I don't know how to leave 4chan

[BigDes]

Yep, I think part of the issue from what you are saying is that most of what you enjoy doing is consumptive rather than creative. It doesn't have to be much but get something like Gunpla or 40K models and learn how to paint them up.

Eats up hours of time and that moment when you realised you just got good is amazing.

 

[Coxy]

Try growing up.

Click to shrink...

Kind of how I feel

If you want to leave something - just leave it?

 

[Deleted member 9971]

Just join twitter if you need memes. Era also still has quite the amusing stuff and people aswell so maybe use era more :P

If your a adult if you want to leave just leave tbh. At that point in life you should be able to do such things.

If its too hard just block the site from your browser.

 

[Arsene no Kiseki]

I got randomly permabanned in 2015, so it certainly helps...

Don't get addicted to posting on forums, it's not good. Even when you get banned from one place you can simply fall back on another one.
Honestly it may be a good idea to just not spend all your free time in forum boards. If you take time to read, play video games, watch a movie or documentary, exercising, etc. it'd greatly reduce the time spent on forum boards.

Click to shrink...

Same thing happened to me. I got perma banned in 2015 from 4chan. The reason was a post on /pol/ that I didn't even make.

I literally only went to 4chan for /v/ and /co/. I have never been on /pol/

 

[Redhead On Moped]

Same thing happened to me. I got perma banned in 2015 from 4chan. The reason was a post on /pol/ that I didn't even make.

I literally only went to 4chan for /v/ and /co/. I have never been on /pol/

Click to shrink...

False bans are sadly common for cable internet and especially cellular internet users. Using a VPN and a 4chan pass fixes this though. Without the pass, I could never post while tethered to my phone.

And for me, the ban messages I kept getting was due to trolling on /tv/ and I don't even go to /tv/ to begin with. It was all because of aggressive false positives via cell connection.

 

[The BLJ]

Same thing happened to me. I got perma banned in 2015 from 4chan. The reason was a post on /pol/ that I didn't even make.

I literally only went to 4chan for /v/ and /co/. I have never been on /pol/

Click to shrink...

According to the ban screen, I requested or posted CP in October of 2015. I can't even know what post did they decide to ban me for.
But it's not so bad. Now I just open threads in the morning and look at them when I get back from school, when I'm even bothered to open the site at all.

 

[PennyStonks]

It scratches some sort of itch that nowhere else is capable of scratching for some reason.

So many of the reply's in this thread are basically "I don't understand how one can be addicted to that, just leave lmao."

Click to shrink...

I didn't mean to come off as "just leave". I use to visit 4chan a lot, but I began to see thru edgelord humor as a disguise for actual bigotry, and the amount of it on 4chan made me want to leave. I don't really know anything about proper website addiction,but I'm sure the content you want exists somewhere else without the poisonous parts of 4chan.

 

[Deleted member 48434]

Same thing happened to me. I got perma banned in 2015 from 4chan. The reason was a post on /pol/ that I didn't even make.

I literally only went to 4chan for /v/ and /co/. I have never been on /pol/

Click to shrink...

I once got temp banned for a post I didn't make on /vp/.
Some kind of Goodra shitposting.

 

[Deleted member 48434]

'Oh man, none of the threads I have open on Era are being posted in. That's boring. I guess I'll just open 4ch-'
Wait. Bad brain. Stop that.

 

[Jindrax]

Confused how you can be addicted to 4chan. Legitimately.

I mean is it even possible? Can you be physically addicted to visiting a website? Or is it in OP's head?

 

[svacina]

You shouldn't have been on it at all at that age. It's an 18+ community.

Click to shrink...

I also shouldn't have been drinking at 14 and yet...

 

[Daysean]

Confused how you can be addicted to 4chan. Legitimately.

I mean is it even possible? Can you be physically addicted to visiting a website? Or is it in OP's head?

Click to shrink...

Tell that to people who can't get off of facebook

 

[Jindrax]

Tell that to people who can't get off of facebook

Click to shrink...

My same question would apply. Is it mental or legit physical addiction.

