Picture this: You wake up in the morning feeling flushed with positive energy, happy, and content. The very next thing you do is reach out for your phone to open social media, and you start scrolling. One friend of yours is posting a picture from your most sought-after vacation destination. Your sibling just posted a before and after picture of her body and that makes you hate your love handles even more. Your previous co-worker said yes to a dream job, and everything in her life seems so sorted. This is a part of social media addiction that you should a break from. Know the result of continuous scrolling and the signs you need a break from social media.

What social media addiction can do to your health?

Constantly comparing yourself to others can make you feel drowned in the pool of mixed emotions from anger and frustration to discontentment. We all fail to realise that what we see on social media is only a fraction of reality. Despite that, we give in to comparison and feelings of envy or insecurity. The happy pictures of everybody’s lives can trigger our insecurities, leaving us feeling dejected. In normal lives, if we learn to strike a balance, social media is an ideal way to stay connected with people and keep up with trends. But, watch out for some signs of burnout and immediately take a break from social media for your sanity.

Health Shots got in touch with clinical psychologist, Mimansa Singh Talwar, to understand some signs that you need a social media break.

Signs you need a social media break

Even though social media has many upsides keeping us connected with our dear ones who live in far-away places whom we don’t see regularly. However, sadly, people only post about the good stuff happening in their lives and incessant use of social media can lead to anxiety, depression, or low self-esteem.

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“Given the pervasive presence of gadgets around us, it is becoming more reflexive for one to reach out to smartphones and start scrolling mindlessly. Sitting idle is not a thing anymore. You will mostly find people looking down on their screens reading, searching, browsing, listening, connecting or more through various social media platforms. Excessive use of anything is harmful, and this holds true for social media as well. We talk about health from so many perspectives, we must also consciously include disconnecting from our smartphones as a part of our well-being,” said Mimansa Singh Talwar.

Constant engagement on social media can have a negative influence on you in so many ways, and some signs that you need a break from social media are:

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1. Constant comparison

When you find yourself in a space where you no longer use social media as a means of entertainment, rather you feel stuck in a loop of constant comparison, then you must hit pause, and get off social media for a while.

“When you are increasingly comparing yourself with what you are viewing on social media, feeling discontentment with yourself or your life,” said the expert.

2. Constantly checking the level of engagement

“When you have a constant desire to open your posts to view the level of engagement, and negative or less engagement leads to unpleasant mood,” says the expert.

Some people validate themselves on the basis of the number of likes, shares, or followers on social media. More engagement leads to more self-acceptance and vice-versa. This is an unhealthy pattern, for a few likes can’t decide who you are. This is the time that you take a break from social media.

3. Fear of missing out (FOMO)

With so much clutter and excess information through social media platforms, it’s easier to fall prey to FOMO. Social media has designed us to feel that happiness is doing something else, being somewhere else to feel more content, leaving us unhappy with our current situation. Constantly fathoming what other people have got, we fail to realize the value of this precious present moment.

“Take a break when you constantly want to be aware of what is happening out there which could be related to your friends, peers, trends, or information and should be up-to-date,” said Mimansa Talwar.

4. When every aspect of your life starts getting affected

“Taking a break is important when you start being so preoccupied and easily distracted by social media that it starts to impact you, your relationships or work. When social media takes priority over other things, go for a digital detox,” said the expert.

5. You start scrolling mindlessly

Scrolling over social media becomes a bad habit that you find yourself checking your phone every now and then without even realizing it. Even in your small breaks, you feel the constant urge to open it mindlessly. That’s when you need to break this habit by saying no to social media for a while.

Look out for these signs and don’t let social media get the better of your mental health!