I’m Addicted to Social Media — And I’m Fighting Back

I need to admit something.

I’m addicted to social media.
Especially short videos. I can be caught watching them for hours, without even realizing it.
I’m addicted to quick dopamine.

It messes with my focus, kills my motivation, and leaves me feeling numb instead of inspired.
I hate how it rewires my brain to crave noise when what I truly need is silence.

I’ve deleted Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Threads… over and over again.
And every time, within a few days, I’d feel lighter, more in control, and closer to the kind of life I actually want to live.
But the moment I reinstall just one of them — even just “for work” — the trap begins again. My mornings start with scrolling. My nights end with it. And somewhere in between, I lose hours and energy I can't get back.

What makes it worse is the illusion.
We think we’re relaxing, taking a break, getting inspired.
But the truth is — we’re just avoiding.
Avoiding our own thoughts. Our own work. Our own potential.

And let me be real with you — this addiction started affecting my startup too.

I run Directify, a no-code directory website builder.
It’s my baby. Something I’ve built from scratch, solo. And every time I’ve disconnected from social media, I noticed something strange:

I started loving my work again.

When the noise is gone, the pressure lifts.
I stop comparing myself to other “builders.” I stop second-guessing my ideas.
And instead of watching someone else’s life, I get back to building my own.

Dopamine Isn’t the Enemy — But It Needs a Reset

I’m learning that the problem isn’t dopamine itself — it’s the frequency of it.
We’re not meant to get little hits of pleasure every 10 seconds.
That’s not how focus, creativity, or peace works.

And to be honest, I miss being bored.

Boredom used to give me ideas.
It made me pick up books. Go for walks. Build side projects. Write.

Now, boredom feels unbearable. And that’s when I know I’ve gone too far.

Here’s What I’m Doing Differently Now:

• I deleted all socials again. (Except Twitter — and I use it only to post updates about Directify. No scrolling allowed.)

• I track how I feel, not how I perform. Am I present? Am I proud of how I spent the last hour?

• I create before I consume. One task. One email. One improvement to my product.

• I replaced my feed with my freedom. Instead of scrolling, I’m now reading again, hiking, building, and making real memories. Not filtered ones.

And you know what? I’m seeing results.

Support tickets feel less heavy.
I’m building a new template I’ve put off for months.
Even customer feedback feels clearer when my head isn’t flooded with nonsense.

If You’re Feeling the Same...

You’re not alone. And no, you’re not lazy, or broken, or “bad at focus.”

You’re just overwhelmed in a world designed to keep you that way.
But you can change it.

Start with one day offline.
Delete just one app.
Watch what happens when your mind gets a little quiet again.

And if you’ve ever wanted to build something real — like a side project, a local community, a business idea — maybe this is your moment.

I’m building Directify to help with that.
No-code, no distractions, no fluff. Just a simple way to turn your idea into a directory site — something useful, something yours.

Because the best kind of dopamine?
Is finishing something you actually care about.

— Serg