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I Think Twitter is About to Destroy My Life

October 13th, 2009 | Posted in Personal, Random

I am going to make a confession, I am addicted to Twitter. I just can’t stop checking it every single minute of the day. I check it before I get out of my bed in the morning, I check it right after I get out of the shower, I check it while I’m having my breakfast, I check it before I leave my room, I check before I start the car, I check it when I’m stopped at a red traffic light, I check it when I get off the car, I check it all throughout the day and I check it one last time when I’m in bed and I decide to go to sleep. I JUST CAN’T STOP CHECKING TWITTER.

I really really like Twitter, I have so much fun chatting with my “online” friends on Twitter, I tell them everything I do, and there is always someone to comment back on my updates. When I am in a shop and not sure what to buy I make a tweet and someone will make a suggestion, when I’m in a restaurant and I don’t know what to have someone will make a recommendation, when my car is stuck because of my careless driving I make a tweet and someone will come to get me towed. I’ve met the majority of the people I chat with all day long and they are all fun and hilarious people, and now I really care about them.

When I’m not actually on Twitter I am most likely talking about it with someone offline, 75% of everything I say to my flatmate starts with “Today on Twitter I read”. I spoke with two people today on the phone and told them about what I did on Twitter and I texted one of my colleagues about what I did on Twitter today. There are days when I say more things on Twitter than actual spoken words offline. It is totally insane.

I just said that I really like Twitter and I enjoy it very much, but I think that’s taken over my life. I really cannot do anything else besides it. I used to accomplish so much in my free time, I’ll write a couple of blog posts, write a tutorial, read a chapter in a law or a programming book, and reply to all new threads at the Republic of Code, but since I got my workstation sorted late last week, I really can’t say that I’ve accomplished ANYTHING. I spend a decent time on my computer still, but I’m JUST CHECKING TWITTER ALL DAY AND NIGHT!!

I don’t have an email notification application because I believe it will interrupt whatever I do and therefore slow me down, but now I can’t force myself to close TweetDeck and it keeps on pinging every single minute with several new tweets from different people. It’s almost like I’m clinically addicted to this thing, I even have it open RIGHT NOW AS I TYPE THIS ON MY SECONDARY SCREEN JUST WAITING FOR A NEW UPDATE TO COME.

SOMEONE SAVE ME!!!!!

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  • Oh, Blue-Chi, not you!! You've fallen into the Twitter trap too? I thought you were better than that. I tried it for half an hour once a few months ago and when I realized what it will do to me if I continue, I just signed out and never signed back in again after that. Dude, life is too short to waste your time on something like Twitter. It will affect your performance (be it work performance or even dealing with friends and family), and you'll begin to realize that you can't think deeply about things anymore. Finally, you'll noticed you have a very short attention span and cannot concentrate on anything anymore. Try to stay true to yourself and try to keep your feet firmly on the ground.

    Living in a Virtual World is not the right choice for someone as bright and as smart as you. Oman needs you. Please come back? I'll give you free therapy sessions! Don't throw your life away!

    Regards, Distressed Dhofari Gucci
  • Hey Dragon, I think I have some of these symptoms, including driving under the influence of twitter. :P

    But seriously, it is causing me harm cause I can't do anything in my free time but check twitter continuously.
  • dragon
    Is this a real cry for help BlueChi? I think its only a bad thing if it's actually causing you, or the people around you, harm.

    Here's what the Mayo Clinic [see http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=re...

    describe as drug addiction - in the extract below I've just replaced 'drug' with 'Twitter' : see what fits!

    Twitter addiction symptoms or behaviors include:

    * Feeling that you have to use twitter regularly — this can be daily or even several times a day
    * Failing in your attempts to stop using twitter
    * Making certain that you maintain a regular access to twitter
    * Spending money on twitter even though you can't afford it
    * Doing things to obtain twitter that you normally wouldn't do, such as stealing
    * Feeling that you need twitter to deal with your problems
    * Driving or doing other risky activities when you're under the influence of twitter
    * Focusing more and more time and energy on getting and using twitter


    Can you perhaps be a functional twitterer?
  • Thanks for your replies everyone! My Twitter situation hasn't exactly improved since I made this post, but I will try to make a rescue plan next week and will keep you updated on how it goes.... until then you can follow on Twitter to know what I'm up to! LOL.
  • nabhan
    I don't think I'll ever be a twitter addict, mainly because I just can't devote myself to it due to time restraints, I already have a forum to look after which gets most of my time, and work has been also been extremely time consuming. I check twitter from time to time and use it when I really have something to say and want to 'share' but otherwise I don't think I really want to talk about every single thing on my mind. I think control is necessary otherwise people around you might get annoyed with any addiction you might have.
  • First i smiled at your post, then i felt that you really need my advise, here is is :)

    Confession is good, now you've made step 1, I would suggest uninstalling tweetdeck, and try checking tweets on web once (or twice) a day, your tweet friends would understand that you are busy and that you just cant afford real-time updates all the day. Plus, i have always thought chatting on twitter is an abuse to tweeting.

    Since you are an addict, first days will be hard of course, I wish you make it :o)
  • Name
    i have my Twitter since may 2009. i'm not as addicted to it now than i was before. you'll be fine and get over it.
  • karimhabsi
    You need professional help, and soon.
  • Essence
    Twitterholic eh!

    you can be the first to found the TA as in AA

    but that is really bad!! i just pray i dont end up like you man!
  • omanymous
    Hi5! keep it up .. twitter's servers will not be happy if you dont tweet!
  • Sara, that has a lot to do with it, but I used to do some much when I'm alone, yet now with Twitter I just can't do anything else but keep on tweeting it!

    mmk080, I can't just delete my account, I am not as strong as Miley Cyrus! (awain). I really have a lot of fun on Twitter and I made many new friends there, it's a big part of my daily life and I don't think the solution is to delete my account!
  • Just delete your account... you will go into withdrawal. Feel empty for a bit. Then you will realise you have been wasting your time all along and will then work extra hard to make use of ur free time just like u used to before.

    Its ok to quit twitter... even for a little while. Hell, even Miley Cyrus quit twitter and rapped about it on youtube.
  • sara
    hmm Ya u do seem to tweet alot :p Maybe cause your living a bachelor life no family around, and u've made ur twitter freinds ur family ... i realised i tend to tweet alot whn im a home alone or even out alonee no1 to talk 2 and i need to say sumthing to sum1
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