Disconnecting from social networks: is it a recommended option?

Social networks are here to stay. Just a few years ago its use was restricted to academic settings, but today it is very difficult to meet a person who does not have at least one profile in any of them.

It could even be said that the way in which we present ourselves on social networks can begin to be considered one more part of the identity: the digital one. But to what extent does this coincide with what we consider to be our "real" identity?

In this article we will expand on this and other issues, with special emphasis on the benefits that we could obtain in case of disconnecting from social networks. Or at least, to dedicate more time to our "analog" life, to the detriment of the digital one.

• Related article: "The 10 types of Social Networks and their characteristics"

Disconnecting from social networks: what does it imply?

Social networks have revolutionized the way we communicate with each other. Since its appearance in the first half of the last century, the world is a much more interconnected, to the point that we know what happens at the opposite end of it in just a few few seconds. It can also be said that

have contributed to promoting freedom of expression and even to the construction of knowledge, as it is now the product of many millions of users sharing information simultaneously.

This transformation of new technologies has progressively displaced television and other media. and has raised scientific questions about how it may affect those who use it. themselves. And it is that the reverse of the matter is that there are users who, for one reason or another, spend too much time on these online platforms; which affects the way they relate to other people in their real life.

Being a still recent phenomenon, there are still many doubts and controversies regarding the way in which its use can compromise health or quality of life. In this article, we'll cover six potential benefits of unplugging from social media, based on what the science says on the matter.

1. Establish relationships with people in the environment

All social networks allow you to establish communication with anyone, no matter how far away they are physically, directly and without further ado. It is an advantage unthinkable a few decades ago, and one that makes the world a smaller (albeit less private) place. Despite this progress, the paradox arises that sometimes it can end up distancing us precisely from those who are close, such as family and friends.

The more time is spent on the Internet, the less is dedicated to those who live with us, which can have an impact on the links that unite us with them. And it is that despite the fact that networks can be an important source of support (especially during the adolescent), it is still key to reconcile its use with life in the daily environment, in which we build the day a day. In no case should they be two incompatible realities, despite the fact that this often happens.

Disconnect from social networks, reducing the number of hours spent sharing content or to receive that of others, it is an opportunity to strengthen ties with the most nearby. It is necessary to take into account that the quality of a link is measured by the time shared, and that the greatest Part of the contacts that are born on the Internet tend to be diluted before materializing in a relationship outside of the.

2. Communicate face to face

Social networks have their own ways of communicating, which become popular among their users and the community as a whole. In recent years, terms such as "hashtag" or "trend topic" have proliferated to describe functionalities that they are their own, and that they have crossed the barrier of jargon to place themselves on the stage of culture "pop". A) Yes, these media have consolidated a unique and recognizable language, to which figurative elements also contribute with which to convey emotions (the well-known emojis) and compensate for the almost total absence of non-verbal cues.

Although each social network emphasizes a different aspect of the communicative act (from the use of written word to images), and all seek immediacy in their way of relating to the user, none of them offer experiences that are minimally similar to a face-to-face encounter between two people They share a physical space. Not even through the insertion of videoconferences or other similar technologies.

Communication between human beings involves both verbal and non-verbal aspects, which are largely imitated by social networks, but incorporating a myriad of different nuances (proxemic, prosodic, etc.) that none has managed to accurately reproduce so far current.

Considering that social skills are developed from practice with our peers in everyday settings, it is possible that an excess of networks (together with a lack of real interactions) could hinder the development of such an important capacity.

By reducing the time we spend in networks, we test and improve our way of establishing interpersonal relationships in real life, which is essential to forge close ties or to progress in the academic areas and labor.

3. Contextualize reality

Social networks inflame in users the desire for admiration, to the point that some scientific studies have described many of the dynamics that come to unfold in them as "narcissistic behaviors". The truth is that in the networks we all want to show our best version, or at least the least bad of all the possible ones, this being This phenomenon is more notable in adolescents (because they are in a period that is especially vulnerable to rejection and sensitive to social pressure).

Very often, people compare their lives with what they see on the networks, without noticing that they are a window that does not represent at all the reality of who is shown there. Images of fascinating travel, of expensive clothes, or of an elegant sunset in a paradisiacal landscape, are not imply that fascinating things happen on the other side while our lives go by in the most absolute mediocrity; but the selection of the contents that are published is based on an evident social desirability.

An example of this effect (harmful to the self-esteem of vulnerable people) can be found every Christmas on television news, when an army of journalists rushes to lottery administrations to interview those who have been awarded a prize important.

