I've made https://deja.de.hueve.ar/hn so it snapshots the frontpage once per day - that way, I now there won't be new updates during the rest of the day, and the dopamine addiction goes down.

    echo '127.0.0.1 news.ycombinator.com' | sudo tee -a /etc/hosts

Does the trick as well :) For bonus points (and so you can't workaround it with your phone), do it on your router/switch instead.

You'll still open new tabs and go to HN, but you'll be reminded quickly, and every day can be downtime day \o/ (for you, personally)

so youve got the willpower to do something about it but not enough to just stop doing it?

To be fair, making a change (particularly changing a habit) takes time. Having something there to remind and nudge you helps make this easier, especially when you're tired, stressed, 'just looking for a short break', etc, etc.

It's like they say: "Your demons will comfort you when no one else will. That's why it's so hard to get rid of them"

Yes.

Have you never suffered from habitual reflexes? I blocked twitter for a while in my hosts file and a dozen times over those first few days I instinctively opened a new tab and typed twitter in

I deleted the YouTube mobile app a few months ago and I still reflexively reach for the app icon every now and then. Thanks YouTube Shorts.

> I blocked twitter for a while in my hosts file and a dozen times over those first few days I instinctively opened a new tab and typed twitter in?

youd go through that effort when you could have just stopped though.

We all admire your absolute mastery of your own habitual reflexes and mind. For the rest of us, there is a daily battle of wits, desires, weakness, and habit.

If I could snap my fingers and break toxic habits and patterns, I would have done so decades ago :)