 

[KomandaHeck]

Sounds like less an issue of 4chan being especially addictive and more that you just have very little going on in your life. I'm in a similar boat minus the 4chan browsing so I can empathise but also don't really have a concrete solution to offer. I think there needs to be a change beyond simply how you're choosing to use the internet though.

I know that's kind of vague and I hate to wheel out the "get a job" or "just make new friends, bro" level advice when, if you'll forgive me being presumptuous, I'm willing to bet having difficulty with both of those things partly led to your use of the site in the first place, but even a small first step such as beginning to take short walks (perhaps at a time when you'd normally be first checking the site for the day) will be extremely beneficial in getting you to a point where you're not just forgetting to check social platforms but it's no longer all that much of a consideration in the first place.

I'm sure it sounds like a pain in the arse, breaking habits always is. Your internet usage doesn't sound like it's bringing you any joy beyond the occasional fleeting giggle though so you really don't have much to lose.

 

[Daysean]

My same question would apply. Is it mental or legit physical addiction.

Click to shrink...

More mental

 

[SigSig]

Confused how you can be addicted to 4chan. Legitimately.

I mean is it even possible? Can you be physically addicted to visiting a website? Or is it in OP's head?

Click to shrink...

It's a continuous stream of discussion about things you care about, due to it's almost realtime nature a lot faster to react than pretty much any other BBS on the internet, sidesteps a lot of annoyances with modern forum software. With it's extensive suite of filtering options, there are even ways to almost completely eliminate the one thing dragging it down. Once you get used to it, it's hard to leave, there really isn't anything like *chan-style image boards.

 

[inner-G]

My same question would apply. Is it mental or legit physical addiction.

Click to shrink...

 

[svacina]

It's a continuous stream of discussion about things you care about, due to it's almost realtime nature a lot faster to react than pretty much any other BBS on the internet, sidesteps a lot of annoyances with modern forum software. With it's extensive suite of filtering options, there are even ways to almost completely eliminate the one thing dragging it down. Once you get used to it, it's hard to leave, there really isn't anything like *chan-style image boards.

Click to shrink...

Also it's anonymous, unless you rudely decide to tripfriend it, so you can low effort shitpost on autopilot when you are bored at work without eating the banhammer.

 

[Deleted member 18821]

So you say you were subjected to CP on this site, and that didn't deter you? Everyone knows about it of course, but maybe not everyone has seen it themselves on that site and tell themselves "oh, it's bad, but I stick to (xyz) side". But you actually saw it and somehow thought (maybe not immediately) "yeah,I'm willing to risk seeing that again"?

The recent mass shooting is essentially why I created this thread.
Puffin wants OUT. ONCE AND FOR ALL.

Click to shrink...

As opposed to the previous mass shootings linked to the site? Yeah, this is starting to sound pretty insincere-

'Oh man, none of the threads I have open on Era are being posted in. That's boring. I guess I'll just open 4ch-'
Wait. Bad brain. Stop that.

Click to shrink...

Yeeeep...

 

[The BLJ]

Confused how you can be addicted to 4chan. Legitimately.

I mean is it even possible? Can you be physically addicted to visiting a website? Or is it in OP's head?

Click to shrink...

Constant streams of discussion, quick to post, quick to get replies, and people share a lot of pictures as well. If you have an itch to talk with people, this basically scratches it 24/7.

 

[Deleted member 28131]

Lol its a forum, have some self control and dont go there?

 

[Auberji]

I went through a similar phase, used to go fairly often. Then I noticed how much negativity there was on the boards and how much of it was just general vitriol aimed at others. I just cut myself off, stopped myself from putting in the URL as my new tab -> visit routine.

Sounds ridiculous to some perhaps but it can literally become muscle memory to visit these places. Aforementioned new tab, I have a habit in the morning due to work where I open up all my relevant sites (including this one) and check them quick, and at home that used to include 4chan.

 

[Deleted member 48434]

So you say you were subjected to CP on this site, and that didn't deter you? Everyone knows about it of course, but maybe not everyone has seen it themselves on that site and tell themselves "oh, it's bad, but I stick to (xyz) side". But you actually saw it and somehow thought (maybe not immediately) "yeah,I'm willing to risk seeing that again"?

