I went without a smart phone for a month.

Yeah, crazy right?

I decided to do this experiment a few months ago. After all, I really didn't need my iPhone during that time. I wasn't in school, and I was just working a job for the summer. I had been reading about people switching over to a "dumb phone" and the changes it had on their lives. They felt better, they were happier, etc. 

I of course, have ADHD and with that comes attention issues. I would constantly spend hours upon hours just looking through Instagram reels and TikTok’s, feeling I had no control over my life. It felt like a burden and just made me feel worse once I finally stopped. I then watched a YouTube video. He had the same problem as most of us do. Constantly looking at our phones, craving that dopamine hit, and all our time being consumed by this tiny device. He switched over to a full landline and his goal was to use just that for a month straight. He succeeded and completed the challenge. He saw many positives come from the experience, such as a longer attention span, being able to read again, watching movies without looking down once to check twitter, etc. Now it wasn’t all just positives, there were some downsides too. He didn’t have access to basic apps like messages or google maps, which made getting places and keeping in touch with some friends difficult. 

Nonetheless, I decided to try something like this on my own. I decided to get a flip phone and changed my sim card over to it. It was kind of difficult switch, I'll admit. It was harder to text people, especially with the keyboard and how confusing it was to get to the correct one. I would get really bored at work and would get stuck in my head constantly which led to mistakes. However, as time passed, I could read more consistently. I played on my 3ds and even got into crocheting and drawing again. I even started to work out to Miku boxing and walking consistently instead of scrolling and bothering to "do it later." Despite all the positives, it wasn’t a cure all; I do still have to keep reminders or have people help me out. I also still must use music or YouTube videos to stay focused on most of these tasks. Plainly put, it is still difficult sometimes to do these hobbies, but I can at least somewhat commit to it now.

Now I'm back to my smart phone again (It was expensive!) and I feel much more in control now. I only check Instagram on my laptop once a day, and my phone only has the necessities - like the weather, phone, and safari app to name a few. I'm not perfect in my habits, but it’s been very helpful to just be bored occasionally. 

All in all, I feel much better and clearer in my head than I have in a long time. My college stuff is a bit easier to manage, and I feel I have hobbies again. Now I'm not saying this is a fix it for everyone, or that you should dump your smart phone right now. This wasn’t a cure all for my ADHD but, finding ways to control bad habits like doom scrolling can have such a positive effect on how you live your life, and give you the freedom you deserve.