The Benefits of Disconnecting from Social Media [Quiz]

If the word disconnect seems a bit scary to you, welcome, you’re not alone. When so much of our lives are tied to our devices, the thought of disconnecting can feel self-sabotaging. For many, this inevitably extends to social media, which can have an allure of its own that makes it difficult to pass on.

The Science of Social Media

One study showed that one in three people felt worse after visiting a social media site. Yet, there’s plenty of evidence and discussion about how social media still manages to hook us by providing a false sense of happiness through techniques that provoke a surge of dopamine when experienced.

While the things that keep the masses coming to social media ultimately make us feel good, keeping them at bay for periods is sure to serve us well.

What Happens When You Disconnect

Taking time apart from social media can help to center our perception of ourselves, our environment, and our direction. When we remove the illuminated projections of what other people are doing, we lift our tendency to observe it and compare ourselves to it.

The healthiest scroll through social media would be the one where we can pass by with a conscious and compassionate understanding of our tendency as humans to compare ourselves to others. Until then, creating space between you and social media is the best way to minimize the adverse effects that exposure often leads to.

Even if it doesn’t seem like much, there isn’t a way to measure how this act affects your subconscious. The stories we tell ourselves are written silently as we scroll and filter what we know about others to tell us about ourselves.

Take Time to Unplug

It’s a normal reaction, so don’t beat yourself up, but please DO take time to unplug. A break to detox your mental, physical, and emotional experience as a person attempting to do what we’re all doing—navigating this world with the help of a machine, and without it.

Don’t believe us? Take the quiz to see if you could benefit from a little break from the notification shake.