As opposed to the previous mass shootings linked to the site? Yeah, this is starting to sound pretty insincere-

Yeeeep...

Click to shrink...

What exactly do you suppose I have to gain by lying about this? On Resetera no less?
A quick jaunt though the thread will reveal that I'm getting judged pretty harshly by a few people.
Probably for good reason honestly.

 

[ParanoidRED]

I only casually browse /wsg and i don't think i ever caught anything bad in it

Except for some gorey stuff but it gets deleted pretty quickly

It's more of a force of abitude tho, i open Chrome and auto click on my first 5-6 tabs if i have time to waste at work

 

[Donos]

Clicking a spoiler and getting CP showed would be enough for me to never visit that site again. After getting kids, i'm even more sensible to the whole CP shit.
Everytime there is a bust and details about it surface, i could just walk into the Pentagon and hit the "NUKE" button to end this shithole planet.

Really don't know how you can work in law enforcement and have to sift through this material. Must be soul crushing.
Sorry for drifting off.

 

[Sun's Resting Place]

Constant streams of discussion, quick to post, quick to get replies, and people share a lot of pictures as well. If you have an itch to talk with people, this basically scratches it 24/7.

Click to shrink...

This. I started browsing 4chan when I was 15, in 2005. I am now 29 and only very recently been able to disengage. I spent 14 years of my fucking life there.

 

[Deleted member 442]

the way i quit sites is to block 'em in Avast. my Avast settings also requires a password and i've written that password (which is a random strings of characters) down on a paper that i've stored away in an inconvenient place in my house.

...

this is how i was able to quit a lot of sites that were a blackhole to my productivity (or became toxic to my mental health) including sites like 4chan.

Click to shrink...

This is it OP. If you feel like you're visiting it because of a compulsion or because you're simply just used to seeing it then you need to put barriers in the way of doing that.

The split second between thinking about going to it and finding that you can't without having to specifically unblock it is the most important moment. As long as you're able to break that chain of actions you should find yourself eventually thinking about it less. The fact that you've been able to go two months without it already is a good sign.

There are a number of browser plugins that will let you block specific sites in this way, doing it via your hosts file is another good option and is something that is sufficiently awkward to change.

I never got into 4chan but I use this kind of approach to avoid going on social media. I no longer use Facebook on a regular basis and I've deleted my twitter account. I feel much better for having done that as both of those sites are just a total fucking drag.

 

[Lentic]

Take a break from the internet for 30 days and find some real world hobbies and activities. Then, decide which aspects you need to bring back and which you can live without.

 

[Ashlette]

Inner-G linked a video that is worth watching. It's called "The Science of Internet Addiction and Brainpower" and it's located a few posts above this one. It explains your enjoyment from fishing for good RE memes and your addiction to 4chan in general.

I would start by surfing 4chan within a time frame (like 8-10PM) instead of surfing it anytime you are bored. That way you can slowly gain control over your brain's impulses and take action from there.

 

[Akira86]

'Oh man, none of the threads I have open on Era are being posted in. That's boring. I guess I'll just open 4ch-'
Wait. Bad brain. Stop that.

Click to shrink...

stop hitting the button for the saccharine water. it's killing you. this is a food safety lab.

 

[nemoral]

I thought about joining some DnD group of strangers...
I'm not sure how to go about that though.

Click to shrink...

It's super easy. http://locator.wizards.com/#brand=dnd
You can find a store on that site running Adventurer's League and just show up, usually.
https://dnd.wizards.com/playevents/organized-play

Your local comic/game shop will almost certainly have some sort of organized play time and space.

 

[Sunster]

4chan is just CP and racism. anything else it has to offer is meaningless because it also contains CP and racism. No amount of CP and racism is okay.

 

[Evilisk]

Never really liked /v/, never got exposed to any CP and I'm not addicted to 4chan (...instead I'm addicted to ResetEra: P) though I still understand. I still sometimes go to /vr/ (to look for discussion of obscure games) and /co/ (because ResetEra just doesn't have that many folks interested in western animation unfortunately).

