We live in a generation that is social dependent. We are always seeking the approval of others and letting them determine our self-worth. If we don't get hundreds of likes and comments on our pictures, we feel like we are not good enough. I admit, I am a part of the pandemic. It seems like everywhere I turn, people are glued to their phones. My mom gets so mad at me because I am always checking SnapChat, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter. When did we get this way? When did we become so dependent on knowing what everyone else is doing? We need to put a stop to it. We are teaching kids earlier and earlier that we need to be plugged into society to be liked. I remember when I was in elementary school, I would come home and play outside with my neighbors; now kids are going home and plopping down on the couch with the iPad. Here are 4 reasons why we should spend less time on social media.

1. Focusing on your health and well-being.

When we are constantly scrolling through our social apps, we tend to worry more about what we are reading rather than focusing on ourselves. When we see a post that we don't like, we tend to dwell on it and let it stress us out or upset us. We are creating the condition of Social Media Anxiety Disorder, where our social media is, in fact, affecting our mental health. When we spend less time away from social media, we can focus more on our mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health. If you limit the people you “stalk” on Facebook or Instagram, you will become more focused on your own ambitions, goals, and achievements.

2. It could save relationships.

How many times have we fought with our significant other or friend over a post we saw on Instagram or SnapChat? Social Media is beginning to ruin relationships because of that reason right there. We fight over little things like a person that we do not like commenting a heart eye emoji on our boy/girlfriend's posts, or someone "sub-tweeting" about us. Whatever happened to old fashion dating? Where someone catches your eye from across the street and you go up and talk to them, rather than finding them on Twitter and "DM-ing" them. I don't know about you, but I don't want to be telling my children someday that mommy and daddy are fighting because of a post on Facebook. I think relationships would be so much healthier if both partners were able to just take a break from seeking everyone's approval on how they look as a couple and just be happy.

3. Publicity is not always a good thing.

With the technology that is at our fingertips, it isn't hard for someone to find out loads of information about someone. Your future employer could find that picture of you at that party in college, or something could be put on a social media site that you didn't want to be shown. These apps could also potentially bring you harm. When you check-in somewhere, the wrong person could get a hold of that information and you could be in trouble. Cyberstalking is very real in this day in age. In the United States alone, 6.6 million people will be stalked this year.

4. Bettering yourself is better than stressing over others.

When we take a break from the madness of the media, we can spend time on doing things for ourselves. Putting down the phone can help us focus more on our studying because we could always use a better grade in a class. We can focus on getting in shape. Going to the gym and working out for 30 minutes is better than wasting 30 minutes double tapping pictures. We could spend more time with our families and loved ones, because we know tomorrow is never promised. There are so many ways that we as individuals could improve ourselves if we just limited the time that we spent mindlessly scrolling.

Technology is all around us, and there is nothing we can do about it. However, stepping away from the Social Media can bring our attention to things going on around us, rather than what is on the device in our hands. I'm by no means saying it is always bad, but sometimes it is just best to get away. When we take a break from the media, we can focus more on our own lives rather than everyone else's. We can focus on bettering ourselves and that, to me, is way better than 100 likes on a selfie.