Social media overuse has peeved millennials. Although it has given lucrative opportunities to grow businesses, the flip side of the coin is easily ignored. People who use social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat can suffer from several physical and mental health issues.

Like it or not, we are hooked on social media. The moment we wake up, our hands hunt for mobile phone. Before we take toothbrush in hand, we already have scanned the notifications bar for any new likes, comments, or shares. There are hardly any dinners where people do not take quick selfies and snap pictures of their dessert. However, just like any other technological advancement, social media comes with pros and cons. Various studies over time have found some obvious and rather shocking drawbacks of excessive use of social media. Furthermore, researchers believe that frequent breaks from social media would help people maintain their mental health.

Before we dive into the subjects, here is a way to know whether you need social media detoxification or not. The feeling that you need to unplug yourself from social media is subjective. However, there are some telltale indications that may have been warning you to switch off your phones.

• Urge to scroll through social media in between conversations

• Not sleeping even when you are drowsy just to see a few more posts

• Skipping events to update social media status

• Loss of interest in other activities

• Uncontrollable feeling to post on social media

• Going out just to have more snaps to post of social media

• Dry eyes or headache due to excessive use of mobile screen

• Computer eye syndrome

Although many do not observe these signs, they are ignorantly worried that if they stay away from social media, they would miss out on some of the most important happenings in the world. The term “fear of missing out” aka “FOMO” is most suitable for such behavior. A break from social media is extremely important in today’s time for a reality check. While scrolling through pages and pages, it can be easily forgotten that the pictures that people paint for themselves rarely touch reality. No one wants to post their failures on social media. However, while browsing through other success stories, one can experience anxiety or may decrease their self-confidence and self-esteem.

Bob Marley once said, “The problem is people are being hated when they are real and are being loved when they are fake”. The line truly sums up the current state of social media. The use of social media for advertising and skyrocketed number of “social media influencers” have changed body image among people. After watching a three-minute-long video of such “influencers”, many people feel let down and slowly slip into depression. A social media detox is the easiest way to keep your brain healthy.

Last year, the famous singer, Ariana Grande declared that she would take a break from social media after her broken engagement with Pete Davidson. Apart from her, several celebrities including Selena Gomez, Ed Sheeran, Gigi Hadid, and Leslie Jones went off-grid for a while. Pulling the plug on these platforms is a healthy ritual to practice. Here are some of the underrated benefits of social media hiatus:

1.Focus on goal

A temporary breakup from social media would help you see your goal that is lost in the fog of social media posts. You no longer have to check your phone for new comments and likes. There is no need to upload new photos and find appropriate hashtags to go with your post. It would free up your mind with new ideas and give you more time to work toward achieving your goal.

2.Regain your time

You can reclaim money but not time. The latest Apple iOS offered a new feature of “screen time” where you can track your time wasted on social media. People often complain that they hardly have time for their hobbies, but the screen time gives you the exact number of minutes that you could have used for yourself.

3.Set boundaries

The social media has a horrifying dark side; it makes you addictive. It may trigger anxiety, lower self-confidence, increase self-pity, and forces you to compare yourself with others success or lives. However, shutting off from that noise is the perfect way of securing boundary for yourself, which is the most recommended form of self-care.

4.Reconnect with yourself

The new-found time in your life would help you listen to your heart. You can fulfill your innermost desires. It would help you reevaluate your life choices and if you are lacking somewhere, you can work in that direction.

Consider the social media break as a digital vacation. These platforms are here to stay. So even if you miss out on a couple of posts and did not post new stories for a week or month on Instagram, ask yourself, how much of it can really harm you? The real key is to use this time carefully to deal with issues offline. Before going completely off-grid, be clear of your goals and plan your days. It will help curb the anxiety that these social media platforms have so gracefully offered with its comparison game. Have a happy digital vacation!