A SELF-CONFESSED Facebook addict is going cold turkey by giving up the social networking site for Lent.
Ellie Harrison, 23, who sometimes logs on to the site before breakfast, is counting down the days until Easter when she will be able to go online again and find out what her friends have been up to over the past 40 days.
The student from Brislington, Bristol, hopes people will sponsor her "Facebook fast" so she can give the money to overseas aid agency Cafod.
"I'm definitely addicted to Facebook. It takes over your life, especially if you're like me and you're a student," Ellie said. "I've decided to give it up because it was taking up too much of my time."
Ellie, who advertised her decision to give up Facebook by writing about it on the site, said she will miss the funny messages people post online the most. "I have Facebook set up as a bookmark and it's really hard not to press the button and login, which takes about three seconds," Ellie added. "I'm worried I'll do it by accident."
She said: "Self-discipline is really good for you. It occurred to me that if Lent is about fasting, praying and almsgiving this would lcill three birds with one ston'e.
"I know that if I give up time on Facebook I will have more time for prayer. Helping the world's poor is also very important: that's why I have chosen to support Cafod."
To sponsor Ellie go to wwwjustgiving.com/ ellieharrison.