25 great reasons to take a break from social media

 

25 great reasons to take a break from social media

Are you in need of a social media detox? While there’s no doubt that sites such as Facebook and Instagram can be entertaining, they could also be harming us in ways we don’t even know about. From causing us to lose sleep to making us thoroughly depressed, here are 25 science-backed reasons to take a break from social media right now.

Using social media increases loneliness

Social media is supposed to be about making friends and connections. However, it could leave you feeling more isolated. Research from the University of Pennsylvania suggests that using Snapchat, Facebook, and Instagram could lead to decreased well-being and increased cases of loneliness. On the other hand, taking a break from social media could help make people feel less lonely.

It could lead to depression

Need another reason to do a social media detox? One study from the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences found that the more young adults used social media, the more likely they were to be depressed. If you’re susceptible to depressive feelings or getting down, you might want to log out of your accounts for a while.

Online rants could come back to haunt you

When you’re feeling angry or frustrated, you might take to social media to have a good old-fashioned rant. Unfortunately, research from the University of California suggests that negative talk on social platforms, like Facebook and Twitter, often comes back to haunt people. The experts described this phenomenon as a “feedback loop,” in which similarly negative comments come back to the original sender.

Drunk posting is seriously dangerous

Do you use social media when you’re having a few drinks? Research published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs found that posting on social media after consuming alcohol could be highly dangerous. The experts suggested that drunk-posting could lead to people sharing inappropriate content that they would later regret.

Social media could lower your body confidence

Despite the millions of #BodyPositivity posts on Instagram, social media could actually have the opposite effect on people, according to one study from York University. When women looked at pictures of friends who they thought were more attractive than themselves, they reported feeling negative about their appearance. Taking a break from social media could be one way to tackle this issue.

It could even lead to eating disorders

Eating disorders affect around 30 million people in the U.S. alone, according to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa. While this is a highly complex issue, there are ways we can protect ourselves, such as doing a social media detox. Research from the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences has previously linked high social media use with a high risk of eating disorders in young adults.

The Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) is real

Do you have FOMO? If you get jealous when you see your friends’ pictures online or think they have happier lives than you, the answer is probably yes. Research from Indiana University found that regular online users often have negative views about their popularity and happiness. Taking a break from social media could help fight this problem.

Social media users may drink too much

Are you partial to a glass of red? Compulsive social media users and risky alcohol users could have a lot in common, according to research published in the Australian Journal of Psychology. The results found that both narcissistic and impulsive personalities were likely to drink excessively and use social media frequently. This study could suggest that those who use social media heavily may also drink too much.

Narcissists are drawn to social media

Worried that you’re a secret narcissist? Your social media activity may tell you everything you need to know. Research from the University of Würzburg suggests that people with a narcissistic personality are most likely to be drawn to using social media. The experts stated that this problem was a sign of “Generation Me,” i.e. a new generation of people who tend to promote themselves online.

Posting selfies could make you less popular

Are you a selfie addict? If you relish the chance to post snaps of your face online, here’s some bad news. Sharing one too many selfies on social media could lead to “criticism and disrespect” from your followers, according to a study called “The Selfie Paradox.” The research also found that this habit was linked with non-authenticity (or being fake).

It could lead to social media anxiety disorder

For most of us, social media is simply an easy way of staying in touch with friends and family. However, there’s a dark side to these platforms. Social anxiety disorder affects approximately 15 million American adults, according to experts. When people start to become obsessed with sites like Facebook and Instagram, it could fester into social media anxiety disorder.

Early social media use reduces well-being

You’re not the only one who could be negatively affected by social media; your kids could be at risk too. Research published in BMC Public Health suggests that young social media users could see reduced levels of well-being in later life. Monitoring how much your children use these sites could help them cut back and reap the benefits later on.

It could affect your academic (or work) performance

Trying to get ahead in your career or at school? It may be worth taking a break from social media for a while. One study published in Lifespan found that freshmen women spent around half their day engaged in some form of media, including social networking. The experts suggested that the more time these women spent online, the less time they spent studying.

Frequent social media users are at risk of cyberbullying

Cyberbullying can come in a broad variety of forms—from abusive messages to serious threats. The bad news is that the more you use social media sites, the higher your chance is of experiencing some form of cyberbullying. One study published in BMC Public Health found that teens who used social media for more than two hours a week were at risk.

Violent news posts could cause trauma

Social media is one of the main places people find their news. But what if that news is particularly traumatic? Viewing posts about violent events, such as terrorist attacks, on social media can cause people to experience symptoms similar to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to the British Psychological Society. If you want to avoid feeling anxious and upset, a social media detox might be in the cards.

Social media sites may be addictive

How many hours a day do you generally spend on social media? Could you use that time more wisely? Research suggests that a small number of social media users experience addictive-like symptoms, which could hinder their day-to-day lives. Should you start to become obsessive about checking your sites, taking a break from social media might be the only way to go.

It could be killing your happiness

Spending your time staring at screens—as you do when you use social media—has been linked to overall lower levels of happiness, according to a study from San Diego State University. Why not try switching off and engaging in non-screen related activities such as sports instead?

Being constantly available is unhealthy

Social media never sleeps. Since many of us have Facebook and Instagram apps on our phones, it means we are constantly available online. Sadly, feeling the need to respond at any time of day could lead to anxiety and depression, according to a study from the British Psychological Society. Taking some time away from the platforms is a healthy move.

Social media marketing could make you spend more

Scroll through Facebook or Instagram and you’ll be confronted with tons of ads. While you may not think that you’re swayed by these posts, research in the area says otherwise. Posts with high engagement (i.e. lots of comments or likes) have a dramatic influence on what people purchase, according to a study from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Management. If you want to make your own buying decisions, it could be time to switch off.

It forces us to compare ourselves to others

We’re all unique and individual. Despite this fact, many of us are guilty of comparing ourselves to others. Using social media regularly can only make this problem worse. For example, seeing your friends post about working out could make you feel worse about your weight, according to research from the University of Arizona. However, on the other hand, some people may find this comparison spurs them to exercise.

Online comments reinforce negative stereotypes

Sweeping stereotypes about groups of people are harmful and dangerous. While we may try to eradicate this problem in real life, research suggests that the problem is rife online. Social media comments often stigmatize people and reinforce stereotypes, according to one study from Oregon State University. Disengaging from these sites could be one way to avoid these negative opinions.

Social media may influence “suicide-related behavior”

If you happen to be suffering from any mental health problems, you may want to take a break from social media. Research published by the American Public Health Association suggests that both the internet and social media can influence “suicide-related behavior.” It’s important that those at risk seek help and support from the people around them.

Women are at risk of victimization

Almost half of women who use social media say that they have been sexually victimized online, according to a survey from the British Psychological Society (BPS). The most common form of this victimization was being asked to share sexually explicit photos of themselves on social sites, while women also reported having experienced threatening and humiliating behaviour from users.

Digital footprints are hard to erase

While you may instantly delete an ill-timed joke or risqué comment online, it only takes a second for another user to screen-grab it and use it against you. Adolescents should be particularly careful about what they post, according to information from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. However, this is an issue that affects us all and we should always think before we hit “send.”

Using social media could impact your sleep

How much sleep are you getting each night? Research published in the Preventive Medicine found a link between social media use and sleep disturbance in young adults. Since inadequate sleep could lead to low levels of well-being and poor brain function, it’s crucial that we learn to log off sooner rather than later.