Clint Jarvis Profile picture
Sep 4 16 tweets 5 min read Read on X
Stanford paid 35,000 people to quit social media.

This was the largest study on emotional health in history.

The results were so shocking, scientists called it "comparable to therapy."

Here's what happens when you break free from the algorithm:
🧵 Image
Over 35,000 people took part.

They were paid to deactivate either Instagram or Facebook for 6 weeks.

It was done right before the 2020 Presidential Election.

And the results were undeniable:
Participants didn’t just feel better.

They were measurably happier, less anxious, and less depressed.

• Facebook users saw a 6% improvement in emotional well-being
• Instagram users saw a 4% improvement

And not only that... Image
The researchers found that:

• Quitting Facebook was 15% as effective as therapy
• Quitting Instagram: 22% as effective
• Both eliminated over half of this election-related stress.

But here's the twist: Image
These people didn’t stop using their phones.

They just switched to other apps.

That means time on social media ≠ time on other apps.

Social media is measurably worse for us.
As Psychologist Angela Duckworth put it:

Our phones are “adult pacifiers.”

But her other point is deeper:

You can't break free with willpower. Change your environment instead.

She calls it situation modification.
The Stanford study proved something we already knew deep down:

You don’t need to give up your phone.

You just need to be more intentional with your time.

Here's where you can start:👇
It's important to set boundaries with social media.

Start with a screen time app like Roots.

There are several good ones out there.

Here's why this is key:

getroots.link/aNqv9fK
Apps like Roots keep you accountable.

When blocking is active, you can't uninstall or unblock.

This extra friction is key.

Here's how to use it effectively in 4 steps: Image
1. Block social media apps

Keep social media blocked by at all times.

Force yourself to unblock it intentionally.

Create just enough pause to break the loop.
2. Schedule downtime

Set fixed windows to go full "Monk Mode" with social media completely blocked.

• Mornings (5am-9am): no social media or news apps
• Evenings: (6pm-midnight): no social media or work apps

This downtime helps rewire your brain. Image
3. Instant app blocking

Sometimes I need to block everything:

• Stay focused when I'm doing deep work
• Reduce the temptation to “just check for a second”
• Block distracting apps when I get in the car

I use it daily. Image
4. Pick scroll replacements

Simple things you can use to redirect yourself away from scrolling.

Go for a walk, pick up a book, or play with your dog.

Roots will direct me to better things (like Lucy) when apps are blocked. Image
With small changes, my phone usage has dropped from 4 hours to around 1 daily.

Pickups from 150 to 50 daily.

My mind feels clearer, calmer, more focused. Image
Setting boundaries with social media is key.

Focus is your most valuable asset in today's distracted world.

Here's a link to the screen time app I mentioned:

getroots.link/aNqv9fK
Video Credits:
- Angela Duckworth at Bates: Push those cell phones away |
Bates College
- 30 Days Without Social Media | My Transformation | Niklas Christl

• • •

Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to force a refresh
 

Keep Current with Clint Jarvis

Clint Jarvis Profile picture

Stay in touch and get notified when new unrolls are available from this author!

Read all threads

This Thread may be Removed Anytime!

PDF

Twitter may remove this content at anytime! Save it as PDF for later use!

Try unrolling a thread yourself!

how to unroll video
  1. Follow @ThreadReaderApp to mention us!

  2. From a Twitter thread mention us with a keyword "unroll"
@threadreaderapp unroll

Practice here first or read more on our help page!

More from @clinjar

Sep 14
4 things top neuroscientists unanimously agree on about phone addiction (it's not pretty): Image
1) It messes with your drive

Dopamine is your brain’s motivation chemical.

It’s what drives you to act.

When we're constantly getting huge surges from our phones, our brain adapts by lowering dopamine below baseline.

It's why you're always unmotivated.
2) It messes with your mood

Phones hijack your stress response system.

Graphic content triggers the amygdala, the circuit that powers fight-or-flight.

