Scrolling has become second nature! Whether people are waiting for their office bus or are on a date waiting for another person to arrive, most of us use that extra time at hand to scroll through social media to check if there is anything that catches our attention. And what seems like a mild, harmless affliction can soon turn into an addiction, thereby making us feel stressed and anxious more than ever.
Even when you check Instagram or TikTok reels for fun, you will notice that instead of feeling entertained, you are often on the edge. Many people end up comparing their lives with others and making poor lifestyle choices, which leads to unhappiness and a feeling of a void within. No wonder today most people are opting for a social media detox to develop a healthy attitude towards scrolling through Instagram or Facebook.
In this article, we will delve into the social media cleanse, its benefits, and the need for it so that people become mindful of the time they spend on social media.
Understanding Technostress & Social Media Cleanse
The American Psychological Association has come up with the term, ‘technostress,’ which refers to the mental strain that arises from endless involvement with technology. Here, stress is an outcome of the constant need to remain connected, which results in feelings of increased anxiety and isolation.
Research states that using several social media platforms at once maximizes the scope of witnessing increased levels of anxiety and depression. Hence, it’s no surprise that people opt for a social media detox and only come up with a healthy way of browsing it so that it adds to their lives instead of taking it away.
A social media cleanse enables you to stay away from all online platforms for a while. You can log out for a day or a month based on your state of mind. Often, people wonder why this break is needed!
Leah Rockwell, a licensed professional counselor, says that scrolling through TikTok or Instagram stimulates a part of the brain that is activated through addictive behavior.
While browsing social media, we experience the same dopamine jolts through validation in the form of comments, follows, views, and likes. Excessive use of social media can also result in FOMO (fear of missing out) tendencies, anxiety, envy, and a sense of inadequacy.
Therefore, it makes sense to take a break from social media to achieve a healthy balance of using it. Some benefits of deleting social media for mental health are:
Enhanced Self-Esteem
Browsing through social media content constantly results in negative self-esteem. It is because we are constantly comparing our lives, beauty, body size, and even our jobs and earnings with others. When you decide to step away from social media, you make a conscious choice to break this vicious cycle of comparison, which helps to boost your self-esteem.
Once you focus on your life and look at your strengths without making any outward comparisons, it leads to self-acceptance. It helps you to feel good for all the accomplishments that you have had so far and enables you to intend for more without comparing your success with anyone else.
Reduces Anxiety and Increases Mindfulness
Tru Lawsuit Info states that people are often unaware of when to stop scrolling and start living their lives. When the use of social media becomes unhealthy and you aren’t able to stop scrolling even when you are cooking or speaking with someone, you know it’s time to draw a line. Otherwise, it can result in anxiety and stress, which will interfere with other aspects of your life.
Cutting down on social media helps increase mindfulness and decrease anxiety to a huge extent. It doesn’t give you the constant dopamine jolts that might make you happy for a while, but the next moment you are either searching for something more exciting or are feeling a lack.
Taking a break from social media helps you focus on what is crucial in your life and the simple pleasures of life. Small activities like enjoying evening snacks with friends or family can boost happy hormones and make you feel more fulfilled in life.
Moving Out of the Negative News Cycle
Social media news is all about gaining maximum attention through heightened drama. While we get entertained by it, the long-term effects are questionable, as it trains the brain to expect something dramatic every time. It also makes us anxious and believe that there’s danger almost everywhere.
Social media detox helps us understand that it is necessary to move out of the negative news loop and look at life for what it is. Furthermore, it is necessary to cut out the drama and spectacle that are mere parts of life and not the whole essence. Once we understand this, it enables us to develop a balanced view of life, which leads to better focus, productivity, clarity, and inner calm.
In conclusion, there is no need to quit using social media to lead a happy life. The objective is to arrive at a balance. And since most people are addicted to Instagram and TikTok reels that have gone viral and other online content and plan their lives around it, taking a social media cleanse is essential. It can help to reduce anxiety and gain more mental clarity about life, which promotes healthy social media browsing.
