Why you need a social media detox and tips for doing so

I guess almost everyone has, at least, 1 social media account. In fact, some have a lot to take over their real life. So, does someone need to reduce the use of social media? Some of the following reasons might be your consideration for doing a social media detox.

What is a social media detox (social media detox)?

Advances in technology really help all aspects of your life, such as finding information and socializing.

However, using it too often can actually lead to social media addiction which will actually affect your quality of life.

If you're starting to feel that your life is being spent surfing social media too much, maybe it's time for you to do a social media detox.

Social media detox usually done by reducing use or even stopping it altogether. It can help them look back on what they left behind in real life.

Why do you need a social media detox?

Addiction to anything, including social media and technology, can have a devastating effect on your life. Starting from health, family relationships and friendships, your personality can be affected due to dependence on social media.

Here are some reasons why you might need a social media detox.

1. Affect mental health

One of the quite worrying effects of excessive use of social media is that it increases the risk of mental disorders, such as depression.

A study from BMC Public Health revealed that children who are around 10 years old and active on the internet can have a negative impact until they grow up.

This is because from childhood they have been exposed to such high and perhaps "fake" standards of success or beauty on social media.

As a result, when these children grow up, they are never satisfied with the results obtained. This can lead to depression.

The social media detox aims to minimize your risk of continuing to respect certain standards circulating on social media.

2. Reduce intimacy in any relationship

When you are addicted to social media, you are actually reducing the quality of time in your relationship. Not only romance, but also brotherhood, work relations, friendship and other relationships.

According to Nels Oscar, head of the research team from College of Engineering , social media is instantaneous, reaches millions of people at once, and influences a person's behavior.

You may ignore the person next to you and focus on staring at what's on the phone screen.

Not to mention if you interact with friends or anyone on social media. The weakness of social media is that it has limitations in interaction. Wrong, this can actually lead to misunderstanding.

For example, suppose you upload a photo of a friend you think is funny. In fact, for your friend, it is an embarrassing photo.

People who are addicted to social media tend to only look at how many responses they get when they post something, rather than thinking about the impact on other people.

As a result, you and your friends may misunderstand and threaten your relationship.

3. Interferes with physical health

Not only does it worsen mental health, impaired physical health can also be one of the reasons you need to consider when deciding to detox / reduce social media use.

In 2014, a study found that adults aged 19-32 tended to check their social media accounts more often.

The frequency of these checks reaches 30 times a week. As many as 57% of these people reported having trouble sleeping because of the three things below.

• Be more active on social media and other internet networks late into the night
• Social media increases emotional and cognitive arousal higher at night
• Light from the phone screen or gadget others can interfere with the quality of a person's sleep.

In fact, lack of sleep itself is known to pose a risk to health, such as increasing the risk of heart disease.

That's why you may want to consider doing a social media detox to avoid its negative effects.

Social media detox tips

Now that we know why it is so important to do a social media detox, let's take a look at some powerful tips for reducing social media use.

Even though it sounds easy, this habit is actually quite difficult, especially for those who are already addicted. Therefore, several strategies are needed so that you can successfully achieve the goals of detox social media .

Some strategies that might help you include:

• Plan to undergo detoxification for 3 weeks to 3 months or more.
• Temporarily deactivate your social media accounts, such as Instagram or Facebook.
• Remove social media applications from the phone and gadget You.
• Look for other activities that can fill your void, such as sports or pursuing a delayed hobby.

Doing a social media detox can be difficult, especially if you are already addicted to it and the reasons for wanting to quit don't come naturally from your senses.

When you do a social media detox, at first you may feel anxious and constantly check your phone notifications. However, if you succeed in doing so, you may be able to have a better quality of life.

If you feel like social media is taking over your life, it's time to stop staring at screens for a moment and shift your focus to reality.