Breaking Free from the Doom-Scroll: My Journey with a Social Media Blocker
As a self-confessed social media addict, my mornings used to follow a predictable pattern: wake up, turn off the alarm, roll over, and immediately dive into my smartphone. For years, this ritual defined the start of my day, but now it is firmly in the past, thanks to a small, unassuming device called Brick.
The Evolution of Connectivity and Its Pitfalls
Reflecting on my university days, I recall the inconvenience of being tethered to an internet wire in my halls of residence. Even earlier, as a teenager, I remember the robotic noise from our family computer that signaled an impending internet disconnection if someone answered the landline. These moments felt like major disruptions at the time, making the advent of smartphones seem like a revolutionary freedom.
The ability to connect to Facebook on the go or leave messages on friends' profiles was exhilarating, albeit clunky in hindsight. Fast forward to today, and social media is so deeply embedded in our lives that imagining a commute without sending WhatsApp messages feels almost impossible. This platform, along with Instagram, is owned by Meta, a company now under scrutiny for its role in fostering addiction.
Big Tech Held Accountable for Addiction
In a landmark trial on March 25, Meta and Google were found liable for childhood addiction to social media. Jurors concluded that these companies intentionally designed addictive platforms, harming the mental health of a 20-year-old complainant. This verdict underscores growing calls from campaigners for Big Tech to implement stronger safety controls, a movement that resonates with my own struggles.
Despite being a fiercely independent woman with a PhD and a voracious reading habit, I found myself sucked into rage-bait content and endless research rabbit holes on topics that held little real importance. My screen time often exceeded a full workday, highlighting how social media had become a crutch in my life.
Discovering the Brick: A Game-Changer
Ironically, it was on Instagram that I first saw an advertisement for Brick, a social media blocking device. On a whim, I purchased this little grey box, which transforms my smartphone into a 'brick-phone' with a simple tap. Its uninteresting appearance is precisely the point—it discourages engagement and promotes disconnection.
To use Brick, I tap my phone on the box, which locks me out of apps where I tend to fall down rabbit holes, such as Instagram, TikTok, and certain news sites. Regaining access requires walking across the house to where I left the Brick, typically downstairs in the kitchen. By the time I take those first steps, I often realize I do not actually want to doom-scroll, opting instead for healthier activities.
Reclaiming Time and Well-Being
Since integrating Brick into my routine, I turn off access to these apps at 9 PM each night, only re-enabling it in the morning after I have gotten out of bed. This simple change has led to noticeable improvements: I wake up feeling better rested, my mood has lifted, and I no longer scare people off before my first coffee.
My screen time has dropped by a third in just one week, and I am committed to further decreasing it as I embrace a digital detox. Instead of mindless scrolling, I now fill my time with reading, long walks, and finally watching movies I have meant to see for years. This little grey box has not only saved me from addiction but has also helped me reclaim my life from the clutches of social media.
