Step One: Admit You Have A Problem

At the beginning of the year, I found that there was barely any time to do anything. I'd go home, spend some time relaxing by browsing the internet, fit some homework in, and it felt like that was all. I wasn't in any extra curricular activities at that time, so I figured time shouldn't be an issue. What was I doing between 3:10 and 10:00 that took up so much time?


Well, as soon as the problem went away, I figured out what it was. Facebook. Hours can be passed doing, literally, nothing at all on Facebook.

And only until I was without a Facebook did I realize how much we incorporate it into our daily lives on and off the computer.

Examples of bits of information:

"So I checked their Facebook page and it said that she wasn't in a relationship...omg, did they break up?"

"Yeah, I saw their pictures on Facebook. They didn't even invite me."

"She's Catholic, it says so on her Facebook."

"He changed his orientation to bisexual on Facebook."

"I love that song. I had it as my Facebook status a couple weeks ago."

"So last night I was Facebook creepin'..."

"He doesn't have good taste in music...did you see his Facebook page?"

"Tag me!"

Etc, etc, etc.



Now, not only do I have a lot of extra time on my hands, but I also feel completely out of the loop a lot of the time. I don't know what everyone's up to on the weekends because I can't see anybody's Facebook pictures. All the big news people hear about via Facebook, well, I'm always the last to know.

When I first had to close my account I was devastated. I was so sure that life without a Facebook was hardly a life at all. I moped, I pouted, I fumed, and still my parents did not relent.

No Facebook, they said. And that's that.

Well, my world was basically crumbling and windows were breaking and my feet couldn't feel the floor, and a hollow ringing filled my ears. Not to mention my knees went completely knumb.

Okayyyy, maybe that's a little dramatic, my knees didn't actually go numb. But, that's besides the point. The point is this tragic event was extremely significant to such a sociable girl as myself.

As days past, the withdrawal symptoms reduced. Three weeks passed and I could actually listen people talk about Facebook without bursting into tears. It was a definite improvement my online management therapist would always remind me. I was headed in the right direction.

I caved. I'm ashamed to say. I reopened my account and I creeped and creeped until Facebook was all that I could think of. My mind was just a bottomless pond of Facebook droplets.

I'm clean now. After months of trying to overcome such a consuming addiction, I can now say that I am done. No Facebook for me, no thank you.

And in the end the struggle was worth it. I made a good choice, and I'm proud of myself. And maybe my strength and my story will be inspiration enough to help somebody else make the same choice.