We live in a digital world. Almost everything around us can be done digitally and it has made all of us very dependent on technology.
Social media is a huge tool that technology has given us to connect with friends and family, establish networks, platforms, opportunities, etc. all at the speed of one click. While it has countless advantages and gains, social media can prove to be harmful for our mental and emotional well-being, as it can work as a negative influence too.
When you notice that social media is cutting you off from the real world and you start to confide in the virtual one, you should take a break from social media. It is the only healthy way out to get yourself back on track.
Here are some serious reasons why you should consider taking that much needed break from social media.
- Too much exposure is a problem
Your presence on social media gives you exposure, and too much of exposure becomes your obsession. You start craving more and more attention on social media and post on it all the time. You cannot stay without posting about each and every meal you eat or place you go because you need to show all these people behind their phones that you have a happening life (not a real one anyway) and need to give proof for it.
- It influences the way you feel about everything
When you’re too deep into social media, it becomes hard to discern what is real and what is not. Your knowledge of reality becomes corrupted and your behaviors and feelings can be negatively influenced. You become so engrossed inside the virtual world of social media that only that seems real to you. Disrespecting elders and making memes about it is “cool” so you do it too. It doesn’t occur to you that it is morally wrong.
- Comparison
You start comparing yourself with others on social media. Your icon has a fancy car or a huge house, and you want the same thing right then because working for it is too mainstream. Your friends post photos and videos of with their boyfriends/girlfriends and you are still single and it stings. You’re jealous because you don’t have a boyfriend/girlfriend (maybe you want one just so you can post pictures and show off) and that makes you feel like your life is good for nothing. This kind of thinking pattern could actually lead to depression.
- Dependency
You cannot stay two minutes without your phone next to you. You even take it to the bathroom with you because hey, you need to have some sort of entertainment in there too, right? You have an urgency to constantly check your phone for messages, your feed on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. Oxygen is threatened by your phone, people!
- Losing the real world
Your phone becomes your life. You cannot eat without it, sleep without it, go to the bathroom without it. Because of this, you lose interest in real life conversations and interactions. Living a life online is more interesting and important to you talking to real people around you. While hanging out with friends or family, posting selfies and photos and videos is an integral part of the excursion and once you have posted stuff, you only have time to keep checking how many likes and comments you got, instead of having a good time with your peeps.
If you can relate to any or all of these reasons, you know what to do.
