Taking a break

I find that I get addicted to anything quite easily.  Be it tobacco or books or compulsive shopping or web-surfing.  Or, facebook, more specifically.  I have battled with the habit of smoking for decades and only recently have I been able to overcome it (and hope to stay that way forever).

I did realize that several aspects of facebook were addictive pretty early - like the games one gains access to, the discussion groups one becomes part of, etc.  However, I was missing the woods for the trees.  It took me a while to realize I was spending way too much time on facebook, rendering myself unproductive for many hours a day, doing nothing particularly constructive - eagerly check everybody's status updates, argue incessantly over any stuff - be it politics or performance on the cricket field.  It reminded me also of my addiction to certain user groups I was/am member of, where I'd eagerly await new mails that arrive from these groups so I could read and converse (and most times, pick an argument).  The facebook addiction - in my own estimate - is about 10 times or even more powerful!

I had previously satisfied my ego that I could stay away from this addiction by turning off my account for a few days.  I went back - telling myself, "Oh, I can do this anytime!" Just like I had thought about smoking after I would stop it for a while and return thinking, "I can quit anytime!"  It never happened for a very long time.  

As I prepare myself for other things I thought it important to infuse some bit of discipline into my schedule.  So, I have stopped being on facebook for the past few days, and hence have deactivated my account. I expect to get back on to the facebook post the election results.  A couple of my friends even jibed, "Looks like you've been restrained", "Seems you've been given a gag order!" I have restrained from reacting.  And, it feels good to feel detoxified.