Detox from social media

[On The Road]

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.

[On The Road]

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.

[smallwolf]

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.

[kjkj77]

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.

[markyrocks]

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

[Daydreamer70]

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. 

[melodica]

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.