Do you sometimes find yourself engaged in doom scrolling for no apparent reason? Do you feel glued to your cell phone, computer, or other viewing screen much or most of the time? Do you feel unable to break away from watching things mindlessly on your cell phone or other electronic device? If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, then you may need to consider a digital detox, so I encourage you to read on!
The Need For Digital Detoxing Has Never Been Greater
We live in a culture that espouses all the wonders of having electronic devices in your hand on your wrist, covering your eyes, in addition to the attraction of big screens to live in a totally virtual world. The problem is that we have space age technology but have medieval minds, as one astute philosopher has recently said. Until we learn to do a digital detox to help us to recover from what ails us, we are basically enslaved to live in a digital prison or sorts that we stare into hoping for some kind of relief or fleeting joy.
So What is a Digital Detox?
A digital detox is a process of either gradually or drastically cutting back your screen time with electronic media and devices. Sometimes it happens when people go on a retreat and have their cell phones basically confiscated or put away so that they cannot engage with them for an extended period of time. Most of us don’t have that kind of discipline put on us, so what most people do for taking a break from screen time is to initiate a disciplined limitation of the amount of it they have. This is largely up to the individual, and/or their significant others or caregivers to initiate this with them. The idea is to break the cultural addiction to screen time in some way such that you can experience life more as it is meant to be for people who don’t have brains that are attuned to such advanced technology… which ours are not at this stage of our human evolution!
How a Digital Detox Actually Supports Trauma Recovery
Although you may notice that you experience a significant amount of discomfort with initially instituting a digital detox from electronic media, the idea is to reengage with the physical world in such a way that promotes your healing and recovery. It gives you an opportunity to practice coping skills like deep breathing, journaling, and meditation in such a way that you can actually recover from the trauma that you’ve been beleaguered by for so very long. It also allows you to engage more meaningfully with friends or significant others, such that those relationships are enriched by you being more present for them, instead of continually distracted by one or more screens in front of you. It can also allow you to engage more fully with the physical world, by taking up hobbies such as gardening, yoga, or creating art… most likely by hand. What can follow from this is a feeling of freedom and independence that helps your brain to be able to be less stressed because of all the electronic stimulation that is coming into it from high technology.
How to Start a Digital Detox Plan
One way to start a digital detox is by allocating a certain amount of time each day or week for doing something independent of electronic media. It can be as simple as taking 10 to 15 minutes out of every hour that you spend engaging with electronic media to do something that’s artistic or created by hand, as well as using coping skills, such as those mentioned above for that amount of time. It could also be reading a book ideally printed on paper to help you feel more engaged without electronic stimulation.
What if You Continue to Struggle in Starting a Digital Detox?
Sometimes you may need help in getting a digital detox program started. I’ve been helping my clients to reign in their use of electronic media for my entire social work career, and I would be happy to talk with you about how I could possibly help you in getting a digital detox program started for your own trauma recovery. If you live in Maryland, then feel free to call the number at the top of the page or fill out an inquiry form below, and I’ll get back to you to set up a free phone consult so you can have a better idea about whether I could help you with your need for getting separation from electronic media. There’s so much to be gained in terms of your own trauma recovery from getting distance from you and the screens that inhabit most or all of your world, but it can be extremely important to get help and support in doing this so that you don’t continue to suffer unnecessarily from the impact of trauma in your life. If you don’t do this for yourself, then do it for those who care about you. They may be watching and hoping that you become a model for them that they can follow in recovering from their own trauma or personal malaise.
Visit our page on trauma therapy to learn more about how Scott can help you do a digital detox of your own.
About the author: Scott Kampschaefer, LCSW is a private practice therapist in Frederick, Maryland. He has an extensive background in working with depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder at a clinic for older adults with these disorders in Austin, Texas. He now works with adults and adolescents 14 and up in private practice.