My Medium Addiction Is Taking Over My Life

Is there any group out there to help me kick this destructive habit?

Hi everyone, my name’s Daniella. I’m a Medium addict. It’s been 0 hours, 26 minutes and 3 seconds since I last consumed Medium.

It all started when I decided to do a 30-day writing challenge, thinking I needed to get something good and new out of being in lockdown.

Now I know the meaning of the saying Be careful what you wish for. In the midst of the challenge, I thought to myself, “Once I’m through with this, I’ll get to my taxes, to reading one of the books on the pile on my dresser, planting a few flowers out front, and spending more time with my husband and son.”

Twenty-five days post-challenge and I’ve done none of it except, perhaps, spending a couple more minutes a day with Cesar and Diego.

I’m so ashamed.

I quickly switch from Medium to another screen when I hear my husband approaching. I wait until I’m certain he’s in deep sleep before I go on my Medium phone app to resume my indulgence and get my fix.

I’ve done some reading and the experts concur I should start with baby steps. For instance, my goal could be to forgo Medium 30-minutes a day, every other day, and build up from there.

I’m frightened. I don’t think I’m strong enough.

This means not writing stories or comments; not reading stories; not clicking any Medium related emails; not going on any Facebook group to share, comment or like; not checking Twitter to comment, tweet, retweet or heart anything Medium.

Absolutely no stats checking either.

The hardest part would be resisting the perfect little green bubble with a number that lets me know when people have engaged with my content. What if there’s a notification from Human Parts or Forge?

You’d think I wouldn’t even see it since I shouldn’t be going on Medium’s page in the first place for the entire 30 minutes.

But what if Medium comes up on my screen by accident and there’s my lucky number 12 in the notifications bubble? How am I supposed to just carry on and wash the dishes or begin the search for my W-2?

And, and, and… What if I get an email from the Medium Writer Program? Could it be that the story I published 13 days ago last Thursday (my best one yet) and that still has the “Hang tight!” message was curated under Parenting, Family, Disability and Life?

This would be my first article to be curated in four topics! You never know with Medium! My heart races, my mouth goes dry and I perspire just thinking about it.

Something tells me that opening the email would be the right thing to do in this case. Just this once wouldn’t set me back. Especially if it’s just 7 minutes and 57 seconds to go until the 30-minute goal anyway.

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