Are you fascinated by Social Media?

As soon as children enter into their teens, the first thing they look at is getting on social media platforms. If the parents warn and refrain from giving them mobile phones, they retaliate. However, it isn’t children’s fault entirely because they get influenced by their elder’s habits, which means checking social media updates on their phones as the first thing to do in the morning every day.

A smartphone has become a basic necessity in everyone’s life and a permanent fixture to the palm. It would not be surprising to say that in today’s time, it’s hard to even think of a life without it for most of us. Being connected with friends and families through social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram has become more comfortable for people than meeting face to face. 

According to a study conducted in the United States on people of different ages revealed that children who come under 9-15 age bracket, log into their social media accounts for an average of 23 times a day and adults aged between 15 and 25 spend more time on social media than at college classes.

Initially, it will be a fascination or a status symbol for the youth, and then it becomes an addiction. So, here are some prominent signs that can indicate you to break away from the habit of using social media for the betterment of your cognitive and physical health.

You feel stressed

Consider this scenario – as social media is very addictive, you tend to check your social media accounts constantly to stay updated. The fear of missing out led you to prioritise social media over other works due to which you end up spending more time on it. Moreover, not having enough ‘likes’ on your post keeps you anxious. You also prefer to remain awake during late hours for online chatting and don’t sleep properly. Then by default, the repercussion is lack of sleep and doctors tell that an average adult requires at least 7 hours of quality sleep. Hence, if you are not doing it, stress or sleeping disorders like insomnia will be the after effect, which is harmful to your health.

Thus, if it seems like you, then dear, this is the right time for you to take a break. Because among other things if social media is the reason for your health deterioration, then it’s not worth it. Giving priority to your health, work and family is essential.

You feel isolated

Social media is indeed a way of staying connected with thousands of friends irrespective of their locations. However, if you spend a lot of time on social media, and engage less with the people around, be it your friends, family, neighbours or anyone, then this habit can lead you towards the feeling of isolation in the long run. Thus, whenever you feel that you do not have any friends to talk to in real life, please understand it’s the time to stay away from social media and socialise with the people around you. 

Compare yourself with others

As your friends and acquaintances post about travel, achievements and other stuff, you tend to compare. For example, if your friend has received accolades at work and you didn’t get any, you may doubt your capabilities, which isn’t right because every person has a different time frame for his/her accomplishments.

Or, if your friend went on a vacation and you feel that he is enjoying life, but you aren’t.

Hence, in case you are in the state of comparing yourself with others unnecessarily, it is high time to deactivate your social media accounts.

Other’s opinion influences you

Addictive social media exposes you to a lot of news, discussions and people’s opinion on any subject regardless of the validity of the report. So, if you read people’s comments or posts and get persuaded by it without applying your logic, values or thoughts, then maybe it’s a sign for you to stay away from social media until you don’t start forming your own opinion. 

For example, somebody writes on Facebook that the government is not doing enough to eradicate poverty in our country, and you begin to feel the same without doing your research.

The bottom line

Well, once you are addicted to social media, taking a break isn’t easy either. However, there are some hacks to do it:

• Mute notifications from social media accounts to avoid distraction
• Deactivate your accounts for some time
• Channelise your energy in learning a new hobby as it will boost your brain
• Socialise with old friends
• Start reading books
• Focus more on physical activities like exercise, cycling, jogging, playing, dancing, etc. as they are great stress busters
• Impose self-control and dodge spending too much time on social media