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How can I quit reddit?
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Of all the websites that I visit, reddit is the hardest to quit. I always scroll in reddit for a long time (without an account) and then I feel ashamed and block the website for a week. Then I start "missing" reddit while I wait for the block to end. When the block ends, I scroll again and then feel ashamed. How can I quit?
Top Comment: I have cut down on all other apps and websites. Reddit I love so I keep that and check it regularly. Its often inspiring and uplifting. Its a nice community. I learn stuff here. I'd say choose your battles. Make your aim not to quit entirely but to spend time on here for an hour a day for example. The Internet is also useful for some stuff, to me this is one of the useful things.
I finished reading You Should Quit Reddit and it totally changed my perspective, what an amazing tool for Reddit addicts.
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I've been reading more as one of my new offline activities and have picked a few titles off the reading list pinned on this subreddit. First I read Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport, then The Shallows by Nicholas Carr. I thought these books were good reads and really gave me stuff to think about how I use the internet and technology.
I think 1.5 weeks ago I started reading You Should Quit Reddit by Jacob DesForges. What set this book apart was that I felt so relatable to the author's struggle with Reddit and web surfing addiction. He's not some academic theorizing about why Reddit and social media is bad, and seems more like a regular guy sharing his story and thoughts in a conversational manner.
The first half of the book discusses DesForges's thoughts on Reddit: how it started, how it evolved to be more addictive over time, issues with Reddit culture, how we spend our time scrolling thinking we're learning or being entertained but it's all just worthless. As a long time Reddit addict myself I've had some seeds of these thoughts but it really helped me crystallize all the negatives of this site and why I should work harder to quit. I made a ton of highlights while reading through it of these moments.
Here's a great quote about how Redditor culture guides responses to each other:
Remember, the objective of a disagreement on Reddit is often not to debate, openly exchange ideas, and educate. The objective is not even to convince one’s opponent of their incorrectness relative to you, but rather to convince the broader voting community of this hierarchy. Clever personal attacks in the ad hominem style accomplish this in a crowd-pleasing dramatic fashion. Frequently it seems that the relative karma scores of two users arguing on Reddit are not based on the substance of their discussion, but rather who was able to more creatively and convincingly belittle his opponent’s intelligence without simply resorting to crude profanity.
And on what DesForges calls the Knowledge Subreddit Fallacy, basically that people who think they can use this site for learning and productivity are tricking themselves:
In fact, you will find that when you go to any subreddit focused on a topic that you are knowledgeable or an expert in, you will notice that a fair bit of what the Redditors in that community are regurgitating is wrong.
The most important takeaway from this chapter is to realize that this level of bullshitting on Reddit isn’t just exclusive to the community surrounding your topic(s) of expertise. Every knowledge subreddit is like that, but we simply lack the tools to immediately identify misinformation that we read regarding the vast variety of other topics in which we are not experts.
I've posted in the past on here about my struggles with relapsing to my Reddit addiction and coming back to binge scroll through this site and argue with people. After finishing You Should Quit Reddit I find that I don't WANT to do that anymore, I see this website and other social media for what it is and I'm inspired to keep up the fight to change my life.
The second half of the book is about how to quit Reddit and other compulsive web surfing. I really enjoyed this part and I think that's a big thing that sets it apart is that I'm also told practical advice to change my behaviors, and the guidance given is informed by DesForges's own struggles with things like failing when trying Cal Newport's complete digital detox. He discusses things like using site blockers in multiple layers, behaviors to change approach to the internet and technology, how he uses his computers and phone differently now, and how to find offline activities to fill your time with.
I actually haven't come on Reddit at all since I started reading the book on March 31 (I bought the physical book so I can read not on a screen since I don't have an ereader). There was even a period where I didn't turn my main computer on at all for over 48 hours in a row which is huge for me. I'm unsure if I will come to r/nosurf still, I have an exception for just this sub in my site blocker since I've found some of the stuff I've read here helpful. The biggest thing for me is making sure I continue to staying off all/popular, politics, news, and hobby subreddits where I was inclined to argue with people giving wrong info or opinions I disagree with.
Anyway that turned into alot of text, I was planning to just write a short review of how wonderful this book was for me, it's the first self help kind of book that I've read that I feel like has made a profound impact on my life.
