video?
im 14 and i wasted most of my pre teen years on youtube and tiktok later on.
i already deleted tiktok at 13, now its time to get my life back
Thx, Really needed this video.