Turn Off Notifications To Help Lower Social Media Dependency

One local psychologist says trying to spend less time on a mobile device might be tougher than you think.

Derrick Edwards suggests when trying to lower screen time, it can be helpful to turn off social media notifications. He said it is important to try and find a good balance, as finding alternatives to occupy ourselves is not always the healthiest way to break a chronic online habit.

“I colloquially will call this the gummy bear fallacy, which is where if you’re trying to quit smoking, every time you want a cigarette you eat a gummy bear. You might quit smoking, but you also might gain a lot of weight,” Edwards said. “So if you try to fill every moment of social media or technology with something else, we’re pretty quickly going to realize that’s not possible, not sustainable and not healthy.”

Edwards said as smartphones and other tech have become widely used for communication, scheduling, and other conveniences, it has also become more apparent that they can have addictive properties. He said the negatives of tech devices do not come from their convenience, but from overreliance.

Edwards said another issue that can come from the overuse of social media and constantly being online is the effects on mental health. He said recent studies indicate the younger population is seeing increased anxiety and depression as well as more instances of cyberbullying as a result of social media.