For the rest of today I'm committing to spend my time getting some work done at my job, going to spend at least 90 mins learning programming, and tonight I am going to cook an effortful homemade dinner (I need to learn more self reliance skills like that). Good luck to all and I would recommend anyone who has an issue with Reddit addiction to give this book a read, I think it will hook you in right from the start.
Top Comment: Quality post.
Quitting Reddit is so good for you
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I don’t really use Reddit very often anymore, I normally don’t even have it downloaded on my phone. Even when I did use it I mostly just scrolled.
However I just redownloaded it to look up answers for a video game question I had and since then I’ve been scrolling this weekend because I don’t have anything going on.
All I have to say is WOW. I’d completely forgotten how toxic and out of touch a lot of Reddit is. The amount of opinions you only hear on Reddit and never in real life is astounding. This is especially true for the relationship and political subs. I’ve seen some stuff on those subs that get so many upvotes but you’d never hear someone with even a basic level of social skills say.
That’s not even mentioning the “woe is me” redditors who hear one opinion they don’t like and conclude that the world is out to get them and anyone who doesn’t think like them must be a hateful, evil person. It’s as if nuance and actual critical discussion no longer exists on Reddit.
All in all, if you’re not happy with your mental health and world view, do yourself a favor and delete Reddit. Start spending more time outside and with your friends, or even just bettering yourself. It’ll shock you how much brighter the world seems when you’re off Reddit.
Top Comment: The amount of opinions you only hear on Reddit and never in real life is astounding It almost makes you think maybe some of these platforms are astroturfed to make us think some opinions are popular that really aren't?
'You Should Quit Reddit' Book Keynotes (Part 1)
Main Post: 'You Should Quit Reddit' Book Keynotes (Part 1)
Top Comment: *Redditors repost the same "meta humour" inside jokes a lot. .... *Redditors repost the same "meta humour" inside jokes a lot. I see what you did there.... Thank you for the write up! I was thinking of reading the book, but figured it probably wouldn't tell me anything that I didn't know, and it looks like that, but it's nice to have some validation. I've especially noticed all the ragebait lately, and at some point I was like 'Man, I'm tired of being mad about stuff that doesn't effect me and may not be true'. Something I'd add to the impressive list is trauma dumping. I don't mean to be insensitive, because chances are these people are socially isolated and venting online can be therapeutic, but sometimes I get tired of seeing a benign post about 'Look at this cute kitten!' and someone in the comments section trauma dumping about how their parents murdered kittens in front of them and told them they'd be next. It gets draining.
Thinking about quitting Reddit, yay or nay?
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I've been gradually reducing my presence on different platforms like Instagram and Facebook and, looking back, it does feel like it had a positive impact on me. For one thing, I stopped wasting as much of free time as I otherwise would.
I'm pretty active on Reddit though, but I'm seriously contemplating quitting. It seems like I have been overlooking the sheer toxicity of many Reddit subs; exposure to this is definitely not good for one's metal well-being.
That being said, I do feel will I be missing out on a lot of useful information in general - this pretty much sets Reddit apart from other mainstream social media platforms, so I am still on the fence about it
Top Comment: Quit the shitty subs, keep the good ones
What makes you want to quit reddit?
Main Post: What makes you want to quit reddit?
Top Comment: Not knowing I'd I'm talking to an adult with actual real world experience and knowledge or a 15 year old who's just guessing and arguing for the sake of it.
I published my first book! "You Should Quit Reddit" is the resource I wish I had years ago, and it's FREE this weekend to NoSurf readers!
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Hello NoSurf, this is my first post on Reddit well over a year (and I don't intend to stay for long). I was a former user of this subreddit on several different accounts from 2019–2021, and more generally a Redditor of over a decade. Like many of you I experienced the addictive pull of Reddit firsthand, which caused me to get stuck in a cycle of deleting and recreating accounts on this website, constantly declaring my desire to quit but eventually relapsing by burning countless hours scrolling through low-quality content.
I wasted the majority of my free time in my teens and twenties online. It ultimately took me over two years to shatter this cycle of addiction with Reddit and other time-wasting websites for good, in order to reclaim my time to use in a more intentional manner. My life is remarkably different now (in a very positive way) and I am well on my way towards finding fulfillment.
