Digital Detox to Reduce Anxiety
In the modern age, we are faced with a dilemma. Do we pursue all our goals and ambitions or fully take care of our health? The recent rise of mobile phone usage has made our society very dependent on them and the functionalities they provide. It has never been easier to get lost in the digital world. Even though we fully accept this form of commitment, it doesn’t mean it is any better for our mental and physical well-being. Many are seeking an exit from this always-online situation and so should you!
The mental health situation all around the world has never been worse. The same online world that drives our life is the reason for the overall rise in the number of suicides and mental health cases. I am not claiming it is the only reason, but it makes losing your mind that much easier.
That brings us to the part where we discuss the answer. Of course, the easiest way to prevent the decline of our mental health is to just stop using our phones and the apps on them. The problem here is that by doing so, we forfeit mostly every shot we have at having a successful career in most fields today. No, the best way to approach the problem is to take it down a notch. That’s where Digital Detox, or DD for short, comes in.
1. Reduced anxiety and depression
There have been many studies conducted to see how constant phone usage affects our behavior, brain function, and overall development as individuals. The conclusions were mostly always pointing to it being negative. Even though it brings us immediate joy and validation — it makes us more anxious and tired. The more recent study conducted on university students concludes that extensive usage of mobile phones had a devastating impact on the mental and physical health of the students.
Neck pain, back pain, lack of enthusiasm, and raise of depression and anxiety were just the tip of the iceberg of the effects these students were experiencing when compared to the other group of people who were instructed to not use their phones as much.
The problem isn’t in the phones but in the way we use them. Too much time spent on them will result in fatigue and joint pain and on the other hand, too much time spent on SM and other content outlets will result in higher levels of anxiety and depression.
What your DD should consist of isn’t just throwing your phone out but making sure you use it only when you need to.
2. Social Media
When we talk about DD, we can’t let SM slip out of the conversation. All the problems connected to extensive phone usage always come back to good-old social media.
The rise of SM hasn’t been all that bad. We can now meet people all around the world, share our interests, stay in touch with people closest to us and stay informed about the world from different perspectives. It doesn’t take a genius to see where it can all go wrong.
While it helps us widen our perspective, it also leaves us wide open to controversies, addiction, fake news, wrong standards, and unhealthy habits at the least. Considering the fact that girls today look up to models that set standards for looks and physique as idols, and boys get influenced by other uncensored people who don’t hold up the torch to their loving parents and teachers, it is a catastrophe in itself.
3. Real connections
The way to dissolve the influence of fake people that set fake, and unhealthy standards is to make the most of your real-life connections. Friends and family should be priority number one. Nothing online should come even close to them.
When making a friend online (for this example, we are talking about a purely online connection as opposed to an online connection you met with later in life.), it is almost perfect. Your interests are aligned, you know everything about them (what they want you to know), and they make you happy because you spend your time with them only when doing the thing you bonded on.
Building a friendship offline is not that easy. You meet the person as they are, with warts and all. When hard times hit you have to be there for them and vice versa. If your problems are too heavy to handle, you need to trust the other person to help you.
After you compare the two, yes, on paper, your online friend will bring you nothing but good times, but to have these good times, first, you need somebody to take care of you when bad times hit. If the friendship is strong enough, no online friend can ever take the place of a real-life connection.
4. Improved sleep
Blue light and engaging content are nothing short of a recipe for insomnia. As this article explains, light of any kind, most of all blue light, suppresses the secretion of melatonin which is vital for a healthy sleep schedule.
By undergoing DD, you will see much improvement in the way you fall asleep and the mood you wake up in. It will be so much easier to take that dream boat without first staring at the screen for hours.
5. Apps for Digital Detox
To help you with your DD, I have made a list of my favorite apps that are up to the task. The list down below is linked to the appropriate websites that will explain the capabilities of the mentioned apps.
Conclusion
Your well-being should be priority #1. By doing a digital detox, you will not magically solve all your problems, but you will make the first step in solving one that is a building block of the solutions to others — your mental and physical health. This post is made by someone who has experience in the field of being addicted to all sorts of apps and online features, and I can honestly tell you that getting myself rid of the need to be online has been a big game changer in my life. I wish you all the luck in the world in your pursuit of happiness.
Good luck!
