Why I Take Social Media Breaks
I’ve tried to quit social media many times, but I’ve always been drawn back to it. The main reasons I’ve stayed or returned to social media are for my friends, my family, blog readers, and the two people other than my husband who comment something nice on my posts. I love to feel like I’m positively impacting someone’s life and encouraging them in some way.
But when I scroll through social media for an extended period, I usually feel pretty bad after. I feel like I’ve wasted hours of my life scrolling into oblivion, refreshing my feed, and obsessing over the aesthetic of my profile.
I feel anxious about the bad news I see, frustrated by the lack of reach my content receives from the algorithm, and annoyed by just about everyone doing the latest dance to a song that has nothing to do with the captions swarming around their heads.
It’s not them; it’s me.
You may think, “Just don’t scroll, just post your content and get off.” If you use social media and are honest with yourself, you know it’s not that simple.
As human beings, we are naturally curious and crave connection. These social media platforms make it hard to post and get off. Not many people can ignore the red hearts, likes, or message notifications they receive when they open the app, and I’m no different.
Check out the movie The Social Dilemma. It talks all about the psychology of social media from the perspective of the app developers, and it’s pretty scary. I tell my kids to take a break from their social media all the time for this very reason, and as an adult and a parent, I believe it’s essential to practice what I preach.
I’ve found that my mental well-being is negatively impacted by social media when I use it regularly. I’ve decided to put my mental health first and finally break this addictive cycle I’ve been on for good because it’s not worth it.
A few Bible verses came to mind as I reflected on deciding to take regular social media breaks. I found encouragement in them, and I plan to refer to them often:
“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything.” —1 Corinthians 6:12
“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do, but what I hate I do.”
—Romans 7:15
“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” —1 Corinthians 10:13
Being off social media helps me be more present, focused, and productive, and I have more time to focus on the things and people that are most important to me. I believe God can lead the people who need encouragement and to hear my story through my website and in person—and that’s what I desire the most.
