Lifestyle — Why A Social Media Detox Is The One Cleanse You Really Need
by Camille D’Elia

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the ceaseless onslaught of texts, Facebook messages, Instagram notifications and emails? Or do you ever try to go to bed at a reasonable hour and then find yourself in a Wikipedia rabbit hole at 2 am? Sometimes you just need to unplug, plain and simple.

It's truly amazing how far we've allowed ourselves to go with our social media addiction. It makes sense, though, considering an internet addiction actually changes the brain the same way a cocaine addiction does. It used to be normal to sit in a meeting, go on a date or hang out with a friend without checking your phone. Nowadays, you're the weird one if you call out someone whose head is glued to a screen.

I'm definitely guilty of it, too. Try as I might to resist the internet, I am powerless in its wake. Sometimes I'll try to deactivate Facebook, but minutes later I'm already reactivating my account. It's an out-of-body experience I can't quite articulate. It's like my hand has a mind of its own.

But the internet isn't so great all the time. It's like a big TMI sinkhole. I don't even want to think about all the hours I've spent watching videos of dermatologists popping pimples. And don't even get me started about how disgustttingggggg it is to take your phone to the bathroom with you. We all do it, but seriously. Just think about that the next time a guy hands you his phone and asks for your number. That's why I carry alcohol wipes. Is that pre-crime? Not sure, but it's better than walking around with a germ brick.

We all might have a problem. And the only way to fix it is to just stop cold turkey.

In the newest episode of 5TAGES, we follow Keri as she comes to terms with her social media addiction. Can she find balance between the two extremes? Or will she slip back into total digital addiction? Watch the video above to find out.

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