Detox from social networks
why and how online breaks can help us
In today’s digital age, social networks have become an inescapable part of our daily lives, profoundly influencing the way we communicate, inform ourselves and spend our free time. However, their excessive use can bring a number of negative consequences, from tiredness and anxiety to privacy exposure.
This article helps you explore some ways you can regain control of your time and well-being in a busy and information overloaded world.
The impact of social networks on health
Information overload in the form of constant stream increases the level of user fatigue as well as anxiety and stress, which in turn increases the intention to avoid social networks and ignore advertisements. In addition, privacy concerns and personal efficacy in using social networks are significantly associated with these behaviors (Ahmed et al. 2022).
Often, even celebrities make social media posts announcing their decision to to “take a break”, i.e. to stop posting and/or interacting with social media content. Society’s idols justify their decision to take a break with three main discourses:
(a) mental health and wellbeing,
(b) boundaries between public and private, and
(c) social justice and protest.
In this way, the stars show their vulnerable, human side in a professional and fan-worthy way. (Spilioti and Giaxoglou 2024).
These apps are commonly used by people to distract themselves when unpleasant emotions and thoughts arise. In the short term, it’s nice to look at something that makes us laugh or distracts us from the predicament we’re in. Recognize the situations or emotions that make you spend too much time on social media and find ways to manage them differently.
Remember: difficulties won’t go away, they will get worse as long as you choose to ignore them. You can seek specialized help and find more effective solutions with a specialist who will be there for you.
The proven benefits of taking a break from social networking
Self-control, or willpower, are very important skills in using mobile apps for entertainment. Self-control is described as the ability to regulate emotions, desires, and behavior towards a desired goal (Schoenebeck 2014). Reflect on your own experience: how much of the time spent on social media is the result of a conscious choice and how much is just an automatic habit, not requiring deliberate decisions?
At critical times, such as exam sessions, some people choose to entrust their social networking passwords to others to help themselves avoid constantly checking platforms. This tactic not only breaks the habit, but also adds an element of external accountability. Other adults try to replace the use of social networks with other activities, such as reading or walking the dog, although some find these alternatives not effective enough to counteract the attractiveness of social networks(Schoenebeck 2014).
⚠️ In a very recent study (Smith, Mills, and Samson 2024), they experimentally tested the effects of a one-week break from social networking on self-image and self-esteem among young women. Results showed that participants who took the break reported higher body satisfaction and self-esteem compared to those who continued normal use.
⚠️S studied the differences between regular users and users who overuse social networking apps. Participants who spent less time on screens reported better mood and higher productivity levels, as well as lower levels of anxiety and sleep problems. However, the main motivation for continuing to use social networks after detox periods was the desire for social connectedness (Robertson et al. 2023).
A break of just one week from social networking showed significant differences between the intervention and control groups in terms of well-being, in favor of the group that did not continue use. Reducing time spent on Twitter and TikTok was associated with lower levels of depression and less frequent use of TikTok reduced anxiety (Lambert et al. 2022).
But if a complete break scares you or is unfeasible for you, even limiting social networking to 30 minutes or less per day showed significant improvements in smartphone and social media addiction, sleep quality, life satisfaction, stress, perceived well-being, and supportive relationships with others. (Coyne and Woodruff 2023).
Tips for a break from social media
1.Set clear objectives
Define the reasons why you want to detox and what you hope to get out of the experience. Think about exactly what time frame you will not use your phone or app for. OR regularly allocate times of the day when you don’t use your electronic devices, such as during meals or before bed. Tell friends and family about your detox plan to gain support and understanding.
2. Find alternatives to social networks
We have also already discussed how these apps fulfill certain needs such as connecting or maybe there are times when we feel lonely and bored. Maybe it is the flight from discomfort? Choose to invest time in hobbies, reading, exercising or spending time with family and friends face to face. If you notice you’re avoiding more serious problems, contact a psychologist or psychiatrist for specialized help.
3. Own your device!
If you notice that your work is frequently interrupted by notifications, it’s time to go into your settings and select the silent notifications type. Frequent interruptions lead to mistakes. Turning off notifications from social networking apps can help reduce the temptation to constantly check your phone. You can also delete time-consuming apps, with some people finding it a good option to use Facebook and Instagram in desktop-only mode.
4. It uses technology against itself.
If you need a longer period of uninterrupted concentration, you can use apps that disable the wireless connection for set periods of time or don’t allow phone use, making it easier to avoid online distractions. For example “Forest: Focus for Productivity”, Downtime, Digital Wellbeing, Freedom, Focusmate, parental control apps or the Pomodoro technique. Newer smartphones can pre-set a “do not disturb” range in the settings, as well as brightness settings, color schemes and reminders to pause.
5. Write, think and pay attention to how you feel!
Use the time to meditate and clear your thoughts. Regularly evaluate how you feel and how the digital detox is affecting your quality of life.
Something else you can monitor is time spent on electronics in total, setting a daily or weekly time limit and rewards for sticking to it.
Suggestions for further reading on social media detachment:
For Adults: Concentrate by Nir Eyal and Julie Li, 2021, Curtea Veche Publishing Bucharest
For parents: Parents and Digital Technology. How to Raise the Connected Generation by John Coleman and Suzie Hayman, 2017, Herald Bucharest publishing house
For kids: I’m addicted to screens by Sylvaine Jaoui and Annelore Parot, 2023, published by Gama.
For children: 7 days without screens by Sofie Buhl and Fanny Bruun, 2022, Bookzone Bucharest
Bibliography:
- Ahmed, R. R., Qureshi, J. A., Arshad, F., Channar, Z. A., Parmar, V., Salleh, N. Z. M. (2022). The social media break-up: Psycho-behavioral measures and implications. IEEE Access, 10, 58116-58135.
- Coyne, P., Woodruff, S. J. (2023). Taking a break: the effects of partaking in a two-week social media digital detox on problematic smartphone and social media use, and other health-related outcomes among young adults. Behavioral Sciences, 13(12), 1004.
- Lambert, J., Barnstable, G., Minter, E., Cooper, J., McEwan, D. (2022). Taking a one-week break from social media improves well-being, depression, and anxiety: a randomized controlled trial.Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 25(5), 287-293.
- Robertson, D. J., Malin, J., Martin, S., Butler, S. H., John, B., Graff, M., … Jones, B. C. (2023). Social media use: attitudes, ‘detox’, and craving in typical and frequent users.Technology, Mind, and Behavior.
- Schoenebeck, S. Y. (2014). developing healthy habits with social media: Theorizing the cycle of overuse and taking breaks.Proceeds of SIGCHI.
- Smith, O. E., Mills, J. S., Samson, L. (2024). Out of the loop: Taking a one-week break from social media leads to better self-esteem and body image among young women.Body image, 49, 101715.
- Spilioti, T., Giaxoglou, K. (2024). Taking a break from social media: Media ideologies of (not) sharing in celebrity culture.Journal of Pragmatics, 231, 35-46.
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