Yup, I deleted Instagram, Snapchat, VSCO, Twitter and Facebook my go-to social media outlets; I’m currently in my detox mode and I’m loving it. It may be easy for some people to stay off social media outlets, but for me I am constantly checking my Instagram or Snapchat where it had become unhealthy. Outlets like these are addictive even if you check them for five minute at a time throughout the day, it adds up. It’s averaged that most people spend 1 hour 30 min on their phone daily. For me social media impacts my lifestyle habits and my mental health which are some reasons I had to stop and cleanse from it.

So why detox? Here are my 5 reasons why I started:

1. Comparing my life to others

Social media outlets are honestly just to brag about where you’ve been, what you have accomplished, and to make everyone aware of how extravagant and fun your life is but is it really? I’m guilty of it too, but the fact that we mostly post when we are doing something we think others want to be doing or would be jealous of is cruel and stupid if you really think about it.

2. Judgment from society

Whether it be body image, materialistic items, or the way you speak on social media there will always be some kind of judgment. These things often lead to cyber bullying which is something that is very common in the world today. People are starting to use social media at younger and younger ages which leads to younger kids having access to things they probably shouldn’t have access to.

3. Stopped Obsessing Over the Past

Living in the past can have a negative impact on your mental health and your way of living. Leaving social media behind for a while can give you the space you need to stop obsessing and actually move on with your life. Being away from social media means living in the moment and not worrying about what others are doing or have done in their life. It’s also important to remove the people that will leave you in a negative headspace from your social media accounts.

4. I’m learning to live by reality and not desire

Most things on social media are unrealistic, especially for me as a college kid when it comes to money. So, it’s important for me to remember what’s real and what’s not. This can be many things, but the ones that come to my mind first are, as I said before body image, materialistic items or even vacations. I think it’s important to be happy with what you have right now, because God gave you everything you have right now for a reason.

5. I’m experiencing life as it happens rather than through a screen

No matter what I’m doing or where I am I have my phone right next to me ready to flip up my camera app. Nowadays a lot of people don’t even use a hand-held camera, because our phones have it all. Instagram now has boomerangs and pictures that last only for 24-hrs like Snapchat which are very popular and fun to use, but it doesn’t mean you have to post every second of what you’re doing or seeing. I think it’s a viable way to document your life, but it can also become a burden that takes you out of the moment. If you’re living everything through the lens of social media instead of directly interacting with it, your experiences are going to be of a lower quality and become less memorable.

Overall, I’m not saying social media is a terrible thing, but I think it’s a good idea to take a break from it once in a while and spend some time off it. Spend some time in nature, meditating, let a hobby take up all your time or just find a job.