The more you doomscroll, the more unsafe your brain feels, raising anxiety, stress, and even depression.
Read 10 tweets
Sep 12
Steven Bartlett just hosted world's leading clinical psychologist.

Dr. Julie Smith delivered a masterclass on the root causes of overthinking & anxiety in today's world.

Here are her 6 most powerful insights to break free: Image
1. Your brain craves instant relief, not long-term fixes.

Wine, snacks, endless scrolling = quick relief.

But these habits trap you.

Sit with feelings instead. Harder in the moment, but it breaks the cycle.
2. Emotions are signals, not orders.

Anger, jealousy, anxiety aren’t commands.

They’re your brain’s “best guess” at what’s happening.

Treat them with curiosity, not judgment—then respond by choice, not impulse.
Read 18 tweets
Sep 10
This Stanford psychiatrist cracked the code on addiction.

Dr. Anna Lembke just dropped a masterclass on dopamine and how addiction really works.

Here are 7 harsh truths you need to know (& how to reset your brain): Image
1. You can be addicted to anything:

Your brain has a “drug of choice.”

Whatever gives you the biggest dopamine spike is what you’re most vulnerable to.

For some it’s alcohol.

For others: porn, food, sex, work, social media...
For many of us, it's our phone.

Dr. Lembke calls it "the modern-day hypodermic needle".

For me, using a screen time app to set hard limits makes a huge difference.

Here's the one I use: getroots.link/aNqv9fK
Read 21 tweets
Sep 7
You’re not lazy, you’re dopamine-depleted.

Trust me, I’ve been there.

5 bad habits that are sabotaging your motivation (& how to fix them): Image
1. Reward without effort

Pick up your phone → instant dopamine.

Your brain learns to want pleasure without effort.

Soon, starting any real task feels heavy.

Don't let your phone ruin your life.
The best fix is to add friction between urge and action.

Even a tiny pause is enough for your brain’s control center to kick back in.

I use a screen time app called Roots to force me to think twice before I scroll.

getroots.link/aNqv9fK
Read 10 tweets
Sep 2
He deleted almost every app from his phone.

Then he wrote 4 bestsellers in 9 years.

Cal Newport's controversial take: Your phone is making you mediocre.

His science-backed system for getting your brain back: Image
The average person spends a whopping 4 hours and 30 minutes on their phone daily.

And that figure is still growing...

That's nearly 50 days per year staring at a small screen.

A study from the Journal of the Association for Consumer Research revealed something crucial: Image
The mere presence of your phone reduces cognitive capacity.

Even when it's turned off, face down on your desk...

Your brain is actively working to resist picking it up.

This "brain drain" effect leaves fewer resources for actual thinking.
Read 17 tweets
Aug 31
Everyone studies Warren Buffett for wealth.

But if you want both wealth and happiness—study Naval Ravikant.

He recently laid it all out in one of his best interviews yet.

Here are 7 powerful lessons that will make you think twice: 🧵 Image
1. Play Wealth, Not Status Games

Status is a ladder: someone has to fall for you to rise.

But wealth is like building a house: everyone who helps can live better inside it.

It's built on value, scales with leverage, and creates freedom.
2. Trim Your Desires

The fastest path to peace isn't getting more.

It's wanting fewer, more important things.

Every new want adds another weight.

Instead of hustling to carry more, put some of it down.

Simplicity is wealth you can feel today.
Read 11 tweets

Did Thread Reader help you today?

Support us! We are indie developers!


This site is made by just two indie developers on a laptop doing marketing, support and development! Read more about the story.

Become a Premium Member ($3/month or $30/year) and get exclusive features!

Become Premium

Don't want to be a Premium member but still want to support us?

Make a small donation by buying us coffee ($5) or help with server cost ($10)

Donate via Paypal

Or Donate anonymously using crypto!

Ethereum

0xfe58350B80634f60Fa6Dc149a72b4DFbc17D341E copy

Bitcoin

3ATGMxNzCUFzxpMCHL5sWSt4DVtS8UqXpi copy

Thank you for your support!

Follow Us!

:(