topic Detox from social media in Welcome and orientation

Detox from social media

On The Road — Fri, 25 Feb 2022 12:21:50 GMT

Recently I have been drawn into social media as I keep reading negative news (A LOT happening recently) which has triggered me and after that, I keep browsing some lighthearted content to try to make myself feel better. I found out I waste a lot of time and did no good for my mental health, also has been not productive to focus on my own business. I have tried grounding myself but can't help going back 😞

What are your opinions and practical advice on detoxing from social media? or how to use social media more wisely, I know Most ppl can't cut themselves off it for several days and most of us just go back to this.

Detox from social media

white knight — Fri, 25 Feb 2022 14:25:51 GMT

10 years ago I was a member of two motorcycle clubs on Facebook and some groups. A guy sent a nasty message "go take more meds nutter". It rocked me. I decided to stop all social media. It lasted 5 months before I realised that friends and club members wouldn't email, text or ring. I was no longer in the loop.

So I returned to FB and studied the finer details. I set about blocking anyone that was abrasive and limited who saw my posts. It was the best thing I could have done.

Social media is great if you control it and moderate its use.

TonyWK

Detox from social media

smallwolf — Sat, 26 Feb 2022 07:51:43 GMT

hello.

with the nature of social media it is hard to just stop using. There can also be some useful things to get out of it. So perhaps one thing to try is getting an app that helps you to limit the time you spend on related social media. That is one thing to try.

The other suggestion that I have is rather than to look at social media, perhaps to use that time reading... this only helps if you like reading.

Or perhaps using that time / space in the creative manner re your business.

Me... I stopped watching news. I was never a big social media user. (With that said I used to be hard into gaming. Then there was one day, when I was playing (vs working) and had this realisation this is problem and hard to work on it. It's hard.

Detox from social media

Ggrand — Sat, 26 Feb 2022 08:26:31 GMT

Hello On The Road, Tony, Tim and everyone....🤗..

I think it’s how you use social media is very important...Keeping things safe by only using it to keep updates on my family is the way I use it...

I have only a few friends on my fb book account and they are all family...

Because I live around 6-7 hours drive away and don’t really get to see them all that much..,I can talk as well as see my grandchildren growing up..things that I would I would miss and get to see are ... 1st day of school, birthdays, anniversaries and achievements earned by my grandchildren are all shared only between my family...

Without this contact...life would be a lot more lonely for me then it already is...

I do agree with our lovely Tony...about the need to be in control and use it in moderation....as well as doing everything we can to keep it safe for ourselves..

Kind thoughts..

Grandy..

Detox from social media

Mark Z. — Sat, 26 Feb 2022 09:37:04 GMT

Hi On The Road,

My way is to design my routine in details. Regulate the frequency of checking my phone and emails. For example, first 2 hours in the morning focus on planning the day and do the toughest job, adjust my phone to fly mode. And after that check my phone once an hour when I take a break, check my email only 2 times a day.

Another secret is running. When you do exercise everyday, some chemical will happen and it helps you focus and give you more confidence.

Hope it works for you too.

Mark

Detox from social media

Sophia16 — Sun, 27 Feb 2022 05:04:21 GMT

Hi,

Seeing negative news can really affect our well-being. It is understandable if you feel distressed looking at all the negative news that is going on at the moment.

I was brought up in the generation of social media use (Gen Z). It is super hard for me to stay away from it but when I have uni exams and I get super busy, I delete everything. It only lasts around 2-3 weeks though.

I, myself would love advice as to how to stay away from it. Especially when everyone uses it and it's the only way I can communicate with my friends and family.

Detox from social media

jaz28 — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 07:01:28 GMT

Hi there,

negativity certainly does have a bad effect on our mental health, especially when it is everywhere online atm.

my personal policy is to keep to a maximum of 1.5-2 hour screen time per day. if i go over this, i know it is time to set my phone down and do something else (e.g. journaling, study, reading, exercise) etc. and i try not to use my phone much for the rest of the day. you could also set a goal like this depending on your personal needs for using your phone and social media. i find it very helpful.

i hope things improve and i am sorry to hear,

jaz xx

Detox from social media

On The Road — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 15:46:30 GMT

Thank you for everyone's replies, some of you have similar struggles like I do and also provided practical advice🙂 It is stressful for me as recently I didn't spend much time on here as I couldn't focus on reading others' stories. I'm steering myself away from social media and newsfeed right now. 🙂

Detox from social media

Guest_1643 — Fri, 04 Mar 2022 10:37:57 GMT

I think fb and instagram are toxic for mh...but I know some feel it helps them connect

I think deletingfit sometimes is good self care

Detox from social media

smallwolf — Sat, 05 Mar 2022 00:51:24 GMT

there can be some good in social media but that come with a lot of caveats etc.

