2023-11-08 19:01:42
Social networks are a double-edged sword. They help us to be more connected, to feel a little closer to people who are far away, even to make friends with people from different countries. On the other hand, they can also cause addiction, enormous social pressure and be a springboard for eating disorders. The great visibility they generate leads many people to want to leave them, something very common, for example, among celebrities. The last to announce her disconnection (perhaps temporary) was the actress and singer Selena Gómez. However, this digital detox may not be as beneficial for personal well-being as previously believed, according to a study from the University of Durham (England). published this wednesday in PLoS magazine.
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The researchers found that, following a week of abstinence, the people who underwent the study had reduced their negative emotions and boredom, but their life satisfaction was also reduced. Social networks offer powerful social rewards, so their restriction “may lead to some reduction in positive emotions,” says Niklas Ihssen, one of the authors. The same thing happens in the opposite case, with the reduction of negative feelings, by restricting exposure to harmful experiences such as social comparisons, FOMO (fear of missing out), or even bullying and harassment.
To perform the study They used a sample of 51 Durham University students between 18 and 25 years old, who had to stop using social networks for a week. Their mood was assessed three days before starting and four days following that abstinence period ended. In addition, during the days of disconnection they had to fill out four daily questionnaires with questions regarding boredom, loneliness, social media cravings, positive and negative emotions. Before the end of that week, 86% had relapsed at least once and accessed their social networks.
After the study period, the authors concluded that there was no evidence that stopping the use of social networks produces withdrawal-like symptoms in drug addicts. This absence of monkey is not very significant for Marian García, director of Orbium, a Therapeutic Center specialized in addictions. The psychologist points out that the people in the sample did not have addiction problems and, even if they did, “a week is a very short time. The mood of addicts does not become poorer as soon as they stop using.” Furthermore, knowing the exact length of restriction to which they were going to be subjected might have influenced their behavior.
Remedios Zafra, researcher at the Institute of Philosophy (IFS) of the CSIC, believes that the results can be valuable in addressing disconnection strategies. Before starting the restriction, these people used social networks for an average of between three and four hours a day. After that week, they reduced that time to half an hour: “They are able to significantly reduce their use without experiencing any adverse negative effects,” highlights Ihssen, one of the authors.
García, once more, points out that talking regarding an effective reduction in use is hasty and indicates that the minimum period to see results should be regarding three months. The psychologist also emphasizes that a longer follow-up would be needed to ensure that it is maintained. Generally, they first manage to reduce the habit, but over time they can gradually resume it, she notes.
Another question that the researchers studied is how the volunteers invested the time they stopped dedicating to social networks. The two most common occupations were video games and online shopping. For the director of Orbium, this is clear “substitution” behavior. In this way, users might get the same dopamine generated by these media with something else.
We must not forget that the company Meta, owner of Instagram and Facebook, is facing a class action lawsuit in the United States, accused of knowingly promoting the addictive and compulsive use of social networks among children and adolescents. “The addictive potential of current technologies is enormous and, therefore, the issue of disconnection is of vital importance for people,” emphasizes Zafra, from the IFS-CSIC.
The author is convinced that the arrival of any new technology has generated concern regarding its impact on people’s well-being and certain behaviors should not be overpathologized. Covadonga González-Nuevo, professor of Psychology at the University of Burgos and member of the Spanish Society of Child and Adolescent Clinical Psychology, says that, although social networks are associated with problems such as anxiety, depression and body dissatisfaction, abusive use is not It has to be associated with poor mental health. “On social networks, all types of uses coexist, and it is advisable to minimize the negative ones”
The researcher insists that the results of his research indicate that social networks “should not be considered addictive in the sense of causing withdrawal and cravings.” Ihssen defines them as something that can provide both positive and negative experiences and that must be consumed responsibly, leaving what happens in the hands of the users.
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