I need a detox from social media
Social media. Social. Media. I could easily turn this into a relentless rant on the multiple facets of social media which I dislike. But I shall try my best not too. I really do not want to show my age here, but when I was a budding teenager, Facebook and Myspace were the two main culprits that often stole my attention. Apologies, but how can I forget MSN. Once school finished, the rush home to sign on and speak to the same group of friends that you spent the past six hours with. Priceless.
Have you ever sat down and asked yourself “why do I scroll through these apps endlessly throughout the day?”
Today we live in an era dominated by social media platforms. For the past few months, Instagram and Twitter really had my mental health in a chokehold, suffocating the life out of me. I hate how we are constantly exposed to so much at the ease of a few scrolls or clicks. I would go through each day wondering where has the day gone? Why do I not have enough time? What have I actually achieved today?
Instagram. For all its funny videos, important news articles and inspiring posts, social media apps really affect your mental health. I used to scroll through Instagram and compare myself to others. Seeing people at a young age buy houses or expensive cars would often force me to look inwards, asking myself what have I actually achieved in my life? Am I successful? Am I behind?
Although I love studying and aspiring for more qualifications, sometimes I feel that people do not support me or appreciate the difficulty of my journey. I have graduated three times from university, acquiring a History degree, Law degree and Masters in Law. Yet, I would feel obsolete because society places so much importance in having a highly paid job, your own house, a flashy car. A lot of people are so focused on the milestones and checkpoints that they miss the value in the journey and the lessons you learn. Throughout the past few weeks, I felt alone. I continued to question whether this is all worth it or whether this is truly my purpose in life. Scrolling through instagram compounded this feeling every single day. I felt as though I was trapped in a toxic cycle that no one understood or could support me with.
The more I would scroll, the more I would see posts that reinforced the belief that I am really behind in life. Often on my explore page, posts I did not want to see would keep popping up every, single, time. Mentally, it was really draining. I felt as though my life was inadequate in comparison to the depictions I saw on social media.
Social media suffocates our minds. It forces you to compare yourself to people you hardly even know. It forces you to compare your reality to someone else’s highlight reel.
Twitter. Only God knows how, but I have had a Twitter account for over ten years now. At the best times, I would find myself scrolling through and laughing at threads of funny videos and memes. However, Twitter often feels like an echo chamber of lies, false pretences and sadness. A lot of people project false perceptions of themselves and their thoughts, making it seem as though they live a wonderful life 24/7. At times, Twitter makes you feel inferior for not living similar lives to other people. The constant projection of baseless narratives by people with no substance really grinds my gears.
Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like Twitter can be a volatile place. Seeing one or two tweets can ruin your mood completely. The constant recycling of trauma and injustices around the world can really numb you. I would often see tweets and question whether this is actually reality. Seeing this on a daily basis really desensitises us to the realities of life. We view moments on our phones screens that people in other parts of the world are experiencing first hand.
Scrolling through social media feels like riding a rollercoaster that I do not remember signing up for. It feels like a vicious cycle.
We need more honest conversations about how social media affects us mentally. I feel like social media really controls your brain. Almost like a mental health dictator. People will tell you how you should live your life or how you should feel about certain situations, creating a false reality and misleading standards for you to adhere to. Personally, it got to the point where I just had to deactivate all my accounts and delete the apps. It felt as though I was taking a step back because I was not as clued up on recent events or ‘connected’ to the world.
But I felt free. I felt as though I had more time on my hands to read, reflect on my life, spend longer in the gym or even catch up with friends. Mentally I felt a lot clearer. It felt like a mental detox. Sometimes you have to take a step back to see the bigger picture. Do not be afraid to disconnect from social media or your phone to get some more clarity. Deactivating from social media has helped me reaffirm belief in myself, my purpose and the journey I am on.
Peace of mind is one of the most lucrative commodities in today’s society. Do not forget that.
You know the vibes.
Brian Kapuku is a Contributing Writer for MindMapperUK.
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