Contents
Terrifying news about the pandemic, conspiracy theories from acquaintances, selfies of friends who were lucky enough to get on vacation during these difficult times – if all this makes you periodically think about deleting social network apps from your phone, then … maybe you should. There are several compelling reasons for this.
“Digital detox” is a buzzword that refers to a temporary cessation of the Internet, in particular from social networks.
Fashionable primarily because celebrities periodically resort to such a “diet”: Ed Sheeran, Demi Lovato, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber and many others. And among your friends, there will certainly be those who periodically turn off the Internet on their phone or delete their profile on a social network. Maybe you should do it too?
“What we see on social media affects many of us negatively,” explains psychiatrist Christine Moutier. “All these retouched photographs of exceptionally happy people give us unrealistic expectations of ourselves and life in general. We constantly compare ourselves with others, and this comparison is rarely in our favor.
Designed to unite, social networks in fact often alienate us from each other, make us more acutely feel our own loneliness. This is especially true for those who are already experiencing depression, anxiety, stress, who have low self-esteem.
If this is your case, it’s time to return to your “pre-digital roots”: “kill” or freeze social media accounts and remove the corresponding applications from the phone – for a day, a week, a month or a whole year, the choice is yours. You can not limit yourself to this, but install a special application that simply will not allow you to re-enter social networks.
But what will it give?
1. It will help you sleep better
Do you fall asleep with your phone in your hand? There is nothing to be ashamed of – many do it. However, it reduces the quality of sleep. Artificial light from a phone or TV screen affects the production of melatonin, a hormone that helps us sleep. So scrolling through your Facebook feed hoping to fall asleep is not the smartest idea. You better count sheep.
2. It will get you closer to others.
“Of course, social networks help us to stay in touch with friends and family. But if we get too carried away with virtual interactions, neglecting face-to-face meetings, in the long run it is bad for relationships and our well-being, ”says clinical psychologist Jacqueline Nesi.
Of course, right now it’s not always possible to see your loved ones in person, but you can creatively approach communication at a distance – for example, write a letter to a loved one or make a video for a friend, instead of swearing with strangers in the comments under someone else’s post.
3. It will help you calm down
Published in 2017, a meta-analysis of 61 studies confirmed that there is a link (not necessarily a direct one) between excessive social media involvement and lower self-esteem, depression, and feelings of loneliness.
Psychology professor Jacob Barkley says taking a break from social media can help reduce anxiety, primarily because some people get stressed out by constantly responding to messages and comments.
4. It’s a way to get rid of FOMO
FOMO (eng. Fear of Missing out), or the fear of missing out on something important, is a real scourge of our time.
“Presence on social media allows us to keep abreast of what is happening in the world and what our friends are up to. But it is precisely because of this that many constantly feel that they are missing something important, they do not have time to go to all the events that are held in abundance even in these difficult times, explains Andrew Lepp, Ph.D. and researcher on the relationship between information consumption and behavior. “Because of this, it always seems that there is a place where right now is more interesting than here.”
True, this is a double-edged sword: by abandoning social networks, many can just experience FOMO, because being offline, we can miss a tempting offer or an interesting invitation.
5. It will free up time for other activities.
It’s simple: giving up one thing makes it possible to do something else. The “itch” that many people experience immediately after deleting social media makes them want to try something new – go for a walk, work out, cook something at home, sort out closets.
By putting your digital life on pause, you can finally understand what exactly social networks give you. If they are a source of stress for you, you may decide not to return to them. Or, when you return, you will unsubscribe from those users whose posts made you unhappy. Or maybe you will practice such a detox weekly or monthly.
And so that there is no temptation to dive headlong into the abyss of social networks again, do not abandon your new hobbies – continue to walk, cook, meet friends offline. The main thing is to remember that there are no “shoulds” and “shoulds” here: if they felt that social networks were driving you into a state of stress, they temporarily deleted the applications. If you want to come back, no one is stopping you from doing it.
And if you are happy with your own existence in virtual reality, then perhaps nothing needs to be changed.