We all could use a digital detox. As a society we’re depressed and anxious; we need a break. You know it and I know it. In a perfect world, we could all go on a long holiday far far away. I hear Mars is wonderful this time of year or Pluto.
We wanted the internet to be a vibrant place to share ideas, bring people together, and make our lives easier. Yet, when I check my phone, I’m bombarded with horrific news around the globe.
Why Are We So Anxious?
It’s no wonder we are all anxious. The human mind can only take so much negativity. Right now we are receiving too much. A steady stream of tragedies 24/7 is not conducive to a healthy mind.
Notice how much an American President ages from their first day in office to their last? A constant onslaught of information is too much even for the best of us.
Anxiety is our mind thinking too much. It’s taking in too much information than the situation needs. Raise your hand if you’re an over-thinker like me!
Negativity Bias
Have you felt like you focus more on the bad than the good? Psychologists call it the negativity bias. It’s the idea that our minds hold on to negative information more than positive. Have you ever submitted a paper in school that you’re proud of? Or you did some kind of home improvement like painting a room. A friend or spouse might praise the job but points out a small mistake or two. Our minds often dwell on negative feedback. We then completely forget the overwhelming positive remarks. That is the negativity bias.
Watch the nightly local news. Notice how they report more negative news than positive. The majority are murders, fires, and scandals. Once a night they throw a feel-good story in. Yet the majority is depressing and anxiety-inducing. Our minds already are prone to focus on the bad, and then the news makes it worse by feeding us bad news.
And It Gets Worse
Our anxiety only gets worse from here. Now let’s venture onto the internet. It’s faster, wider, and more streamlined for our brains than good old-fashioned television. And social media uses complex algorithms based to show us relevant news and stories.
Do you find it strange how easy it is to scroll on Instagram or Tik Tok for ten minutes? Fifteen? And HOUR! Social media is a lot of negativity. Some memes are funny, but there is an overwhelming stream of self-deprecating humor. I argue that most social media is a waste of time.
If you’re brave you can venture over to Twitter and that’s like wandering into the bad side of town. One post can welcome hundreds of abusive comments. There is one important thing to remember about social media. It’s not real. It’s very easy to hide behind a screen and be someone else.
The same for Instagram. Everyone might look happy and have the time of their lives. But don’t forget that these images are carefully chosen to present a reality that may not exist. Looks are deceiving.
So What Can We Do?
Ever ride a subway at rush hour? Take a plane during the holiday season? It is chaos. Everyone is rushing to wherever they need to be. That’s how I sometimes feel browsing social media. It’s too stimulating and overwhelming. Before we move on don’t forget about depression. Anxiety and depression often coincide with each other. Check out this article for symptoms we sometimes ignore..
Take A Step Back
Unplug. Just step back and look around. It’s amazing how much we are missing out on when we’re so busy looking down at our devices. Live in the moment.
Change your phone settings. Did you know you can limit your screen time? Check it out. Apple for example offers screen time limits. Honestly, I didn’t know this existed until last week. Come up to the surface and take a breath.
It gets easier. Just like changing any habit or routine, it’s hard at first. We have had the world at our fingertips for over a decade with smartphones. It will take some time to adjust.
The thing is, we don’t NEED every answer answered instantaneously.
We don’t NEED every answer answered immediately.
I love this quote by the musician/actor Tom Waits:
Tom Waits
“Everything is explained now. We live in an age when you say casually to somebody ‘What’s the story on that?’ And they can run to the computer and tell you within five seconds. That’s fine, but sometimes I’d just as soon continue wondering. We have a deficit of wonder right now.”
Think Back
Do you remember when you were a child and you looked up at the stars and wondered how many there are? Or did you stare at the sand at the beach and ask how many grains of sand are there? We need to stop and wonder as Tom Waits said. It’s healthy to stop and ask questions with no answers. And even if the answer is easy, do we need to know the answer RIGHT NOW?
It’s healthy to sit back and think about how things were, are, and will be. We should broaden our minds by unplugging ourselves from the digital world. A Digital Detox would do us all good.
