Social media can be very overwhelming. On your feeds, you may be finding depressing news about the COVID-19 pandemic, selfies of your friends and family taking vacations, or rants from your friends about their political views. A social media cleanse may be what you need right now to achieve better mental health and a happier view of your life.
A Social Media Cleanse
A social media cleanse is when you take a break from social media. A number of celebrities have been known to utilize this exercise with their social media accounts. Demi Lovato, an actress who struggled with a substance abuse disorder, took a social media cleanse to avoid having to read the judgments that people have said about her. Even if it is just for 24 hours, a social media cleanse will take you away from internet trolls, nonstop notifications, negativity, and more. You can always go back to it when you feel ready, but a break can help you relax and focus on yourself.
How to Know if You Need a Social Media Cleanse
It is best to ask yourself if social media is helping you feel more connected, or less. Seeing only happy photos of people can leave you with unrealistic expectations and cause you to constantly compare yourself to others. This can leave you feeling more isolated and less connected than you originally intended. If you are already experiencing anxiety, depression, or low self-esteem, it may be a sign you are ready to take that break, in an effort to avoid exasperating your symptoms.
What You Can Get Out of a Social Media Cleanse
Artificial light from your phone or computer can interfere with your body’s production of melatonin, a sleep hormone. A social media cleanse can also allow you to keep in touch with family and friends in person, rather than simply commenting on and “liking” posts. It can also be very stressful when you feel like you have to answer every notification you receive, causing you to constantly check to see who liked your post or feel you need to engage in an ongoing comment debate.
Taking that break can put a stop to the frequent notifications. A social media cleanse can also make it possible to focus on other things like exercising, having a nice meal with your family, volunteering, or a whole range of other things. When you feel more at ease with your mental health, you can always jump back to your social media account.
Social media can be a useful tool for connecting with others but can cause dire mental health effects if you are on it too much. Various sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram can make you feel insecure about yourself because you inevitably begin comparing yourself to your friends and their experiences, without realizing what they deal with in private. You may also feel you cannot help but check every notification about a reply or like to your post, which can be overwhelming. Sometimes, it is best to take a break from the things that can cause harm to our mental health so we can learn to breathe again and focus on what is important. Alta Loma is here for you in your time of need. Our transformative treatment center will connect you with mental health specialists to provide you with personalized plans designed to get you on the right track. To learn more about our services and what we have to offer, please call (866) 457-3843 today.
