People who stop using social media even for one week show a significant improvement in their mood and mental health, e.g. Anxiety and Depression, according to a new British scientific study. , behavior and social networking Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking , studied 154 people aged 18 to 72 who were daily users of social media.
Participants were randomly divided into two groups: One continued to use social media normally (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter , TikTok) on a daily basis, while the second stopped for a week (thus “releasing” an average of eight to nine hours per week). Individuals' mental health was assessed at both the beginning and end of the study.
One week of “abstinence” from social media was found to be enough to improve the general sense of well-being and reduce the symptoms of anxiety and depression in particular.
Lambert pointed out that “the use of social media is so widespread that many of us do it without thinking, from the moment we wake up until we close our eyes at night. We know that due to this huge use of social media, growing concerns have been expressed about the effects on mental health. Our study showed that many participants reported benefits from weekly social media cessation, showing improved mood and less stress in general, which means that even a short break can have a positive effect. “
” Of course, “he added,” for many people, social media is a part of their lives and an integral part of who they are and how they interact with others. But if you spend hours each week on them and feel negatively affected, it really makes sense to stop using them to see if it helps. “
Researchers will then study , whether the mental benefit lasts in the long run, if the “abstinence” from social media lasts more than a week. If this is confirmed, as mentioned, then it should be considered by mental health professionals as another clinical treatment option.
