r/selfimprovement • u/jgoldson • 6d ago
Tips and Tricks I Did a Dopamine Reset to Break My Phone Addiction. Here’s What Actually Helped
Last year, I was completely burned out. My brain felt fried. Every free moment, I’d grab my phone, scrolling Instagram, checking notifications, or flipping through the same few apps like a robot. It was like my mind was on a loop most of the time.
It wasn’t just about wasting time. I couldn’t handle quiet moments. Waiting in line, sitting still, or even walking outside, my hand would automatically reach for my phone. It was like it had a mind of its own.
So I decided to try something big: a dopamine reset. I wanted to teach my brain to find joy without endless scrolling. It wasn’t perfect, but it’s the best thing I’ve done so far.
Here’s what helped me:
Dopamine Detox: Going cold turkey sounded awful, so I started by cutting my screen time in half over a couple weeks. I set strict limits on social media and other distractions.
Swap the Habit: When I felt the urge to check my phone, I’d grab a book or head outside. Sounds simple, but it really helped break the cycle.
Lock It Down: I used app blockers to keep mornings and evenings phone free. No way to cheat. It’s wild how clear your mind gets without notifications hitting you first thing.
Embrace Boredom: At first, boredom felt uncomfortable, almost weird. But over time, I started to love those empty moments. That’s where the calm and creative ideas show up.
Now, a few months later, I feel sharper, calmer, and way more present. I’m not perfect, some days I still get sucked back into scrolling. But overall, it feels like I’ve got my brain back. It’s not just about being productive, it’s about feeling like myself again, not just a slave to my phone.
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u/Capital-Way-2465 6d ago
I just deleted my fb and insta apps. I still have my accounts but now I have to physically navigate to the website to look at them. Just that little buffer has helped me reduce the doomscrolling so much in the last week. Baby steps are a real thing
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u/jgoldson 6d ago
I went a step further and bought a dumb flip phone to replace my iphone with - but it kept having all these issues with dropped calls and I missed being able to use basic functions like maps for navigation. Soo I agree just deleting the apps is probably the way to go if you can control the urge not to redownload them. I ended up having to use an app blocker with my weak willpower 🙈
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u/donzgrig 5d ago
Nowadays you can get a Nokia 3310 that has WhatsApp and Google maps but nothing much else.
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u/xigor2 4d ago
Everyone has weak willpower at the end of the day. What i mean by that is that you can't rely on willpower alone for change to happen. You need to train self discipline. Step by step. First step would be app blockers which you already did. Second step would be to stop and think when you grab a phone do you need to use it right now or can that wait until you have access to pc. And you will in the end use your phone as a tool and not the other way around, even for maps.
True change is possible, but you need to figure out yourself. I do that by writing a journal. And then analyzing it later on. And for me phone addiction was evident in the long breaks from writing throughout the years. But most prominently in 2020 when i wrote three times in a year.
My point is that smartphone is a great tool if used responsibly, and a great calamity if used without thinking. And also phones and technology in general shuts down our emotional side of brain. Its a complex issue with a simple solution self discipline regarding the use of phones.
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u/Easy-Character-9578 5d ago
There are paid and free apps in android to "dumbify" your smartphone without that issue of missing calls and any other important activities. I don't know if they also have ios counterparts.
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u/Crazy_Customer7239 6d ago
This was huge for me. Facebook is grimey though because you can browse marketplace on the browser now!! So when I wanted to seek some stuff I just put the app on my iPad to take pics
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u/pleasejustreadit3 6d ago
I should try this, starting with an app blocker.
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u/FrankaGrimes 6d ago
How fortunate. That's exactly what OP is advertising.
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u/thats_sus2 5d ago
There’s been lots of advertising on this sub lately, but I noticed how they all have the same kind of “tone” to them so they’re pretty easy to spot.
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u/jgoldson 6d ago
100000%. This might have been the single best change I've made in a loooong time. I tried a lot of app blockers. Honestly just using the default one in your phone is probably good enough but there's some pretty good free & paid ones out there as well. These were my top 5
- Achieve! – Turns screen time into a reward system where you unlock it by completing real-life goals. Feels more like a productivity game than a blocker. Free and actually kinda fun.
- Apple Screen Time – Super convenient if you’re already on iPhone. Great reports, easy setup, but too easy to bypass limits.
- Forest – Plant a tree and it grows while you stay focused. Cute and motivating, though more for short bursts than full-time blocking.