One of my biggest frustrations on this journey was that while we constantly hear of the negative aspects of these social media platforms — that they are harming our mental health, wasting our time, and that they are addictive — as far as I could find, almost nobody was talking about Reddit and instead only criticizing sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. Additionally, I felt that there was a dearth of actionable advice on how to spend less time online. The audience is commonly given the "why" but not the "how."
To fix that, I have invested quite a bit of time and effort these past nine months in writing and meticulously editing You Should Quit Reddit. The book is divided into two parts: the first expounds on the flaws of Reddit as a platform, and the second provides readers with the practical advice, tools, and techniques needed to reform their digital habits. This book is the product of my long struggle with internet addiction, containing lessons hard-earned from repeated failure and trying again until I found success.
To get this resource into the hands of those who may get the most value from it, the eBook version of You Should Quit Reddit is completely FREE on Amazon this weekend (until Monday at midnight PST). No catch or anything, just head to Amazon and you can get it for free (and keep it forever), then read it on a Kindle or the Kindle app on any device.
The only thing I ask is that if you end up enjoying the book and find it helpful in your life, taking a minute to leave a review on the Amazon product page would be incredibly valuable to a first-time author like myself.
I am homebrewing a batch of beer today, and during my downtime from that I will pop back on occasionally if anybody has any questions. Like I said, I have quit Reddit — so by the early evening I will be re-enabling my site blockers and never returning here. :)
Hope you all enjoy the book!
--Jacob
Update
Thank you all for the positive reception, I enjoyed reading and answering your comments. I do have to draw the line somewhere, so I'm re-enabling my site blockers and I'm out! You Should Quit Reddit will remain free through the weekend for anyone who finds this post tomorrow!
If anyone has any questions or comments that can't be answered by the book, please feel free to reach out via email. There's a contact button on my site at www.jacobdesforges.com.
Top Comment: I found it easy to delete and stay off Instagram as I could very logically see it was a complete waste of time. But Reddit has a lot of genuinely interesting content which I enjoy reading... but before I know it I’m scrolling through 100s of comments in threads that add zero extra value. It’s tough to keep a balance.
Tips for quitting Reddit/drastically reducing consumption?
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I've been addicted to this website for at least 8 years now, and I cannot seem to quit. I can block it on Chrome and Safari, but I can't block it on my phone without turning on parental controls, which then blocks other ridiculous words for no apparent reason. Blocking isn't even enough because I can just go unblock it. I realized that scrolling Reddit feels like social stimulation for me, and is almost like a self-soothing habit. I often type in a question into google followed by "Reddit" and proceed to read everyone's opinions. It can be very handy for certain things, but its taken over my life and it contributes to the unwellness that I feel. I would like to quit Reddit or at least reduce down to 1 hour a week or something like that. I just cannot seem to find a method that works for me. Anyone have tips for this?
Top Comment: I made a big reduction a little while ago by deciding not to use it on my phone any more, and only use it on my computer. But I also decided that I was free to go back on that decision any time I like, so long as I at least read the note I wrote listing my reasons for not wanting to use it on my phone any more. A couple times I was thinking I'd go on it on my phone, then looked at the note (because I can at least stick to that tiny commitment), and decided I'd stick with leaving it after all. I also grew sick of the main sub I was engaging with, which helped a lot.
Should I quit Reddit?
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So I never used to use Reddit and only found out about it in late 2022. Since then I’ve definitely noticed a decline in my happiness and productivity. There is just so much negativity on this app that it’s starting to get to me.
Is it best if I just delete Reddit for my own mental health?
Top Comment: Yes. This site is filled with negative assholes who will downvote and berate you based on your own opinion. Leave now.
How do I stop using reddit?
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It's slowly killing me, it's just shit, but I can't quit it... I normally stay up until 6am just scrolling on my feed for nothing, this, put together the insane state of that reddit has, and the amount of braindead content that it has, I frantically check for new notifications every second, it's fucking horrible.
I would like maybe some alternatives? because if I quit reddit I'm just going to spend that time on other socials please help me
Top Comment: Delete Reddit and all social media.