Checking in on social media can become such a part of our routine that giving it up for a week or longer may feel really uncomfortable. At Highland Hospital Behavioral Health in Charleston, West Virginia, however, we want you to think about the potential benefits of signing out of online platforms for a while.
The Benefits of Digital Detox
Between 2012 and 2022, researchers estimated that around 37 percent of smartphone users were engaged in excessive or uncontrolled smartphone use, and the number was growing. The endless stream of information from social media has been linked to increased:
- Anxiety
- Sleep disturbances
- Obsessive-compulsive behaviors
- Issues with self-esteem
- Disordered eating
- Sedentary behavior
Even when using the same amount of screen time, decreasing social media time is linked to improved:
- Anxiety – 16.1 percent drop
- Depression – 24.8 percent drop
- Sleep – 14.5 percent drop in insomnia
- Focus
- Stress levels
Why It’s Difficult to Put the Phone Down
Social media works on our brains in much the same way that a drug or alcohol does. Social media use triggers a release of dopamine (a natural “feel-good chemical”) in our brains at a much higher level than normal. Our brain wants to continue receiving this high level of dopamine because of the associated pleasure response, so it will cause us to want to seek out more of this unnatural stimulus. The ease of access and the speedy reward make the problem even worse. The more we repeat this stimulus and reward reaction, the more we reinforce our brain’s desire for the dopamine hit from that source. We may even experience withdrawal symptoms when we try to stop using online tools.
Signs that You’re Due for a Digital Detox
You might think that you’re not one of those problematic smartphone users, so you don’t need to take time away from social media, but you should probably consider the possibility that you do need a break if:
- Misplacing your phone makes you anxious
- Your sleep is sometimes disturbed by notifications
- You worry about what you’re missing when you’re not on your phone
- After you spend time on social media, you frequently feel sad, angry, or anxious
- Sometimes you lose track and spend more time online than you planned or realized
- You feel the need to check your phone often, even when you’re spending time with another person
- You would rather interact in a virtual environment than in the real world
- You find yourself making comparisons of your life against the lives of people online, leading to sadness, jealousy, or inadequacy
- You feel lonely or isolated
Planning to Unplug
There isn’t one right way to disconnect from online platforms, but it can be helpful to:
- Start by getting a baseline of how much time you’re currently spending on social media.
- Make a plan for how you want your detox to look, such as: creating a challenge with loved ones to see who can spend the least amount of time on social media, or potentially scheduling some in-person get-togethers during the challenge. You may also want complete abstinence from all social media platforms for a certain period of time and to disengage from a platform that seems to create more harm than good for you to see how you feel after a week or two away. You can also set a limit on your total time you will spend on social media each day.
- Share your plan with family and friends, so they know to use other ways to reach you and can cheer you on.
- Determine how and when you will assess the impact of your detox.
- Decide what changes you want to make permanently as a result of this new information. Some people have even gone so far as to move from a smartphone to a more basic phone that does not offer social media access or to deactivate social media accounts.
Benefits of Social Media
Social media isn’t all bad. When used in a healthy way, online platforms can:
- Allow people to find in-person activities that drive meaningful connection
- Promote the exchange of ideas and understanding between people
- Improve access to healthcare resources
- Increase access to housing and jobs
- Lead to improved mental health
At Highland Hospital Behavioral Health, we provide behavioral health treatment for children, adolescents, and adults who require short-term, intensive support. We offer 24-hour care that includes case management, group and individual therapy, medication management and medically monitored detox from alcohol and other drugs.
