“Social media detoxes are an effective way to strengthen mental health”

Psychologist Özge Sert said that social media users can limit the time they spend on applications and said, “Sometimes doing social media detoxes is an effective method to strengthen mental health.”

Psychologist Sert from Onma Psychology made statements stating that social media has become an indispensable part of daily lives today.

Noting that social media allows users to constantly witness the lives of others, Sert said, “Users tend to compare themselves unconsciously by examining the posts of their friends, acquaintances and even celebrities. These comparisons can lead individuals to have negative feelings about their own lives. According to research, time spent on social media platforms can damage the sense of self-worth. Young people, in particular, increase the risk of feeling inadequate when they compare their lives to the perfect lives they see on social media. This can pave the way for the emergence of psychological diseases such as depression and anxiety disorders.”

“Anxiety can lead to feelings of loneliness and social isolation”

Sert said that social media also brings feelings such as anxiety and loneliness, “Various studies reveal that long periods of time spent on social media can lead users to feel anxiety, loneliness and social isolation. Without being aware of the emotional burdens of being on social media intensively, users may ignore the cons of this situation. Managing social media use in a healthy way is crucial for maintaining mental health. Users can limit the amount of time they spend on apps in the settings section of their phone, so they can manage their social media use. Although they cannot do it all the time, sometimes doing social media detoxes will be an effective method to strengthen mental health. In this process, individuals can move away from the digital world, spend more time with themselves and their loved ones, and get in touch with real moments more.”

Stating that a conscious use is essential to minimize the negative effects of social media, Sert said: “Social media, when managed correctly, can strengthen individuals' social connections; however, excessive and uncontrolled use can threaten mental health. Therefore, it is important to consider our mental health while taking part in the digital world. You can question your relationship with social media when necessary and get professional support when you need it.”