What Is Your Digital Diet Like?

[Justmehere]

My therapist prompted me today to think more about how to maintain a healthy "digital diet." "Digital" refers anything we do with screens or technology. Cell phones, movies, TV, internet, social media, news media, porn, gaming, etc. "Diet" refers to the consumption. My therapist explained that the recent popularity of a certain game has been inspiring her to talk to more and more of her trauma clients about this, because of how online life can be such a helpful tool and but also turn into an unhealthy escape, or source of too many triggers. Digital diet is a term that was first used in the gaming addiction world, but now is commonly used for all types of electronic life.

A digital diet is a lot like our nutritional diets. There are unhealthy diets of binging on things that can be harmful. There are also healthy diets consisting of things that build up the body, with sweets consumed in moderation.

Digital diets operate in a similar way. If someone binges on unhealthy food or in digital life, it's often because someone is trying to escape or is struggling to deal with pain. What is a healthy diet can vary from person to person. People can be mindless about their diet, or intentional.

My therapist reminded me that total restriction isn't healthy in terms of food or digital life. For PTSD sufferers, avoidance of all triggers can make things worse too. But just like binging on cookies can lead to unwanted health effects, so can unmanaged digital consumption.

I have several roles (work-school-volunteer-personal) in my life that require me to be online quite a bit. There are things online that have helped in my recovery from PTSD, and some things that can be way too triggering as well. It's a blessing/curse kind of situation. Sometimes I want to escape it all, and throw my phone and computer out, or dive in too deeply. I have handled it a bit haphazardly with a mix of both diving in and running away. Binge and restrict.

So my therapist asked me what would a healthy digital diet would like like, and how would I maintain that diet?

Any thoughts on this? Do you struggle with this? What is difficult for you? What does a healthy diet look like for you? How do you maintain a healthy digital diet?

 

[Friday]

I didn't have phone or internet for 2 years. In this day/ age/ location the choice to do so was hugely isolating.

My digital life prior to that was very rich & exceptionally varied, and very keenly balanced with my real life. From that, to nothing, literally overnight. May 12th, of 2012 as a matter of fact.

About 2 years ago (2014) I needed to research something -PTSD- that required more time than my once every few months trip to the library, and I concurrently needed to start chipping away at some triggers before an event that was coming up in 6mo, and I needed to be able to be in email/phone communication with an attorney. Which meant that I very tentatively came back online. I was desperate. On all 3 accounts. But if it hadn't been the perfect storm of desperation? No single item on that list could have pushed me to break through my "Nope. Huh-uh. Not gonna do it!" in regards to tech.

2 years later, I'm nowhere near back to my original online presence or consumption.

I'm still here :P I didn't plan to be. Figured I'd read around for a week or three and that would be it. This place has become a wholly unexpected and unparalleled resource in my life. In many, many ways. :)

I'm slowly adding other facets of online life into my life. Across all subjects. From practical use to entertainment to education.

Am I at a healthy level, yet? No. Probably not. My entire life is out of balance and unhealthy, my digital footprint is just par for the course. But it's getting there.

 

[watundah]

Im a digital fatty.

 

[mamachick]

I am a digital fatty too! I was going to say I was on a digital binge but liked yours better watund.

I dont have much interaction in life and I know it is unhealthy. So last saturday, my daughter and grandaugher were coming over to swim, then husband invited his mother, brother and male cousin. I told him I didnt care but was not waiting on everyone all day long, so he would have to do the cooking. I did help him but he did most so I could visit. His brother is obese, not that it makes any difference to me, but will explain something in a bit.

It was mostly enjoyable. My mother in law gives her little insults but was not even so bad. I tried to ignore.

I had to drive my daughter and grandaughter home about 8 pm. When I got my purse and went to get the pack of cigarettes I had put by the stereo outside, they were gone. I thought my 14 yr old grandaughter stole them. The next day, she confessed that she did to her mother. Monday I was cleaning up outside when I saw a lounge chair was ripped along the seam, and when I looked further, both chairs are ripped and ruined. They were fine and I paid $200 each a couple yrs ago. They would last me a lifetime. First I really thought they were cut with a razor knife, but husband said no, it was his obese brother.

