I’d wake up every morning with social media on my mind.

How did my last post do?

Were their new messages for me to read?

Did I need to reply to new comments?

What was I going to post in my stories for the day?

As much as it pains me to admit, every day was a hamster wheel of looping thoughts that revolved around social media.

As a business owner and a content creator, it was something that I thought NEEDED to be on my mind all the time.

I needed to know what news was hot so that I could stay relevant. I needed to keep posting in order to boost the algorithm & keep my content in my follower’s feeds.

I didn’t realize it for 0ver 10 years, but social media completely wrecked my nervous system.

How, you ask?

Well, the science is simple.

Not only does social media take hold of your attention, it’s highly addictive because of the dopamine release.

Getting likes, messages, and comments can quickly fill the dopamine bucket and have us coming back for more. The issue with that is that it’s cheap dopamine, and over time you will need more and more of it to get your daily “fix.”

It works the same as video games & porn. Highly addictive & makes changes in the brain that are no good for your health.

The ability of the brain to change is called neuroplasticity, and it has a big effect on your attention and cognitive function. Neuroplasticity can be used in the opposite way to “rewire” your brain, but it’s also how the brain can hold onto trauma, store negativity in the mind, and keep your body in fight or flight mode.

Which it certainly did for me.

Social media can lead to serious levels of anxiety, depression, and even addiction.

I don’t need scientific studies to tell me that it does all this because that’s what it did to me.

When I was immersed in social media every day, I felt anxious and moody.

I didn’t realize it at the time, but my nervous system was slowly becoming reliant on the highs and lows of social media – and it completely wrecked my nerves.

For no reason, I’d get snippy with my kids or lash out over the tiniest little inconvenience during the day.

I’d wake up in a sour mood and nothing would help until I got my posts & stories on social media. THEN I could relax and enjoy the day.

But when I removed myself from social media and it’s daily demands as a content creator, all of those negative side effects went away.

Imagine that.

I felt like a prisoner being unchained and walking in the warming sunlight after a decade of daily torture.

3 years ago I had deleted my Instagram account and I felt these exact same feelings that I am experiencing now: like a breath of fresh air and a giant weight being lifted off my chest.

This time, I removed myself from ALL of my social media accounts and the feeling is even more amazing.

Before I signed off of social media last week, I told my friends and followers that I would be back in 6 months to a year (maybe even longer). But now that I am out (and it’s only been 5 days), I can’t imagine going back.

Life without social media feels BETTER. It feels lighter.

And even that I have my business and this blog, and no doubt social media would be a great asset to accompany growth and connection, it’s simply not worth my mental wellness to go back. At least this point in time.

How to tell if social media is impacting your nervous system & mental health

If you’re sitting here wondering if social media has a choke hold on your nervous system and mental health, then you probably already know the answer. But, I’m here to give you that little extra nudge of reassurance that you might just need.

1. You can’t go a day without checking social media

If it’s even the slightest bit difficult to keep yourself from checking your social feeds during the day, you are probably dependent on the dopamine boost that it gives you.

Dopamine isn’t bad, but getting it too easily (like from video games, TV, social media, etc.) can make you become dependent on that outlet and have you craving for more. There are much healthier ways to get a dopamine boost that don’t wreck your mental health.

2. You can’t sit still without needing to open up social media on your phone

If you find yourself in the waiting room at your dentist or getting a quick oil change and it’s hard to not open up your phone to skim through Instagram or binge a few TikTok videos, then you might have a problem.

Researchers hypothesize that since social media is easily accessible and competes for your attention with the promise of perpetual new content, heavy social media users become less able to ignore distraction in general.

Not only does this lead to poorer cognitive performance, but it shrinks parts of the brain associated with maintaining attention. YIKES.

Instead, try reaching for a magazine or heaven forbid, just sit there. Soak in the silence. Notice the things around you. Take in your environment.

If you find it hard to do this, then maybe you should consider taking a break from social media and see how it makes you feel.

3. You’re often distracted at school or work

Remember how I mentioned that social media can affect your brain that is associated with maintaining attention? Well, this is a product of too much social media.

If you are often distracted and cannot focus on the tasks you need to do throughout the day, it’s likely that social media is affecting your brain & overall mental wellness.

4. You often compare yourself to others and feel jealous about what they are sharing

This one was HUGE for me and I didn’t even realize it at first.

I often told myself that seeing what others were posting was inspiring and made me what to venture into trying new things.

The truth is though, a lot of jealously was bred on social media.

5. You have trouble sleeping

Did you know that heavy social media use can directly impact your quality of sleep?

I didn’t realize it either until I did some digging. Turns out, there’s a strong correlation between social media use and trouble sleeping, along with depression.

If you’re having trouble sleeping at night, maybe this is a good indication to take a social media break to see if it helps.

Social media isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

In fact, a lot of good can come from social media. But, if you’re struggling with some of the things mentioned above, you might want to consider how much you’ll allow it in your life.

Here’s a few tips to help you get started.

Decrease your time on social media. According to a study by the University of Pennsylvania, limiting social media use to 30 minutes can improve your well-being. If you think it’s impacting your mental health, try setting time limits. Be realistic about what you’re using social media for and make a plan to make the changes.

Don’t start or end your day with social media. Timing matters with social media consumption. A 2018 study found that those who check Facebook at night were more likely to feel unhappy or depressed. Instead, pick up a book, take a bath, or unwind with a cup of tea to relax yourself before settling for the night.

Spend time with your loved ones. Social media should never be a replacement for real human connection. Despite it being a social platform, it can lead to feelings of loneliness and depression. Making time to spend it with your loved ones will help fill the void you might be feeling.

Fill your day with things you love. Instead of the endless scrolling, why not pick up a new and exciting hobby? Take a dance class. Take a stab at painting (I am really digging these paint by number kits, they are super fun!). Go for a walk and take in the scenery. Make yourself a delicious meal. Whatever you love to do, try to infuse your life with more of it. Soon enough, you won’t even miss social media at all!

It might be hard to cut the cord, but it’s 100% worth it!

Your well-being is worth more than binging Instagram reels at 10pm every night. You deserve to live a happy & healthy life!