Freedom From Social Media Addiction
In conversations with friends, social media is always something that comes up as something that we all hate, yet are always on.
Social media is like the toxic ex that we keep going back to. It’s never when your friends and family tell you how you need to break up with them (you know deep down that they’re right, but just can’t bring yourself to do it). No, it’s when you finally decide to choose your joy. Your health. Your peace. You finally choose yourself. And look, I’m not here to tell you to break up with social media. Do you. If you’re happy, like truly happy with your relationship with social media… please tell me what you are doing!
I was addicted to social media; I will just flat out say it at this point. And even when the infamous Social Dilemma came out on Netflix, where experts and former employees who created the damn thing laid out the fundamental, indisputable reasons why social media, despite connecting us, also controls, polarizes, manipulates, monetizes, and divides us, and that they don’t go on it themselves (let alone their kids), I still went back.
You can google the Harvard studies and the extensive scientific research on social media addiction. But in the end, you have to decide for yourself. It took me 10+ years, a global pandemic, and a solo trip to the jungle to finally acknowledge the toxicity of social media (being surrounded by nature with no obligations, and still finding myself picking up my phone every other minute, I realized that I had a serious problem).
Here are 3 reasons why I’m changing my relationship with social media:
1) I just don’t like how social media makes me feel.
After countless hours of scrolling, hyper-editing my photos, and anxiously awaiting likes and comments to trickle in, I became mentally fatigued trying to keep up in this rat race. I was constantly consumed with judgement and comparing myself to others. I was trying to keep up this (seemingly) perfect made up internet version of myself, while on the inside I was hurting. Through my yoga and meditation practice, I have been able to create space and get in better tune with my feelings and experiences, and I realized that I just don’t like how social media was making me feel.
2) Time is my greatest asset.
I kid you not, I was averaging 7-8 hours of screen time a day, 3 of those hours dedicated to Instagram alone. As a young woman who just turned 30 — I have time on my side. Time is the most valuable and precious thing in life. I couldn’t imagine being in my 90s thinking about all of the time I wasted scrolling and trying to impress other people. I have big goals and dreams, and I know Tom Brady, Oprah, and all of the countless other greats were not wasting their time away on social media in their pursuit of greatness.
3) I need to free myself from my ego.
In yoga, we talk a lot about ego. Ego is our sense of self, our “I-am-ness.” Our ego is what attaches to pleasure and avoids pain. Our ego loves it when our photos get a lot of likes. We are not our egos. When I am not caught up in social media, I experience freedom to be me and experience my true Self. It is a beautiful experience. By spending much less time on my phone, I am going inward and tuning in, experiencing the world around me, and discovering what it is I truly want in life, free of distraction and judgement.
I will close with this:
I understand the power of the internet and social media. It has an undeniable, unique ability to act as a gateway for meaningful connection, growth, and access, access that many people would never have if it weren’t for these tools. If you are unhappy, and just on social media just to be on it, get intentional about your relationship with social media. Your time, mental health, and sanity are just too valuable. And if you are a business owner or influencer who is making and income from your social media accounts, budget for someone who can do it for you or, log-in, post what you need to post, reply who you need to reply to, and sign off. Whatever you need to do.
Now, what to do with this newfound free time, and how to actually face yourself and your emotions? Well, that’s a blog post for another day, which I will now have the time to actually write.
I’d love to hear about what your relationship with social media has been and how you manage it in your life.
Remember, you are not alone in your journey. Whether you’re dealing with social media addiction, or whatever challenge you’re facing at this point in your journey. Healing is possible and will be a lifelong journey. Just don’t give up on yourself.