The brother was also too hot outside and went in house and sat alone in living room. I went to turn on living room light and it didnt work. Husband went to change lightbulb but it wont work. Fan still works but no lights. His brother came outside and inisisted they leave immediately. He thinks his brother did something but it has to be coincidence. I cant imagine that he could have done something to a ceiling fan light. Nobody in family will let him touch anything such as lawnmower or tools, kitchen applaiances, or tractor because he breaks everything. He is 63 yrs old and been this way his entire life.

So for me, a day of hospitality and a hundred bucks worth of food means a pack of cigarettes and throwing out 2 brand new lounge chairs and replacing at $400 or more.

I cant afford this financially, but its not even that. I dont trust my grandaughter at all anymore. And the brother…..well I guess he changed chairs after the first one wouldnt hold him, and the second one is not ripped as bad, only a few inches, and that must be when he said he was too hot and moved indoors. (He is the only person that sat in chairs since last time I used them and I couldnt push it to rip further) The outdoor dining chairs with arms are not really wide enough for him. I just think he could have at least told us that they ripped.

I will just stay a digital fatty. People are ignorant and I have lost trust in every imaginable way. My husband and I were seperated and we are only roomates too. It is not like he pays for furnishings that he or his family destroy. People will screw me one way or another. Yep…..digital fatty!

 

[sedna]

My therapist prompted me today to think more about how to maintain a healthy "digital diet." "Digita...

The digital thing is hard, the type of PTSD symptoms I had at times were so unmanageable I really should've been hospitalized, not only did I not get any help, I was dealing with extreme circumstances that were ..well, somebody without PTSD beforehand would've been barely managing it, put it that way.

It was then that I developed the ability to totally numb out online. Just endless amounts of research on anything at all. What I would've done if I could have gotten away with it, was any drug I could find, I would have spent all day shooting up heroin if I could figure out where to get it and how to cover it up. The only thing that totally obliterated my sense of self was really loud music, reckless driving, massive quantities of wine, cigarettes and internet surfing.

After the dust settled over that particular crises, I still have the internet habit. But not the others. I dont think its that bad, though. I've never used social media, not even facebook. I dont want people that got on my nerves at school in 1985 friending me, asking questions I dont want to answer, while they show off their ski vacation and mommy blog posts. :dead:

I've never stayed on a forum longer than one day until now. No porn, no dating sites, no whatever other people get in to.

Just endless amounts of research on whatever occurs to me. One of the things I had to work on was habitually immersing myself in tragic world news and unsolved crimes. My therapist thought I was trying to normalize myself by compulsively looking for people that had it worse. Photos, evidence and tragic ends made me feel like I had something going for me I guess.

I dont know, the closest I've come to thinking its a numb out problem currently is with this forum, I'm not quite sure why its so comforting and I wonder if its healthy. I was expecting to just put it on the back burner after I went off a leave of absence and had my dental work finished this week, but I put it on my phone's easy access and Ive been doing things like making three word sentences on the social forum while I'm waiting for a call at work.

Maybe thats not so good. I dunno yet. :confused:

 

[Knak]

I am a digital fatty too! I was going to say I was on a digital binge but liked yours better watund.

I d...

I am sorry you had to experience another disappointment. It is a rare thing when another human being actually does something to help you feel good about the world. It makes you appreciate it all the more.

As far as family I have no contact with my family of origin except neices and that is far and few between. Now I read on facebook that one's view on politics is opposite mine which is depressing.

My husband only helps when I am so angry he knows he's going to get the brunt of it or that I will talk about him to others. I hate going anywhere with him because he likes to make me miserable.

My therapist prompted me today to think more about how to maintain a healthy "digital diet." ...

Any thoughts on this? Do you struggle with this? What is difficult for you? What does a healthy diet look like for you? How do you maintain a healthy digital diet?

I use the internet for a diversion especially at night going to bed. I watch TV or shows on the internet or Roku and try to fall asleep while it is on so I don't have to think.

I used to read blogs about politics but it got too negative, although I followed the live blog of the Republican convention recently.

My hands have arthritis which hurts terribly when I use the mouse too much and I've had a stiff neck for weeks from trying to focus on the computer screen learning how to make jewelry, so it's bad that I can't quit. I stay away from games (time stealer) and email and never turn my cell phone on. I have a phone phobia.

