Do you ever find yourself doomscrolling on social media? Do you struggle to break free from your social media time and feel “addicted“ to it? If you answered yes to both of these questions, you could benefit from social media breaks, so please read on.
Social Media Adds Stress to Our Lives
It’s only been within the last 20 years that humans have been exposed to social media, and it’s pretty safe to say that using social media adds to our collective stress because of the additional screen time that it adds on for us to be “social.“
Social Media as the Default Mode of Human Interaction
As we become more attuned to spending time on social media, our ability to interface in real situations with other human beings has suffered. This is an across-the-board experience, and it suggests that we do need time to take breaks from social media use, especially if you suffer from trauma.
How Social Media Worsens Trauma
Even though you may enjoy spending time catching up on the latest experiences with your friends and family, viewing curated (or AI generated/modified) images on social media gives a very superficial impression of what others lives are like. It invariably brings up comparisons between one’s lived experience and what we see as two- dimensional experiences on social media.
Our Insides and Their Outsides
This comparing our life experiences with others images and verbiage that’s put into social media posts brings up a bad basis for a comparison: our insides versus others outsides, and it does suggest that we need to take breaks from social media to be able to reorient ourselves to three-dimensional existence.
How Social Media Breaks Can Foster Trauma Recovery
Social media breaks extend the concept of what has been called the digital detox to our lives in a potentially more robust manner. Social media breaks can be done on a daily or weekly basis, or for longer periods of time conceivably. It’s meant to help you to get out of the comparison trap, as well as to avoid the verbal and emotional abuse that can often go with social media and their pernicious algorithms that continually feed content to us.
Social Media Breaks are for Everyone
You don’t have to be a trauma survivor to benefit from social media breaks. We all can benefit from having less stress in our lives, and taking breaks for however long you deem necessary can help to improve your overall health and well-being. This is especially true if you use social media for news and information. As there tends to be a high degree of mis/disinformation on social media, you can find other more reputable sources for your news and your social media breaks can double as a form of news fasting.
What if Your Social Media Use Feels Out of Control?
Many people struggle with social media addiction, as well as to the ‘brain rot’ that can go with excessive use of digital media. I support all my clients in their recovery work, including setting limits on their social media use and screen time if it becomes a problem. I encourage you to call the number at the top of the screen, click on the schedule consultation button above, or fill out an inquiry form below if you live in MD or VA and want to find out if I can help you with your particular set of problems. The time you save from excessive social media and screen time could be a huge boon to you in more life-giving and restorative experiences. Take the first step today!
Visit our page on trauma therapy to find out how Scott can help you in establishing social media breaks.
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. His most recent book is titled The 5 Pillars of Addiction Recovery and is available for purchase on Amazon and in paperback on this website.