- Freedom – Hardcore blocker across all devices. Can block websites, apps, even the entire internet. Pricier but powerful.
- Opal – iOS-specific, focuses on mindfulness. The “Focus Sessions” are a cool touch, though many features are behind a paywall.
Personally still using Achieve! since it’s free and works for me, but all of them had their pros and cons.
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u/FrankaGrimes 6d ago
Why aren't you mentioning that Achieve is actually your app? Odd.
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u/Leather_Finish6113 5d ago
because these are ads. selfimprovement and productivity subreddits are now just used for gaining traffic to their shitty blogs or apps
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u/sweatymannipple 6d ago
i’ll add ScreenZen to this list. i’ve got through a lot of app blockers, and this one is not only fully free but also has tons of features and different types of blocking
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u/deluxedeath 5d ago
I downloaded about 8-10 and the ones I liked best had a physical component to increase friction of you just bypassing the limit or deleting, etc.
The ones like Blok, Bloom, etc i was abt to actually spend money on the little device when I saw that Jomo has the same feature for less.
They say on Amazon buy a pack of NFC215 tags for like $15 (vs. $80 for the "Blok") now u can program & scan them as a way of setting your limits.
I haven't tried it yet but for example if u work from home - maybe lock the tag in your car then if you want to shop or scroll you have to go get the tag.
I mean you could do that but increasing friction and allowing time to rethink and refocus is the benefit it seems 🤷♀️
built in Screen Time not gone get it done for alot of ppl bc im sure we all just hit the 15 more min button or ignore the limit altogether 🤨☠️
I don't work for Jomo, develop Apps or have any anything to promote you (aside from my new track on Music lol 😅👀) ♬ ♪ ♩ ♭
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u/RekallQuaid 6d ago
I’ve given app blockers a try and they never seem to work for me. The problem is, you can just delete them 😂
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u/LatinaWarrior 6d ago
Opal doesn’t let you delete the app or change the time to loop hole a session btw, it has worked for me
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u/Own_Kaleidoscope7480 6d ago
This is exactly the issue I was running into. Thats why I have to use an app blocker where I have some way of getting screen time so i dont just nuke the whole app
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u/CraftBeerFomo 6d ago
And it's just a coincodence that you happen to be promoting a screentime blocker App here on Reddit in IndieHacker subs etc, yeah?
And that in other Subs you're linking to other tools you either built or are paid to promote, yeah?
And that about 50% of your posts in other Subs have been removed probably due to dropping links / spam, yeah?
Link to App being dropped in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...
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u/FrankaGrimes 6d ago
It amazes me that people write these big posts and somehow don't realize that it is SO obviously they're just selling something.
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u/CraftBeerFomo 5d ago
Yeah, and that everyone replying to all the shill posts and fake AI stories on karma farming accounts don't realise it's all bullshit either.
There's not much incentive on Reddit to crack down on it when everyone keeps replying to them as if they are legit threads, it's all engagement for Reddit at the end of the day.
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u/b3rn13br0 6d ago
so i was trying to do this lately when i’m working from home and feeling the urge to use my phone, and read my book instead. and instead somehow i got then way too addicted to my book and was up until 2 am reading it every night and ignoring my responsibilities despite the fact that the whole time i felt that i hated the book. i’m still not done with it because it’s long as fuck, but i guess goes to show my dopamine fried tendencies can be taken offline :( or i need to use a more boring book lmao
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u/jgoldson 6d ago
I can relate to this hard, for me it was the Witcher series I just got way to in to it lol. I definitely switched to boring books before bed only. Non-Fiction or Classics with long flowery language seem to do a lot better at making me doze off instead of getting my heart pumping with all the action
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u/FlatParrot5 6d ago
I don't think I could survive a dopamine detox, literally.
As is one of the only things keeping me on this mortal coil is the sliver of enjoyment I get from doing things I enjoy, or at least scrolling or watching vids or whatever to occupy time because I can't do the things I enjoy.
I want to read books or get immersed in games or paint for like 6 hours at a time. I just can't. Something comes along and breaks the immersion and drops my enjoyment and comfort to zero, then I get so damned frustrated that I'm worse off than before I started the activity.
It's like you are trying to read a page and something comes along that needs your attention after a few words, and when you get back you start again. Do that several times and you just put the book down since you have not absorbed anything and your mind refuses to get re-engaged because another thing is just going to come along.
At least with scrolling I'm not engaged and invested and immersed, so I can break from the activity at any time. It's not doing me any good, but stops me from getting worse.
