Psychologists and doctors share the best tips for going on a social media cleanse and how mindfulness can help you reap the benefits.
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I appreciate every part of myself. It was the first mantra that popped onto my screen when I opened up the SOAAK app. If you want to be more thankful, start by being thankful for what you already have. That’s a much-needed proverb as I try to navigate my life away from a culture constantly wrapped up in consumerist ideals and a grindset mentality. In 2024, I’m focused on mindfulness, finding more joy in the now, and redefining my life for more happiness and reduced stress. It’s one of the reasons that I downloaded the SOAAK app and clicked on a 21-day program with Dr. Michael Beckwith. Studies have shown that sound frequencies and mindfulness meditation reduce stress and improve mental and physical health. Plus it never hurts to remind myself to simply be thankful for me. Adopting a regular gratitude practice has been found to reduce feelings of stress and depression and improve heart health.
In tandem with using this app, I’ve also reduced my intake of social media. Nowhere is consumerist culture seen more than on social media. The number of ads I come across within 30 seconds of being on Instagram is enough to induce feelings of anxiety and stress. That’s not an ideal state for those of us trying to embrace sustainable lifestyles. While I do think social media can be a great tool to connect, share ideas, and spark necessary conversations it can also be a tool that sparks not-so-great feelings like depression, anxiety, and inadequacy.
Because navigating a tool like social media can be more difficult than downloading an app, I decided to reach out to experts to learn how to go on a social media cleanse the right way to reap the benefits. I also wanted to share how we can re-adapt to the various platforms after a certain time.
Step #1: Define Your Why
According to Tatiana Garcia, LPC, a licensed psychotherapist and coach specializing in high-functioning anxiety, the first step to going on a social media cleanse is to get clear about your intentions. Tatiana suggests, “Identify your ‘why,’ your reason for going on this social media cleanse. Will it allow you to be more present with your loved ones? Focus more at work? Stop comparing yourself as much to others?”
Everyone has their own reasons as to why they’d like to delete TikTok or Instagram. I went on a social media cleanse to shop less, relieve feelings of anxiety, and be more present in my day-to-day life. Danielle Kelvas, MD, an entrepreneur and retired ER physician, quit social media nearly a decade ago. “I removed social media from my life over seven years ago now and never returned because I realized how much it contributed to poor mental health,” she said.
Having a clear reason for why you’re going on a social media cleanse will help during the FOMO moments. “Getting clear with your why will make it easier to follow through with your plan,” Tatiana explains.
What Are The Best Practices?
The best tip for staying off of social media is to remove the temptation. “Delete any social media apps on your phone. Making it more difficult to access social media will make it easier to stick to the cleanse,” Tatiana says. If you’re unwilling to hit delete, there are other tips you can adopt to avoid scrolling. Danielle suggests that you should, “Turn off all notifications on your phone, including text messages,” and instead only have alerts for family members. “To reduce the addictive itch to scroll through SM, turn off the colors on your screen, and switch it to greyscale for a few weeks,” she explains. “Believe it or not, this gives your eyes and your nervous system a rest.”
Another great tip is to “Find something to replace this behavior with so you don’t feel compelled to seek out social media,” according to Tatiana. I replaced social media with a sound frequency and meditation app that helped to refocus my attention and calm my nerves. Of course, there are other activities that you can do as well in your newly-found free time. Tatiana suggests, “Having books or magazines nearby when you get bored, calling a friend instead of stalking their social media, writing how you are feeling in a journal, or engaging in a hobby.”
Benefits Of A Social Media Cleanse
When I swapped social media for a mindfulness app I definitely noticed reduced feelings of anxiety. As mentioned earlier, excessive social media use has been linked to feelings of anxiety. “The benefits of going on a social media cleanse can be decreased anxiety, depression, and feelings of loneliness,” Tatiana explains. “Increased usage of social media is positively correlated with all 3 of these factors. It is very likely that a lack of genuine human connection has resulted in increased isolation and more mental health concerns.”
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Another benefit is that we refocus our attention on the community around us. Danielle noticed this when she opted for more human-to-human connections than social media. “My relationships deepened and matured when I switched to calling instead of SM messages and texting. Acquaintances did fade away, but made me value my tight-knit community instead of trying to keep up with 1,000s of people (which contributes to anxiety and depressive disorders).”
What’s The Ideal Timeframe?
There isn’t a right or wrong or wrong answer here. Yet, Tatiana suggests a minimum of two weeks is ideal. “This will allow you to have some perspective and see the impact social media has on your life and mental health, in addition to giving you the opportunity to choose whether or not and how much you would like social media to be a part of your life,” she says.
While I opted for 21 days, others have decided to quit and never look back. The time you choose to step away from social media is up to you to decide on the benefits. “The action of taking a break from social media is highly variable. For some people, it’s a day, several days, a week, or even longer,” Jephtha Tausig, PhD., a clinical psychologist, suggests that the break should personally fit your needs. “The main thing is taking a break from social media to allow time to reset personal daily routines.”
What Does A Healthy Relationship With Social Media Look Like?
Once I decided to go back on social media, I wondered how much time I should or shouldn’t be spending on the apps. Jephtha suggests that we avoid looking at social media as something we need to do. “Unless one is a social media professional, it’s an ‘extra’ not a ‘necessity.’ It’s like dessert. Nice to have, an extra treat, but not a necessity like the rest of the meal. So, it’s helpful to think of social media as a treat, good in moderation but not good when you overdo it.”
Tatiana offers a mindful tactic when it comes to how we use social media. “A healthy relationship with social media looks like being intentional with your social media usage. Rather than spending it automatically scrolling through social media, decide how can you use social media as a tool to enhance your life, rather than the way you spend most of your time?”
Since quitting social media, my relationship with apps is no longer about late nights scrolling or filling my bored time on apps. I look around and find people to talk to. I pick up the phone to call friends I haven’t seen in a while. And, as Jephtha said, I see it as a dessert. Social media is a great tool that I’ve learned to use sparingly to reap the benefits and keep the negative feelings at bay.