I try to work on creative projects or home improvements. I rarely have people contact due to agoraphobia. I don't want to go to church because I've been so hurt by it and this new one turned out to have different beliefs about legalism, but the people were nice. It's not enough to get me to go however. Church used to be my life.

I don't suppose I'll be emotionally healthy in this lifetime but this website helps a lot sometimes.

 

[mamachick]

I also have some agoraphoria that prevents me from being reliable in attending outside events. My home is relatively comfortable. I have everything in my bedroom that I need to survive with the exception of a refrigerator. The only reason that I have things such as computer, tv, phone, is due to settlement for injuries that were fault of a large chain store being too cheap to have competent floor care, causing a fall that totally disabled me. Once that money was spent, it is gone, and I barely have enough to live on. I am very happy if I can have my cigarettes and pepsi while staying at home. People have been a huge disappointment. Men have been abusive. Friends have been users, family have been users and thieves. I take responsibilty for allowing it, but it costs nothing to stay at home, not buy groceries, waste gas window shopping, eating out, movies, etc. So what I do have to entertain me needs to last another 20 yrs maybe, although I dont expect to live that long, I never expected to still be alive no so you never know. I dont have grudges for betrayals, but dont want to enter into more of those relationships. I do realize life is about relationships but have given up on that. If you dont expect anything you wont be disappointed. Its a bad attitude, but it is what has worked best. I use to love to entertain. I had marital funds then, and better people to be around, energy, better health, and so forth. Now, some days I can barely walk. I am not interested in being available for the TAKERS. I quit being a Giver. I try to go every Sunday and feed homeless folks, but they are not robbing me like family does, either of the last ounce of trust, money, entitlement, waiting on them, driving them and daily demands.

 

[jaccat]

Mine swings to extremes. I don't own a smartphone or any kind of pay-per-view TV service, and up until a few years ago I was still using dial-up internet. But I have an i-pod that sees more use than most people's, and a few years ago I bought an I-pad that I use all the time, mostly to access this site.

I've always been hugely resistant about taking on new technology. I didn't even want to learn how to use the computers at school, doing so under protest. What stuff I did take on was more out of necessity than desire. My friends used to joke that I was a technophobe, but in truth it was more an excuse to isolate and deny myself than anything. I am, slowly, catching up with others, and in some respects taking them over (I own a Fitbit!), although I'm still resisting the mobile. I do have a mobile- for emergency use only. It's brick. When people see it they laugh.

I've noticed, as I expand my use of stuff, I'm becoming more connected to the world, which is pretty scary. People message me nowadays, and link me into things on Facebook, meaning I guess I've made some kind of presence of myself. Navigating such interactions is still kind of terrifying at times.

I don't think I'll ever acquire some of the stuff that most people see as a normal part of life. I'm quite happy sticking with my TV service and missing out on all these new shows and movies people tell me about. Isn't that what box-sets are for?

 

[Panda Bear]

I would guess my digital diet is alright.

I'm not a TV or movie watcher, sometimes it's weeks between me turning on a show.

I have iPad that I use daily, but read on it a lot. Since a bit of a basket case, I rarely keep up on things like Twitter or Reddit, or any social medial type site where I have to visit often. Even here, I will come and go.

 

[Deleted member 12723]

I am a digital junkie and have been for a very long time. I did go offline for a year and managed fine. But four years ago, I bought a lap top and went back online.

I watch a lot of dvds as well. to help distract me and avoid thinking and feeling things that surface. I used to be able to take breaks offline and managed very well in the breaks. I need to use the devices so much less than I do.

 

[ShodokanJenn]

I am a digital glutton. I read this forum a lot, and I have another forum that I am a moderator on. I have close relationships with several people via email. I watch streaming shows and movies. I do a lot of writing (typing, rather). I read on my Kindle. I text. I do have other things I do - martial arts, drawing/painting/coloring, rollerblading, spending time with friends, but I think the balance is heavily tipped toward digital things. I'd be embarrassed if people knew just how much time I spend online.

 

[Ronin]

Information junkie with unmedicated ADHD here.

As in I'm terribly bored most of the time, and as with most of my life, I could use some enriching of that diet to normalize.

My problem lately is I can't make my own stuff enough. So frustration doubles, but I count that'll get easier.