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I quit social media for 6 months.
Here's what happened.
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Here's what happened.
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During the height of the pandemic, I noticed my mental health took a toll.
It was like I had been ignoring an ascending rollercoaster ride. Then, I hit the plateau.
No suspension, no wait.
Drop.
I couldn't ignore it any longer. I knew I had to make drastic changes.
It was like I had been ignoring an ascending rollercoaster ride. Then, I hit the plateau.
No suspension, no wait.
Drop.
I couldn't ignore it any longer. I knew I had to make drastic changes.
I noticed my screen time was at 8 hours a day...
I scrolled Twitter looking at sports news.
I watched Youtube videos about nonsense.
I was watching my creative friends succeed on Instagram.
It was too much for me to handle.
So, I quit.
I scrolled Twitter looking at sports news.
I watched Youtube videos about nonsense.
I was watching my creative friends succeed on Instagram.
It was too much for me to handle.
So, I quit.
On 1st January 2021, I deleted all social media apps from my phone.
Twitter, Instagram, Facebook. All gone.
Youtube was put on a timer. I made a pledge to only watch videos that would educate me.
Twitter, Instagram, Facebook. All gone.
Youtube was put on a timer. I made a pledge to only watch videos that would educate me.
The first few days were incredibly strange.
Have you ever heard of that sensation 'phantom vibrations'?
It's where you don't have notifications turned on, but you feel a buzz in your pocket.
Yeah, that happened.
Every. Single. Hour.
Have you ever heard of that sensation 'phantom vibrations'?
It's where you don't have notifications turned on, but you feel a buzz in your pocket.
Yeah, that happened.
Every. Single. Hour.
As time passed, however, it faded.
After a week, I started to notice the tiniest details of life which had felt absent for so long.
After a week, I started to notice the tiniest details of life which had felt absent for so long.
Do you remember the last time you went into a coffee shop and actually noticed the smell of coffee?
Do you remember the last time you looked out the window on the train, watching trees and animals pass by?
Do you remember the last time you didn't feel tied to your phone?
Do you remember the last time you looked out the window on the train, watching trees and animals pass by?
Do you remember the last time you didn't feel tied to your phone?
All of these sensations returned.
I started to notice life happening around me.
This not only helped reset my mental health, but also helped me develop a love of observing.
I started to notice life happening around me.
This not only helped reset my mental health, but also helped me develop a love of observing.
Honestly, try this.
Go to a coffee shop, a park bench, somewhere outside of your home.
Turn your phone off.
Watch the world go by.
Go to a coffee shop, a park bench, somewhere outside of your home.
Turn your phone off.
Watch the world go by.
Anyone over the age of 40 is probably laughing right now.
"That was our lives!"
I do see the funny side, of course.
However, this new generation is being robbed of such reward.
"That was our lives!"
I do see the funny side, of course.
However, this new generation is being robbed of such reward.
Smartphones are stickier than glue; more tempting than red velvet cake.
You will not win the war for your attention unless you attend to its' urgent requirement.
You will not win the war for your attention unless you attend to its' urgent requirement.
Now, my example was extreme.
You might think that you could never do 6 months off of social media again.
The good news? You don't need to.
Just do a dopamine detox.
You might think that you could never do 6 months off of social media again.
The good news? You don't need to.
Just do a dopamine detox.
A dopamine detox is where you allow your dopamine receptors to return to normal levels.
Every time you get a buzz, a notification, a like, a comment, your brain gets flooded with dopamine.
Over time, your brain has to adjust its' receptors to cope with the levels it receives.
Every time you get a buzz, a notification, a like, a comment, your brain gets flooded with dopamine.
Over time, your brain has to adjust its' receptors to cope with the levels it receives.
The problem?
After a while, low dopamine activities, like reading or conversation f>Gb, make you feel empty.
It's like trying to fill up a fuel tank the size of a country.
You might be standing at the pump for a while...
After a while, low dopamine activities, like reading or conversation f>Gb, make you feel empty.
It's like trying to fill up a fuel tank the size of a country.
You might be standing at the pump for a while...
A dopamine detox allows you to reset this.
Here's the how-to:
Here's the how-to:
1. Allow yourself 1 week off socials
2. Delete all apps from your phone
3. Tell someone you're doing (accountability is hugely underrated)
2. Delete all apps from your phone
3. Tell someone you're doing (accountability is hugely underrated)
That's it.
Try it. Why not? 1 week off social media.
You will honestly feel the greatest you've felt in years.
You'll start to notice smells again.
You'll start to notice sounds again.
You'll start to smile more.
You'll start to feel like you're living in the real world.
Try it. Why not? 1 week off social media.
You will honestly feel the greatest you've felt in years.
You'll start to notice smells again.
You'll start to notice sounds again.
You'll start to smile more.
You'll start to feel like you're living in the real world.
Thank you so much for reading.
If you enjoyed this thread, I'd hugely appreciate an RT of the first tweet.
You can also follow me at @TheWritersGift for more content like this.
Have a wonderful day. https://twitter.com/TheWritersGift/status/1504076818411892736
If you enjoyed this thread, I'd hugely appreciate an RT of the first tweet.
You can also follow me at @TheWritersGift for more content like this.
Have a wonderful day. https://twitter.com/TheWritersGift/status/1504076818411892736