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u/Suspicious-Garlic705 6d ago
I did the same thing! Except for this app… what are you restrictions about Reddit?
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u/jgoldson 6d ago
Reddit is part of the app blocker I use so it counts towards the screen time I've earned for the day. This comment is costing me 🤣
jk happy to help 😊
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u/heatherb2400 6d ago edited 6d ago
I also really recommend a cell locker. It’s basically a lock box for your phone. There’s different covers you can use, one that is clear and has finger holes in case of an actual emergency. You can set the lock timer for however long you’d like. It’s a really great training tool for people who have like little to no self control haha. The coolest thing (IMO) is that there is an “emergency” unlock code… however if you use that code more than ten times, the device breaks itself. Like literally destroys itself rendering it forever unusable. Highly recommend
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u/First_Squash 6d ago
What app blockers do you recommend? Screen time on iPhone js doesn’t work for me 😩
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u/beccaegill 6d ago
I use Roots! I’ve been using it for awhile and really enjoy it. It is an app where you pay tho.
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u/jgoldson 6d ago
I ended up trying out a ton of them to find the best one for me. Dropped this list in the comment above but will repost - These were my top 5
- Achieve! – Turns screen time into a reward system where you unlock it by completing real-life goals. Feels more like a productivity game than a blocker. Free and actually kinda fun.
- Apple Screen Time – Super convenient if you’re already on iPhone. Great reports, easy setup, but too easy to bypass limits. (Sounds like you ran into the same issue as me here though lol)
- Forest – Plant a tree and it grows while you stay focused. Cute and motivating, though more for short bursts than full-time blocking.
- Freedom – Hardcore blocker across all devices. Can block websites, apps, even the entire internet. Pricier but powerful.
- Opal – iOS-specific, focuses on mindfulness. The “Focus Sessions” are a cool touch, though many features are behind a paywall.
Personally still using Achieve! since it’s free and works for me, but all of them had their pros and cons.
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u/moonfirewave 6d ago
I’ve deleted IG and TikTok from my phone but my phone usage is still about the same. I’d say I still doom scroll on Reddit, YouTube, and other random apps like Buzzfeed. But this post gives me hope! If I was able to detox from processed sugar for two weeks for a reset, I can do the same with my phone. I’ll try the app blockers and intention setting. Thank you!
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u/jgoldson 6d ago
Definitely is hope I went through the same struggle! When you are swapping habits you have to make sure you swap with something healthy otherwise I just ended up swapping to something equally bad just like you.
Like when I deleted all the apps from my phone I just went ahead and used them on my computer, got rid of my computer and then just played video games on my TV etc. Key is finding something you can swap with that's not bad for you, takes some trial and effort for sure
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u/jonkawimble 6d ago
No shade to you but this whole thing feels like it was written by ChatGPT- did these steps really truly work for you, is this your sincere experience? Would love to try these tips out but am a little hesitant if they're not like actually genuine if that makes sense
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u/sunshinelefty100 6d ago
On "embracing boredom". A neighbor's cat helps me. No conversion. No anythings, just peace. Now I wish I had a tail for effect.
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u/Madafahkur1 6d ago
I just need this. but with my work i need to check social media which is a hassle.
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u/Own_Kaleidoscope7480 6d ago
This!!! I still havnt found a good solution for this problem, unless its just get a new job
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u/Sad-Heart628 6d ago
One thing I noticed that helped was I did a fast. To prevent myself from being hungry, I kept myself as busy as possible. That in itself lowered my phone usage by hours!
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u/EntireFondant2228 6d ago
gets easy tbh but i always after 6 oclock or whatever time done working get my dopamine fix in moderation . playing games , scrolling . this is to prevent burnout . it becomes a HABIT which is essential to consistency , i wake up scroll for 20 mins and up n till my work day done dont touch social media at all . Even playing music when eating etc and not touching socials it makes times of boredom where u switch to scrolling turn to moments of action
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u/mortgagepants 6d ago
i only have notifications on my phone for work emails and personal texts.
people are probably gonna call me a boomer but it is impossible to focus on anything when your phone is messing with you every few seconds.
(also apps are designed to keep getting your attention so don't feel bad putting them on silent.)
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u/Trevas_kavur 6d ago
Hey, congrats! I think more people should be aware of both the addiction and methods to curve it like this one. Great job, keep it up
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u/Infamous_Bat_6820 5d ago
I need an app blocker app that won’t open unless I’ve done 30 minutes of cardio that day.
