Many of you have heard about what this is, and have even considered doing it. A social media detox is to get away from all social networks for a while; no publications, no status. These can last a day such as months, it depends on whoever is doing it. In fact, many celebrities have done it over time precisely to escape their virtual lives and focus on themselves without giving information to their followers about what they’re doing. Many people have already tried it and others show interest in doing it, here I tell you my experience and why it would be good to give it a try.
Why do a Social Media Detox?
The answer to this question can be personal, but among the most common reasons is to move away from the cyber world. Sometimes we go so far into a fictional world on the internet that we need an escape, to take a break. Social media platforms are very good for communications and have their benefits, but they also have their negative things, they can become draining. Getting too involved in the sharing of your private life can be overwhelming and tiresome because we open the doors to our followers to give their opinion about it. I’m not saying that it’s wrong to do so, but in an excessive way, it can have consequences. No matter the addiction, it ain’t pretty.
Sometimes, we tend to forget that our publications influence those who follow us in these. We confuse what’s real and what isn’t real. We follow accounts that project images or models that are not genuine and this messes with our physical and emotional self-perception.
Here’s What Happened
I did my social detox for multiple reasons. I was making difficult decisions at the time and because social media distorted reality, I was not healthy. I decided to close them and live a month without any interactions in the virtual world. I returned to my hobbies, I read books, I focused more on the university, it helped me to stay more focused to understand better, the things I wanted to do.
I didn’t tell anyone anything, it was something personal, something for me. It was very useful and I did not resume my positions in the networks until I felt safe again to do so. I even modified the way I used to use them once I joined back and only reopened those that I found reasonable. Others remain closed. The results were very rewarding for my emotional situation at the time. It helped me to feel more relaxed and to make better and healthier choices in my life.
Why do I recommend it?
In life, nobody is an expert. There is no perfect way to carry out life without stumbling on the road and through mobile screens, we can unconsciously carry the opposite message when we only talk about our achievements and joys. It’s not that we should publish our failures or stop talking about what makes us happy, but it’s knowing that we all have those moments where we feel we can’t.
Nobody is magically being successful in life, this entails many efforts, sacrifices and pains that are not necessary to share with everyone. Leaving aside that virtual world, where only happy moments are seen, it helps you understand that it’s okay that you don’t always do well and that these are necessary to grow. I recommend doing a social media detox because it can help you find the motivation to start new projects or continue those that you had abandoned. I recommend it because you get to reconnect with your inner self and with the people around you.
I want to clarify again that I am not criticizing social media and I am very much in favor of using them as platforms to express ourselves. What I try to do is create awareness about what they can do to us if we use excessive or incorrectly. I just want to show that it’s okay to take some time off if you need it, and if you don’t need it that’s fine too, we’re all different.
We must together learn to determine when something is no longer fulfilling its main function and begins to harm us instead. It’s something that may seem so simple, but it’s much more than that, it’ about finding our own well-being. Know that your reasons are valid, stay safe and keep shining.
If you feel that you’re experiencing a social media addiction check out The Center for Internet Addiction.