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Life & fun · November 2, 2025

I built a smart blocker after destroying my dopamine baseline

I'm a solo dev. A few years ago, I got addicted to Reddit. Spent months in that loop. Being a programmer, I thought I'd be clever. Redirected Reddit's domain to nowhere in my DNS file. Worked great until I'd just... open the file and undo it 20 minutes later. So I made it irreversible. Locked the DNS file so it can't be edited unless I boot my Mac in safe mode. And if I do that, there's a script that instantly locks it again. Haven't used Reddit since last year. Problem solved, right? Wrong. I just replaced Reddit with Twitch and YouTube. Started keeping streams running in the background…

I built a smart blocker after destroying my dopamine baseline launched on November 2, 2025 with 20 votes, #614 of 9,795 launches that month and more than 90% of that year's launches.

Visit chromewebstore.google.com ↗Alternativestop 6% of November 2025

In plain words

A smart blocker tool designed for Mac users struggling with compulsive internet usage, particularly social media and streaming platforms. The tool makes website blocks irreversible without booting into safe mode, then auto-locks even after that step to prevent impulsive undoing. Created by a solo developer who used it to quit Reddit and address dopamine-driven distraction habits, it targets people seeking to rebuild focus and concentration by eliminating background consumption loops.

written from the facts on this page · September 2026

From the sources

In the maker’s words, at launch

I'm a solo dev. A few years ago, I got addicted to Reddit. Spent months in that loop. Being a programmer, I thought I'd be clever. Redirected Reddit's domain to nowhere in my DNS file. Worked great until I'd just... open the file and undo it 20 minutes later. So I made it irreversible. Locked the DNS file so it can't…

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