SOCIAL MEDIA DETOX

Can you imagine a world without social media, particularly in this time of pandemic? Since the Pandemic situation, there has been an increase in digital platforms; all meetings, celebrations, mourning, lectures, training, and even work have all migrated to social media platforms. New platforms are being developed on a daily basis to meet the growing demand in this area. My little daughter once asked me a question, and while I was considering what answer to give her, she said, “Don’t worry, mummy, I’ll just ask Google.”

There is no need to go to the market because both buyers and sellers now meet on the social media platform. Whatever you need, you can always get it online and have it delivered to your location, from industrial goods to food.

All schools are now going online; there is no need for physical meetings between lecturers and students, no matter how far apart they are; a digital platform allows lectures to take place regardless of distance.

Do you want to know what’s going on in the world? You don’t need to travel; you can learn everything you need to know from the comfort of your own home.

Social media has impacted every aspect of our lives, and it is nearly impossible to imagine modern life without it.

As important as social media is in modern life, there is no denying that it has its negative aspects and adds stress to one’s life. The most dangerous scam is carried out on social media; some social media content can cause emotional distress and/or lead to other psychological issues such as depression.

Have you ever wondered why a patient admitted to the hospital is not allowed to use his phone, and why there are control measures in place regarding social media use, particularly in the case of children and the vulnerable?

“There is a trend today that would put a new robe on the prodigal son while he is still feeding hogs. Some would put the ring on his finger while he still in the pigsty. Others would paint the pigsty and advocate bigger and better hog pens.”- Vance Havner

The old saying above portrays the negative impact of social media. Bad news sells better and faster than good news, and social media is a prime example of this! I once saw a video about a woman who lost her life as a result of her addiction to social media. The woman in the video was walking down the street while staring at her phone with a wild grin on her face, possibly responding to a tweet. A few minutes away, a truck reversed and hit her because she didn’t see the truck because her attention was on the phone.

Some of the potential negative effects of social media on our lives are as follows:

– Increased use of social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and others can lead to feelings of loneliness and depression.

– Due to what is seen on social media, there is an increase in comparison, particularly among young people; this comparison leads to low self-esteem, and this has led many people to turn to crime in order to meet the trending standard.

– Constant use of social media can disrupt family time, work-life, and overall quality of life by creating an imbalance in one’s life.

– Social media can be addictive if not used responsibly.

Although different countries have put measures in place to control and manage the negative effects of social media, if you want to keep your sanity, you will do yourself a lot of good to do a social media detox from time to time.

Here are some pointers on how to conduct a social media detox:

– You might want to start by deleting all of the social media apps on your phone for a few hours to prove to yourself that you can live without them for a while. With each detoxification, you may progress to days.

– Take a partner on this trip and make it a competition between the two of you to see who can actually stay off social media for some time and who can stay off longer.

– Reward yourself for each effort while setting the standard for the next detox.

– Take note of the apps you use the most and begin by uninstalling them. Consider what will happen if you stay away from such platforms for an extended period of time.

– Inquire with a friend or family member about their observations of your attachment to your phone; this will allow you to learn how they are affected by your constant use of social media.

– You might want to make sure you don’t have a charging point near your bed or in the bedroom, and then decide what time you want to go to bed while leaving your phone in a separate room.

– You can also decide when to turn off your phone and stick to it, or set a timer for this activity.

– Most of the time, especially when working from home, the alerts are a source of distraction, so delete all alerts from your phone. This provides you with some measure of control.

– Get involved in some outdoor activities that will prevent you from accessing your phone.

The whole point of social media detoxification is to give you control over your use of social media rather than the other way around.