The probability of it "touching" is ridiculous, but it is distorted when it is shown publicly, generating a cognitive error that places it on a different terrain (more likely than it really is). is). Well, something similar happens on the networks when we constantly expose ourselves to information about how wonderful the lives of others are, in contrast to our own.

Social media distancing allows us to focus our attention on a much more real life, which is the one that surrounds us, in which we witness more clearly the fortune and misfortune that inhabit the world. This brings us back to the precise coordinates in which things unfold, beyond the entertainment with which each one decides to show their digital personality.

In fact, there are many studies that have linked this problem with the feeling of injustice and with the erosion of self-esteem, which can be related distally to depression and anxiety.

• You may be interested: "The psychology behind social networks: the unwritten code of behavior"

4. avoid addiction

Although there is still no consensus in the research community, many believe that social networks can stimulate addictive behavior among their users. This would be explained through characteristics such as the immediacy with which the reinforcements are given (social approval with a click on the button “like”), its easy accessibility, the simplicity of its interface and participation in communities that give the person a sense of belonging. There is even a network that includes simple games, the purpose of which is none other than for users to stay inside for as long as possible.

Many authors have described that the abuse of social networks bears a great similarity to phenomena that occur in toxic addictions, such as: tolerance (use progressively greater than any of the platforms) and the withdrawal syndrome (a significant discomfort when it is impossible to access the network from any device). This group of symptoms reduces involvement in other activities of daily living, such as family or work, and determines the time spent sleeping or exercising physical.

When these problems become apparent, it is essential to visit a mental health professional. so that it can articulate an individualized treatment, which leads the person towards a responsible for these tools (which can be particularly useful when used as suitable).

• Related article: "Addiction to social networks: the abuse of the virtual"

5. Protect yourself from depression, anxiety and low self-esteem

Many studies have found a relationship between the time spent using social networks and the depressive symptomatology, although it has not yet been possible to clarify the exact dynamics that underlie the finding. In any case, there seems to be a certain consensus that the use of networks is not in itself a factor that deteriorates mood, but rather everything is subject to the way in which they are used.

Networks are, therefore, a double-edged sword: they provide positive or negative things, and whether one or the other is received will depend on what the user does during the time they spend on them.

In the last decade, standardized protocols have been created to detect, through the use of social networks, the profiles of users who may suffer from depression or manifest suicidal ideas, with the purpose of identifying people with a special risk suicide. It is expected that in the next few years all these tools (which are based on the principles of artificial intelligence applied to language) are used to offer secondary prevention interventions (in the early phases of a potential disorder).

A relationship between anxiety and social networks has also been observed, particularly when their use is intended to deal with difficult emotions for which alternative and adaptive coping mechanisms are lacking. There is some work that even relates the number of profiles available (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) with activation autonomous from the user, who would perceive an overwhelming demand trying to take care of all of them in the way he would like do it.

The use of social networks should, therefore, be moderated among people who have a depressive or anxious disorder. Even today, the exact way in which these phenomena are related is still unknown., since most of the research that has been done to date is based on correlational type analysis, which does not allow tracing a cause and effect relationship. Thus, the use of networks could precipitate the problem, or perhaps it would be the mental disorder that is motivating Internet abuse. Self-esteem could be at the base of both assumptions.

6. Prevent sedentary lifestyle and insomnia

The use of social networks is generally a sedentary activity. To write a tweet or upload a publication to Facebook, the person should not make any physical effort, so that the time spent on these platforms is inversely proportional to the time spent on activities sports. This problem is very important especially in children, many of whom already have their own online profile, since they need exercise for healthy development.

On the other hand, there is also evidence that the excessive use of social networks can reduce the time spent sleeping, or make it less restorative.

This finding could have three possible causes, namely: cognitive hyperactivation during the hours around bedtime (due to performing tasks mentally demanding on the Internet), staying connected until the wee hours of the morning (reducing time to rest) and exposure to screens that project excessive light on the retina. All of this can alter circadian rhythms, regulated by the suprachiasmatic nucleus and melatonin production from the pineal gland.

Disconnecting from social networks can be the perfect occasion to dedicate time to activities that contribute to improving our general physical condition, as long as the use that is being made of them prevents a healthy life. As we pointed out, all this is more important in children, because by participating in symbolic play (together with their peers in real life) they contribute to the maturation of your nervous system and the development of skills necessary for a full social life (which also results in greater movement of the body and in a physical state optimum).