6 Signs you need a social media cleanse
Do you need to put your phone down? Here are six signs you might be a social media addict.
Technology has taken over almost every aspect of our lives. But one of the biggest changes smart tech has brought with it is how we communicate.
Social media has become one of the most common ways to communicate. Users can share pictures with family living in a different province, host live video chats their friends abroad, and advertise business ventures to their followers.
The latest SA Social Media Landscape Report shows that almost 16-million South Africans have access to Facebook, with 14-million of them using their phones to do so.
Twitter and Instagram are also popular, with over 8-million and 3,8-million users respectively. Some technology junkies use all three apps as well as YouTube and LinkedIn.
Messaging service, WhatsApp, has over one-billion users around the world.
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That’s a lot of social platforms demanding our attention every day. While there are many advantages to using social media, there are also some disadvantages.
One of the biggest downfalls is it can become addictive. A 2016 report by We Are Social found that South Africa’s internet users spend almost three-hours on social media every single day.
Here are six signs you need to cut back on your usage.
Day and night internet surfer
If the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning is pick up your phone to check your social media updates then Houston, we have a problem. The same applies to people who go to bed with their phones and fall asleep while chatting online. The SA Social Media Landscape Report also found that most Twitter users tweet the most in the morning, between 8am and 9am. This is probably when they are on their way to work or when they have arrived at their office. If you can’t get ready in the morning without checking your phone, you might need a social media cleanse.
Selfie King/Queen
If you can’t go one day without taking a selfie that needs to be shared online, then it’s safe to say you are a social media junkie. If you take 100 pictures just to get one good image that is worthy of an Instagram filter, you have a problem. If you use photo editing apps to eliminate blemishes from your face, make your waistline look thinner or flyaway hairs, then you have reached a new level of social media obsession.
Big moments
If the first thing you think about when your partner proposes is taking a picture for Instagram, then you need to go on a social media cleanse asap. Wanting to share big moments like birthdays, graduations and your first day at work is normal, but social media addicts take is one step too far. Some people have been known to announce their pregnancy on Facebook before informing their family.
ALSO READ: Has social media taken away the joy of birthdays?
Do it for the “gram”
Does your online life look very different to your real life? Not only do people fake their appearance on social media but their fake happy relationships and pretend to be having the time of their lives. If you are only “doing it for the gram” – as Instagram users call it – then you need to step away from your phone for a few days.
Panic attack alert
If you are not expecting any important calls, try going three hours or more without your phone. If you have a panic attack because you fear you are missing out on something online, then you need an intervention.
You’re a professional stalker
There’s a difference between creeping on your crush and stalking your crush on social media. If you can track your crush’s location, know what he/she ate for breakfast, lunch and supper, then you clearly know your way around social media – and not in a good way. If you check your crush or an ex’s social media pages multiple times a day or stalk people who have commented on their photos, please seek professional help.