you didn't replace it with anything better. From personal experience that kind of internet browsing has the exact same effects on your brain as videogames, it's an immediate, fast and endless loop of reward in your brain whilst providing you with nothing of value. This is why they say that to get rid of a habit you have to replace it with another one, and what's important about this is that you replace it appropriately (you can't replace all of your rest time with work time because you'll burn out). So I suggest you replace it with both, mildly demanding and least demanding activities. Mildly demanding may include hobbies and exercise, least demanding includes reading and resting (hot shower, taking your time having your meal, a walk, etc).

This is hard for a lot of reasons. Crappy weather, no transportation and no where to go even if I had transportation, online courses and the computer is good at teaching me what I need to know, as I desperately try to catch up in a language based course.

Honestly with this sort of lifestyle it is hard to persist in actually implementing that. I am working towards goals right now which will lead to a more healthy lifestyle and more social interaction away from the computer. But it's a ways off.

I have to be near a device at all times due to a long distance relationship and things go badly when I cannot respond quickly.

It is becoming increasingly difficult to move away from the computer at all, I cannot bring myself to take a book to another room in the house and read.

I know it wrong to rely on time to correct the issue however.

I think what I am going to try to do is focus on quality. I can watch a youtube video but only if it's high quality, educational, and if I leave intelligent comments and focus on it.

That's the best I can think of right now, quality over quantity, to reduce the amount of random stupidity and mindless clicks.