Social media has become a bad addiction for many. A habit that is hard to break. And many will and would have withdrawals if they were made to stop social media unwillingly. This is the challenge.
In order to break free from the invisible handcuffs of social media, you must first recognize you have a problem.
And from that problem, you must recognize what it has done to harm you or your life. That may be your lack of achievements, the tired feeling, the envy from comparing yourself to others, or even your relationships. It’s personal to each.
Once you recognize how negative social media is to your life, then you will not only view it differently, but you may have a different feeling towards it.
If you start to have more negative feelings towards social media, you will no longer turn to it to “make you feel better” or to replace your boredom. Instead you will be turned off by it. And you will begin to second guess whether you should pick up your phone.
The change doesn’t happen overnight. And many will likely go back to social media and their phones more times than they would like. But if you can continue to recognize the harm it is doing to you and your life, then you will eventually moderate your usage or be more aware of your time spent.
Are there other ways to stop using social media?
The easiest way is to no longer have access to social media. Meaning not have the ability to even go on it.
But this often takes significant discipline and it may be a shock to anyone’s system since it is a complete change in behavior. This is why withdrawal is so hard for people in many things. Because they have become dependent on something – and for it to be completely taken away is too much to handle.
By too much to handle, this does not mean you cannot accept it. It means your brain and the dopamine and whatever else that occurs when you have done something repeatedly is impacted, it will affect your mood and desires.
No one likes change. But after enough times of something – the behaviors become normal. And then they become integrated into your daily routine and life.
There was a time you were not dependent on social media. You need to get back there. And that requires your own ability to have some self control and resist your urges.
Start small but be mindful. Know that you have to stop and stop sooner rather than later. The earlier. you can cut something off, the sooner it becomes more normal in terms of the amount of time you use it.
If you taper off, it will be easier on you. And the transition will likely seem more natural.
But remember, change, any for that matter, is very, very difficult. However, this is the only way.
Be aware. Be Alpha. Limit your use of social media.