I am equally aware (from when I started) that it can be addictive. And if you look at influencers or what friends are doing .... that can feel like missing out! There are plenty of studies that talk about the negative aspects and impacts on mental health.

while i have not searched for anything, but I would think or hope there are stories or articles on how to deal with ort use the technology. But if the suggestions that are mentioned in these same stories do not work then removing yourself might be the best decision.

Detox from social media

On The Road — Tue, 08 Mar 2022 12:52:38 GMT

ughhh I spent so much time on social media to learn how to stop spending so much time on social media.... the irony 😂

Recently I had been down the rabbit hole of reading about wars and other bad news, which lead to the point that I turn off all notifications and even deleted some apps.

Detox from social media

smallwolf — Thu, 10 Mar 2022 11:43:16 GMT

I think it is OK to learn about how to get off ... there may have been some things or ideas you had not thought of before.

On turning off notifications... I did that about 3 years ago, when I started to see my psychologist. In that area I have not looked back. If there was a notification I had to look at it, or if an email to read it which had other implications.

It may be hard initially, but after a while it hopefully get easier.

Detox from social media

kjkj77 — Fri, 18 Mar 2022 11:35:34 GMT

Social media, you either love it or you hate it.

However, increasingly groups organisations, business and political parties and MPs have a social media presence. It is possible to successfully be informed without owning or watching 'the news" on TV. Or even reading a mainstream news paper.

I have three fb accounts, totally independent of each other. My primary account is for friends and family. I run it like a magazine with a plethora of interesting and topical postings; shared links, photographs, occasional updates on what Im up to. My fb friends are pretty well evenly split between Aust and NZ, and a few further afield. I find this fb account combined with messeger and WhatsApp great for keeping in contact on a fairly superfical level.....Closest friends and family receive the occiontional additional phone call and email if I cannot catch up personally

The 2nd account is more for the arts and hobbies, Im active in several photography groups, a very positive house plant group here in Perth. So everything on this account is seperate from friends and family and it involves my interests and hobbies that Im currently proactive in. I have a small number of 'friends' on thus account. Mostly photography and house plant enthusiasts like my self.

The third account Ive just started as Im getting increadingly interested in politics, particularly NZ politics. This account has no friends and Ill keep it this way as It is a way of engaging with a wide range of groups anonymously.

As a rule of thumb my primary fb account is for friends and family,,people I actually know and have met,,,,,in person.

Re: Detox from social media

markyrocks — Fri, 18 Nov 2022 01:46:21 GMT

I have found certain social media platforms are more toxic than others for me. Facebook, Instagram I just find myself scrolling out of boredom, and I get sick of seeing the same people or groups all the time. The algorithm doesn't suit me, so it works out better for me just to deactivate.

Platforms like Reddit I like, and also another which helps my mindfulness regime is Insight Timer. I find these a lot more conducive to my mind and daily activities. Once I am over it, I turn them off, and get back to more productive things like reading, drawing or playing with my kids.

I hope you find YOUR way that helps you in your detox.

Mark

Re: Detox from social media

Daydreamer70 — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 03:23:21 GMT

Hi there,

Social media by design is extremely addictive so its not unusual to find it difficult to decrease usage. I definietl struggle with the deleting/redownloading certain apps because I cant seem to stay off. Like some other people have mentioned here, try having restrictions around when you can/cant use the apps. I try to limit my usage first thing in the morning and before bed. Replacement activities like exercise, reading, cooking, seeing a friend, stretching or something creative can be good to distract our mind from wanting to doom scroll. Even "positive" content consumption can feel draining and at the end of the day you cant always control the content the your algorithm delivers.

Hope this helps and just know a majority of people struggle with this dilemma. Social media is new and we are all learning how to have a healthy relationship with it.

Re: Detox from social media

melodica — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 05:32:35 GMT

Hello,

I really feel you on this. That cycle of getting pulled into distressing news, then scrolling endlessly in an attempt to feel better, is exhausting. You're not alone in struggling with it.

I've had to become very intentional about what I follow and which topics I view. I actively avoid content that could trigger me. I understand how my brain works. From a neuroscience perspective, when we're exposed to distressing content, our amygdala (the brain's threat detection centre) becomes hyperactive. This triggers our stress response, flooding us with cortisol. When we then scroll through lighthearted content, we're essentially chasing dopamine hits, but because our nervous system is already dysregulated, it rarely works. Instead, we end up in a loop where our brain keeps seeking that regulation it can't find through scrolling.

What's helped me is curating my feeds ruthlessly. I've unfollowed or muted accounts that post triggering content, even if the topics are essential. I use lists or specific feeds for different purposes. I also set physical boundaries, like keeping my phone out of my bedroom and using app timers.

The grounding techniques are effective, but they work better as a preventive measure rather than an intervention. I try to ground before I pick up my phone, checking in with my nervous system first. If I'm already activated, scrolling won't help. That's when I need to step away and do something genuinely relaxing, like going outside or having a cup of tea.

It's not about perfection. I still slip into the scroll sometimes. But being intentional about my media diet has genuinely improved my mental health and freed up energy for things that matter to me.