I Quit Social Media {…And Gained a New Perspective on Life}

Confession :: I am addicted to social media. I think in headlines, hashtags, and 140 characters. It is a real obsession. 

I find myself checking my Facebook at red lights, and zoning out in bed with my spouse, both of us staring at our screens. I compulsively monitor how many likes and comments my posts get. I get excited when people share something I’ve written. I get a little high from it all. I also get low, really low. Mind-numbingly low.

I hated the lows so much, so I quit, cold turkey.

The thing is, research now shows that internet addiction is a real thing. For many, the internet has a numbing effect. It allows us to escape and numb ourselves to the realities of our lives. It gives us a temporary high — a sense of gratification as we navigate a hyper-connected world.

I Quit Social Media {...And Gained a New Perspective on Life} | Houston Moms Blog

Are you addicted to social media? Here are some clues that you may have been sucked in ::

  • You zone out from the things your spouse asks you to do.
  • You check your social media accounts every few minutes.
  • You spend more time interacting with screens {laptop, tablet, phone} than your family.
  • You look like a zombie.

If you are addicted, there is hope! Here’s a few tips on how to cleanse or detox ::

  • Turn off any and all push notifications on your phone so you don’t get constant alerts for emails, status updates, or shopping reminders
  • Remove all apps from your phone so you can only use it for it’s intended purpose … a phone
  • Let your friends know you’re taking a break, and then deactivate your social media accounts for as long as needed

Like any addiction, detoxing is hard. You will get urges; you will have withdrawals. But you will also gain clarity and perspective. Observe…

  • What is the first thing you grab for in the morning – instead of your phone?
  • What do you and your spouse talk about when you’re not on your phones or computers?
  • What do you and your children talk about over dinner?
  • What else can you do while you’re at a red light?
  • What things do you see in your day-to-day life that you miss by being glued to your screens?
  • What do you do with the time you used to spend scrolling endlessly?

Currently, I’m back on social media because the demands of my life often require me to be connected. So is there a happy medium? In a digital era, it is nearly impossible to be completely devoid of social media. But sometimes, a cleanse helps you recenter and refocus on what is real and what is important.

3 COMMENTS

  1. I’ve always wanted you to write a social media post from a professor’s point of view – but the point of view from a wife/mom is even better. Love this. I actually almost got off of Facebook before I joined HMB. But, you are right…I need a happy medium, for sure! My husband quit Twitter and he’s much happier now, and not so distracted!

  2. Thank you for writing this. I’m stuck in the “social media rut”. Hopefully I can lessen my use and get back to life, my husband, and my two littles.

  3. I love this. It’s so easy for us to get sucked into social media and neglect what’s most important. I have to throw my phone across the room sometimes to get myself to focus on what’s in front of me (my family). I love the idea of a “cleanse” versus trying to be all done w/ it all!

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