Can a week-long social media break reduce anxiety?
What's the story
A recent study published in Jama Network Open has found that taking a week off from social media can help reduce depression, anxiety, and insomnia among young adults. The research involved 373 participants aged between 18 and 24 who used Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and X for two weeks while their usage data was collected.
Detox impact
Detox period leads to significant mental health improvements
Around 80% of the participants chose to take a one-week social media detox after the initial two-week period. During this time, they were asked to record their feelings before, during, and after the detox. The results showed that one in four participants reported lower depression levels post-detox. Additionally, 16% reported reduced anxiety and 15% saw improvements in insomnia symptoms.
Targeted impact
Social media detox most effective for those with pre-existing issues
The study found that the detox was most effective for young people who had high or moderate levels of depression, anxiety, or insomnia before the study. However, it didn't help with loneliness as participants missed regular interactions and feedback from their online communities during this period. This highlights the complex relationship between social media use and mental health.
Screen time reduction
Reduced screen time during detox period
Even though participants didn't completely stop using their phones, they did reduce their screen time significantly. On average, they spent 30 minutes on their phones daily during the detox, down from nearly two hours before. Instagram and Snapchat were the most broken apps during this period while Facebook, X, and TikTok saw less activity.
Future studies
Need for further research on social media detox
The researchers have called for more studies to determine the ideal length of social media detoxes for reducing overall depression and anxiety rates. They also stressed the need for testing on more diverse populations as most participants in this study were female, college-aged, and highly educated. This highlights a gap in understanding how different demographics respond to such interventions.