Why we need regular social media detoxes
Social media is a great way to stay connected with friends, family and the world around you. But it can also have some negative effects on our mental health if we’re not careful. Social media detoxes are an important part of maintaining healthy habits online, which is why I think everyone should try one at least once in their lifetime!
What is a social media detox?
A social media detox is a period of time where you don’t use social media. You can choose how long to detox for and how you want to do it, such as:
- Taking a break from all your accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and so on)
- Temporarily unfollowing everyone who isn’t in your immediate circle of friends or family members on one or more platforms
- Deleting the apps from your phone or computer until the detox period is over
Social media can make you feel bad sometimes
Social media is a powerful tool, but it can also make you feel bad about yourself. Many people are exposed to all kinds of content on social media every day, from inspirational quotes to photos of their friends’ lives that look a lot better than their own. This can make users feel isolated and less productive, as well as less happy and connected with those around them in real life.
If you find yourself feeling these feelings often and decide that the best thing for your mental health is to limit your time on social media.
Social media can be pretty addictive
Social media is addictive, there’s no debate around that. A lot of people who log on to social media are doing it for the dopamine hit, which can be hard to come by in real life. We all know that Facebook can be a distraction from work and Instagram can be a way to procrastinate from homework, but did you know that social media is also often used as nothing more than an escape?
Social media can influence your behavior, especially if you’re already feeling sad or lonely
Social media can influence your behavior, especially if you’re already feeling sad or lonely. When we’re feeling down, it’s easy to scroll through our feeds looking for encouragement from other people. But what if all we see are pictures of their amazing vacations? Or their beautiful gardens? Or their perfect kids? It can make us feel even worse about our own lives and relationships, leading us to feel anxious or depressed by comparison.
It’s not just that the content itself makes us unhappy, it’s also how much time we spend looking at it. According to research from Ohio State University, “the more people used Facebook in general, the worse they tended to feel.”
Now you know the benefits and risks of social media detoxes, and you can decide for yourself if this is something that would be helpful for you. If so, I hope these tips will help make the process less stressful! If not, that’s okay too! The important thing is just making sure that you take some time away from social media every once in a while and it will certainly be beneficial for your mental health in the end.