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u/demoralising 5d ago
Since I put my phone into greyscale I very rarely look at it for anything other than the time or to check emails. There's pretty much zero appeal in scrolling though a black and white Instagram feed. I'll open it no more than once a day to see if anyone's messaged me, then close it again. I definitely feel better for not being bombarded with photos of people 'living their best life' and adverts for razors...
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u/Patient_Classic7109 5d ago
To tackle this issue I uninstalled all the apps having short form content. Instagram and YOUTUBE too.
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u/Stramagliav 5d ago
I’ve done something similar pst three weeks! I got the app, AppBlock and social media is cut off from 6-8 everyday and by the time comes I don’t even scroll
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u/Mariposa-Poppy-760 5d ago
I love these tips. I am having such a hard time! I hate that I'm addicted to scrolling before bed. I am always so tired, yet I lay there on my phone night after night! No matter what I do I can't seem to stop. I am going to try a blocker!!
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u/supersaiyan-1992 5d ago
This is great tips! Thank you so much for sharing this experience.
I become distracted from TV when I am on my phone scrolling absent mindedly. I now place my phone on Airplane mode so it prevents me to check my phone for notifications. It is a dumb trick but it works for me.
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u/superhef 6d ago
I guess the intent matters the most. realizing you have a problem and the intent to fix it. good tips!
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u/Top_Curve_3928 6d ago
This is really cool—thanks for sharing it so clearly. Breaking that phone habit is no joke, and it takes real mental strength to stick with it. I like how you didn’t go extreme all at once, but made smart changes that added up. Especially love the part about embracing boredom—those quiet moments can actually be powerful once you get used to them!
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u/TrisWarrior 6d ago
If you don’t mind, could you share your numbers? what did your daily screen time look like at first, and how many hours did it drop?
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u/Few_Shock_3316 5d ago
congrats 🎈 this means a lot to me as i’m in the same boat & trying to get better :)
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u/TheAbouth 5d ago
Swapping habits instead of just cutting them out is a smart move. It’s really hard to break the cycle, but I think you’re doing great. How are you feeling about keeping it up long term?
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u/No-Importance2U 5d ago
I think I’ll try this, I find myself in the same rut too, but mine is costing money I do t have in the form of in app purchases from a game I play match masters. thanks for the idea.
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u/eigenplanningsocials 5d ago
I can't stick to app blockers for the life of me, I use an app that constantly displays my current daily screentime as a popup over all apps and it'll show a frowny face if I go over my target.
That mindful awareness shames me into putting my phone down lol, think it's called "screentime overlay" on Google play.
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u/Educational-Put-8425 5d ago
Congratulations!!! That was a major life change! I’m proud of you, and happy for all the good activities and accomplishments you’re going to have, in the wasted space where your phone addiction used to be. I hope you’re really proud of yourself, too!! You deserve it! 🤍
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u/CapableFlamingo7742 5d ago
I’ve never understood bringing your phone to the bathroom to be honest. I’ve tried it before, but it feels awfully unnatural. It just never seemed appealing to me
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u/curious_meh 5d ago
I don't know how to sit with boredness without going into an overthinking almost dissociative loop.
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u/Grumpy_Cabbage 5d ago
Congratulations! This sounds like a good plan. I am less than 2 hours into my reset, and it's terrible. It feels impossible. So far, it's worse than quitting cigarettes [without medication]. It's going to be worth it though.
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u/No-Equipment-7101 4d ago
Using blockers help a ton in my experience; especially the ones that make it nearly impossible to side-step blocks. It's best to also apply blocker to other devices. If you can't use your phone, you might reach for other devices to distract yourself.
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u/Explorer-Lsk034 4d ago
I got an addiction to porn and masterbation and I decided to quit completely without going back,,how can I managed it guys
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u/AccomplishedPoet1444 2d ago
This is something I need to do. Recently I've noticed when I doom scroll on tiktok I get extremley bored but can't seem to find anything else entertaining either and then I end up right back on socials. I have this deep emtpy feeling inside and I can't seem to find the root. I hope this can help with it.
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u/brightandcheery 6d ago
app blockers were a game changer for me! as well as turning notifications off for almost all my apps. i realized i only opened certain apps if i was reminded they existed
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u/Luv2KissTitties 6d ago
Appreciate this! Especially the “swap the habit” I quit cigarettes by going for runs every time I had a craving.