The rise of various social media platforms in the modern age has changed the way we live our lives. From catching up with old friends to making new ones, social media is very valuable to us in terms of making connections.
Whether these relationships are formed on a professional or personal level, they are as important now as face-to-face relationships have ever been. There are many positive things that have come out of the rise of social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, etc. However, research in the past several years has shown a potential link between social media use and a decline in mental health.
It’s an alarming statistic, we know. But never fear–there are ways to avoid the negativity that social media use can incur on one’s mental health.
A social media detox is a great option for someone who feels the need to disconnect with their phone and reconnect with the outside world. For most of us, our smartphones now serve as essential tools to navigate our daily lives with the functions they offer.
Contrarily, social media is not a necessity. While it can feel like this at times–and perhaps in the beginning of a detox–there is nothing social media platforms offer us that we cannot live without. This is a mindset that can be hard to conquer when deciding to detox, but when one can accept that simple fact, they’re able to begin a process that can improve their daily lives.
Good Housekeeping journalist Andra Chantim wrote an article about the best ways to go about successfully detoxing from social media and provided tips for doing so. Chantim reminds us that there is nothing inherently wrong with using social media, but we need to be mindful of how it affects us and make changes if needed. “If, upon reflection, you’re able to identify any negative effects that the apps have had on your life, then it’s time for a social media break.”
It’s important to remember that while social media use can become a toxic practice, it’s okay if you use it from time to time. Even during a detox, you might be tempted to check your phone. This is normal, and there is no need to feel guilty about it. Detox takes time, patience, and practice!
There are several benefits that you should keep in mind when deciding whether or not to detox, but there are a few we’d like to highlight for you that specifically focus on the quality of mental health. Holly Chavez writes about different ways that limiting your social media use will improve your quality of life in a Lifehack. article.
The first benefit it offers is breaking the cycle of comparison. As we know, social media leads to people constantly seeing others and naturally comparing themselves, which often makes us feel inferior in a multitude of ways. Social media posts are usually curated to only show the happiest, most attractive aspects of someone’s life and not their reality. Limiting social media will allow us to reconnect with ourselves and become more confident.
A second benefit Chavez discusses is conquering the fear of missing out, or FOMO. When we see people our age doing things that we aren’t doing, it also leads to feeling less confident and unhappy. Without social media, FOMO is much less likely to affect us so regularly.
The last benefit we’d like to point out is to start living in the moment. So often, we find ourselves in situations that we can’t help recording, sharing, or posting. By taking the time to simply enjoy the present, whatever it is we are doing, we will feel more satisfied and, eventually, happier.
Whether you find yourself in need of a day, week, month, or any variation of a social media detox, we encourage you to do what feels best for your mental health. Prioritizing yourself in this way will help you to enjoy life and seek out the beautiful moments it has to offer.
