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Question : I’m really worried as I’m unable to disconnect from my phone and Instagram seems to have taken over my life. When I put up pictures I can’t help but check how many likes I get and if I don’t it really makes me anxious and depressed. I’m constantly distracted by the buzzing of my phone and notifications. I can’t stop and get angry when my parents yell. I need help!

Dear Teentalker,

Thank you for sharing your concerns with us. I understand your need to be connected and stay updated on the social media circuit. Also, most of us spend hours scrolling on the phone and then realizing how much time has gone by. However, when it becomes constant and compulsive, we need to look at ourselves closely. Here are some action steps to take:

Understand that Social media can have negative and addictive effects

Work at reducing your digital time with our detox steps

Sometimes the love for social networking can have a negative effect. When you start spending too much time on any social networking site and it starts interfering in the daily aspects of life, you probably have digital addiction issues.

This addiction can show up in many ways: maybe you allow your phone usage to interfere with your regular activities, equate your worth by the number of likes you get, or get irritated if you don’t get to use your device for some time.

This affects you in many ways. If you don’t get enough likes, you may develop a more negative view of yourself, which isn’t true. With the phone becoming the center of your life, you might eventually find it hard to build meaningful relationships, taking away your productive hours, and it might stop you from achieving your goals. I understand it can be annoying when a parent yells but think about it, they must have asked you to put it away politely which you didn’t and chose to ignore. They were trying to set a boundary, which you overlooked and when they again yell it’s the frustration built up which leads to conflict.

Tips for a Smartphone/Digital Detox

  • Go into your settings and turn the notification sound off.
  • Make a conscious decision to put your phone away when you are eating or in social gatherings. This also helps in finally starting to connect to the real-world people around you.
  • Do an app clean-up.
  • Make it a rule to not carry your phone to the washroom.
  • Switch your phone off before sleeping. The earth will still rotate, I promise!
  • Start wearing a wristwatch instead of checking the time on your phone.
  • During exams, consider switching to a more basic phone and you will realize how much more you can achieve in the day.

As challenging as it may seem to disconnect, it can be done if you make that choice. A digital detox is necessary if your smartphone is interfering in your life. Look up! You know you can do this!

I hope this helps, if you have any other queries do connect online for chat between 11am-8pm or drop us an offline message.

Regards,

Expert Teentalk India