I agree with folks saying to make it harder to access. Remove it from autofill, clear your browsing history and put some barriers to accessing the site etc. In my experience, any site that's hard to quit is usually because it's just so easy to access. You'll lose some interest if you make it into a chore. Also consider maybe actually playing games when you get the temptation instead of reading about them lol

More seriously though, get some other hobbies / things to do. I personally find it a lot easier to stop browsing here when I leverage it against other things I want to do in my spare time (and I have a lot of side projects I wanna complete). I basically see it as that old "idle hands are the devil's workshop" saying

 

[erpg]

Honestly if you're visiting era, 4chan and Reddit, maybe it's just a part of overall Internet addiction. Find a way to be outdoors more often. Join a running group or something.

 

[skeezx]

i think everybody goes through a 4chan phase. no doubt some are "lifers" but then it's the forum equivalent of how do you do fellow kids

 

[terminaljeremy]

Have you tried using your computer to do something constructive - you could teach yourself a new skill, or learn a language. Get good with photoshop. Learn about philosophy or history. You can even take a course with David Lynch on filmmaking. Imagine what you could do with the time you're wasting on forums.


*and yes, I mean all of us*

 

[PontyfaxJr]

>2011+8
>Still going to /v/
ISHYGDDT

EDIT: holy shit, +8 where does the time go?

 

[Laxoon]

During my last days trying to visit /v/ I kept trying to convince myself that maybe someone would post something funny because the site was at least always good for totally ridiculous console war trolling or riffing on whatever was happening in the industry.
It's so polluted with unfunny garbage memes, racism, porn and sometimes even worse stuff. The death knell was seeing everyone stand up and proudly buy into ugly bigotry, or maybe many were always like that. Not everyone is, a visible amount I saw try to pushback against the GG/pol stuff, but the vast majority are content to spew trash all day and it's just not worth it.

I do Era and a few select Reddit subs, some twitter here and there, my friends have replaced the funny posting for me so I haven't missed it.

 

[Deleted member 48434]

>2011+8
>Still going to /v/
ISHYGDDT

EDIT: holy shit, +8 where does the time go?

Click to shrink...

>The year of our lord 2019
>Not greentexting in the color green

 

[Mendrox]

'Oh man, none of the threads I have open on Era are being posted in. That's boring. I guess I'll just open 4ch-'
Wait. Bad brain. Stop that.

Click to shrink...

Sounds more like you have an online community addiction.

 

[Heroicpiglet]

I was once addicted to a movie forum but recently they become too toxic so I quit. Delete all your bookmark, history and suggestion.

 

[Deleted member 48434]

So many people are telling me I have an addiction to the internet in general.
Well you know what?
Those people are completely correct.
Completely and absolutely.

 

[H2Yo]

I have never been to 4chan, not once.

 

[Charamiwa]

I know /v/ is a shithole, but the Morrowind threads... If Era can have daily Morrowind threads I swear I'd leave /v/ instantly.

 

[Kevers]

I only ever go back to /mu/ during Coachella for the live stream threads. Considering what kind of shithole the entirety of that place is it's actually pretty decent in those threads.

 

[Hypron]

Install this add-on and ban the website.

 

[Deleted member 48434]

I know /v/ is a shithole, but the Morrowind threads... If Era can have daily Morrowind threads I swear I'd leave /v/ instantly.

Click to shrink...

All the good VR threads are on /v/ I find.
Everywhere else moves horribly slow. (Or pretty much exclusively talks VRchat)
VR thread doesn't exist? Just make one!
Nobody is responding? Just shitpost about VR dying!
EZ as 123.

 

[Sei]

I was into 4chan pretty much from the beginning. 4chan and digg were my places to go for a long long time.

It was my daily check in.

But after they brought back /pol/ in 2011, I was done. You could tell the people that grew up with the edgy memes there had turned into full on racists.

And they are never going to leave.

But now I'm here without those and many other places. Like the place before here.

 

[DoubleTake]

Everyday I thank my lucky stars my first real internet community was GAF and not a shit hole like 4chan. Like it's hard for me to even imagine how one finds themselves there and would choose to create an account just by the look of the interface let alone all the shitty memes and racist rhetoric that gets thrown around. But like you said it's likely sad, lonely and angry individuals that are attracted.

 

[Corky]

I don't get you at all