How can I get rid of an addiction to my iPhone?

[Lunicolil7]

I got an iPhone 5 the July of 2013, and ever since then I've been addicted to it! I know it's normal and I shouldn't be freaking out. The technology nowadays is obviously going to addict people. But my phone is interfering with my life. I don't work hard on homework, and I never get out anymore. I find myself wanting to stay home, in bed, playing with my iPhone over the weekend, rather than getting outdoors or just going shopping. I don't watch my favorite television shows anymore. I turn the shows on and try to watch them, but I end up grabbing my phone and using my phone instead of watching T.V. When I'm using my phone, I'm easily annoyed. When family members try to chat with me while I'm on my phone, I either ignore them or get annoyed because I want to stay on my phone. The phone really ruined my life. I don't want to get rid of it, though. Once I get rid of the addiction, I will still need my iPhone for photography purposes, and so that I can call my family/friends, which could be essential. I'm addicted to my phone not because of any games, but because I have Instagram. It's what I do everyday on my phone. Instagram. Instagram. If I didn't have any social networking, I would NOT have an iPhone addiction. But if I go ONE day without my iPhone, I feel like I betrayed my Instagram followers. Even if they don't mind that I'm not on Instagram, I MYSELF mind. I feel horrible when I'm not on Instagram, I NEED to post on there or else I get stressed out. My friends have iPhones and they're not too addicted. I am only because of social media. I used to be addicted to my Dell laptop because of Twitter, YouTube, and Yahoo Answers! I NEED to shake this addiction, it's interfering with what should be my life. If I could get together with friends more, I wouldn't have the addiction. But because of situations, we almost never get together (you can scour my recent questions to see why, or if you're a contact who answers my questions, you'll probably know).

So, please help me, I know I sound crazy but I need help without giving up the phone OR getting professional help.

Thanks everyone, have a great evening, Blessings!
I hope I placed this in a logical category.
@Pamela, Thanks for the advice, but I don't use Facebook or have it on my phone. I was talking about Instagram. Thank you, though! And @wishnuweltoo I don't think it's that. I am stressed out, but if I tried to use the TV as an excuse or anything else besides my iPhone, for that matter, I wouldn't be able to do it. I've tried escaping my phone by using books or TV, which used to be my addictions when I was smaller, but I can't do it. My iPhone is my only addiction.

[deanne]

Addiction to anything requires tough love. Lock up your phone for awhile.

You dont need instagram. Start a journal on your puter; it does help to write your feelings down but the whole world doesnt really need/want to read your rants.

[wishnuwelltoo]

I am a little stuck because I don't know what instagram is, but it seems like you are using the phone to avoid dealing with an issue in your waking life. If you didn't have the phone to zone out with, you would use the TV as an excuse. From your post it suggest you are avoiding some issue with your family, that makes sense to me. If your parents locked up your phone when you got home from school......you would use some other thing for your zone out. It is good when dealing with trauma to have a zone out, books, tv, phone, computer, but you have to balance the zone out with actually dealing with your trauma.......becauase if you don't deal with your trauma, to won't magically go away.

[Pamela]

Remove Facebook from your iPhone now! Give your phone to your friend for one day a week.

[jotacar]

It is my understanding that large numbers of young people
are wasting hours every day in communicating with friends
and strangers alike, not because the contacts are valuable,
but simply because they're possible.

Spending time on vacant minded chatter is an unproductive
activity. Unfortunately, it is like any other addiction - once
ordinary people get hooked, they find it difficult to stop.

Except when the chatterer is at the wheel of a vehicle, it's
not a dangerous activity like smoking, using hard drugs,
binge drinking, or wasting large sums of money on lotteries.

Perhaps you should just be happy that your addiction is a
more or less harmless one.

No, I don't smoke, use anything but prescription drugs, or
waste money gambling. Nor do I overeat.

However, I don't expect others to live up to my example.