DIGITAL DETOX: HOW TO DETOXIFY FROM INTERNET ADDICTION

It is now evident that social media are an integral part of our life. If on the one hand they play an essential role in communications and information, especially following the Covid-19 emergency, on the other they can turn into a "weapon of self-destruction from which to protect oneself." Yes, because the compulsive use of technological devices such as smartphones, tablets and PCs risks degenerating into a real digital addiction from which it is urgent to detoxify quickly, in order to avoid terrible consequences on one's body and mind. This is why in recent years there has been more and more talk of Digital Detox, or a digital "diet" during which you can take a break and review your approach to the online world. In this article, we will show you step by step what the digital detox consists of, how it is possible to implement it and what are the benefits that can be derived from it!

Digital detox: what it is

Digital Detox means the voluntary and momentary, more or less prolonged, removal from social networks, but more generally from all those technological devices that we use daily to surf the Internet, such as tablets, PCs and smartphones. It is a real form of detoxification from technology, made necessary by the abuse of digital tools and by the dramatic consequences that this form of addiction brings with it. In Italy, in particular, the practice of Digital Detox has gained some popularity after the publication of the homonymous book by Alessio Carciofi. Alessio Carciofi is a lecturer in Marketing & Digital Wellbeing and in the essay "Digital Detox" he explained in depth the two possible methods with which to implement this digital diet. On the one hand we find the pro-American approach that requires "forced disconnection from all smartphones, devices or digital equipment for a couple of days or so", on the other hand, instead, a sort of pause for reflection during which review their way of approaching technology, improving it.

Who is Digital Detox recommended for?

Although the implementation of a Digital Detox would be advisable for everyone from time to time, it is recommended above all to those suffering from IAD, an acronym with which we refer to the Internet Addiction Disorder, a disorder due to medial overexposure which in the long run became a full-fledged addiction. Therefore, when the use of social media and smartphones becomes uncontrolled and takes over the user, it is good to unplug, if only for a moment, and move away from the online world.

What are the consequences of Internet addiction?

The consequences of excessive use of the Internet and technological equipment are many and all highly dangerous and potentially destabilizing for the physical and mental health of the individual. Considering that in Italy, as reported by the Digital Report 2020, we spend an average of 6 hours on the Internet every day, that of digital addiction is a problem that concerns us closely and that affects the vast majority of us. So, let's see in detail what can be the main repercussions encountered as a result of digital abuse:

A sharp alteration of the natural sleep-wake cycle: many people, in fact, feel the need to stay connected so strongly that they even lose hours of sleep to do so. Some wake up several times in the middle of the night to check their smartphone and receive any notifications or messages, while others go further, voluntarily implementing what in technical terms has been called "vamping", or a total deprivation of sleep for to be able to continue to use digital services. In the long run, this bad habit completely upsets the natural balance between sleep and wakefulness, compromising the performance of the individual in everyday life, both at school and at work, suffering from physiolophical physical and mental fatigue.
FOMO or Nomophobia: People who spend many hours online risk developing psychological disorders better known as FOMO (fear of missing out) or nomophobia (no mobile phone), which can even lead to real panic attacks. With these two expressions and, in particular, the second with regard to the digital world, we mean a strong state of anxiety with respect to everything exciting and incredible that one could lose during one's absence from social networks and this distressing thought. it pushes the individual to use their technological means in an even more obsessive way.
Information overload: mental fatigue in the individual who develops a digital addiction is not only caused by sleep deprivation, but also by the constant and nagging stimuli to which he is subjected every day through the use of the Internet. In fact, the attention we pay to news, information, videos and posts shared especially on social media overload our brain with notions that no longer leave room for the free circulation of our thoughts and creativity.
Ringxiety: As we have pointed out above, after a few years but sometimes even earlier, the unregulated use of smartphones, tablets and computers together with an exaggerated amount of hours spent every day on social networks and on the Internet risk seriously compromising the regular functioning of the human body and mind. An example of this is ringxiety, a psycho-acoustic syndrome officially recognized in the United States for which the individual with digital addiction claims to hear the ringtone of their mobile phone, even when it does not issue any notification.
Phubbing: prolonged and excessive use of social networks and technological devices can also seriously harm our relationships. Some Internet users are so enraptured by everything that happens online, that they are completely estranged from offline life and reality, putting into practice the phenomenon that the University of Kent has baptized as "phubbing". This expression, born from the crasis between the English words "phone" (telephone) and "snubbing" (snubbing), refers to that attitude whereby one does not pay attention to one's interlocutor, being completely absorbed and distracted by the use of the smartphone .
Zoom Fatigue: in the sad and difficult era of Covid, video calls have become a fundamental and essential tool for keeping in touch with colleagues, friends and family. However, the increasingly frequent use of this type of media communication has generated in people what has been defined as “Zoom Fatigue”, or post-videcall fatigue syndrome. It has been found, in fact, that video calls, being devoid of non-verbal language and forcing us to scrutinize our face on the screen, cause in many of us a form of performance anxiety that makes us extremely stressed.
Frustration and envy: feelings such as frustration and envy are among the most common in those who develop an addiction to social media and further require the self-imposition of a moment of Digital Detox. Spending hours and hours "spying" on the lives of others from a screen, one gets the impression that the existence of others is always better and more interesting than one's own. In the long run, people risk taking this feeling for granted, coming to despise their own life and become estranged from relationships with those they feel inferior to.

What are the causes of Internet addiction?

The main causes why, in recent years, more and more people have developed a digital addiction can be the following:

Boredom: the total absence of stimulating passions or engaging activities that keep body and mind busy leaves more room for the use of the Internet as a filler in "empty" moments. When this happens, we risk getting all our free hours stolen by social networks, depriving them of their original meaning.
Low self-esteem: when people do not believe in themselves, they risk adopting self-destructive behaviors and, among these, an exasperated use of social networks can also figure, which then resulted in addiction.In fact, a few likes or messages are enough to have the illusion of being valid and this toxic mechanism triggers in the individual the idea that, only by spasmodically using social media, he can finally count for something in the world.
Smartworking: the teleworking modality that most of us have resorted to especially following the Covid emergency has completely upset the "work-life balance", that is the natural balance and the necessary distinction that must exist between work and private life, forcing the individual to spend more and more hours in front of smartphones and computers, even exceeding working hours.

Digital detox: how to detox from social media

There are several solutions with which to detoxify from social networks and put into practice what can be defined in all respects as a technological rehab. Here are the most popular:

Digital Detox Hotel: these are real holiday facilities in which there is a single and essential rule: the total absence of technological devices such as smartphones, tablets and computers. During these stays, you experience a mild form of hermeticism, completely moving away from the online world. On the other hand, you immerse yourself fully in real life, restoring contacts with the offline world and finding harmony with yourself through meditation and a series of practical activities such as agriculture, crafts and livestock that we effectively distract from digital obsession.
Clean up unnecessary apps that only act as a distraction and take up excess space on your smartphone.
Turn off unnecessary notifications.
Store your smartphone at a safe distance so as not to fall into temptation and spend hours and hours checking it.
Devote yourself to your interests and cultivate relationships in the real world. It has been established, in fact, that authentic contact with other people is the most powerful means with which to eradicate a digital addiction and finally be able to ignore your smartphone.
Plan your days, limiting the time allowed to use the Internet and other apps.
Avoid starting your day by shaking the bulletin board of your favorite social networks. In this way, you do not risk running into news or comments that can destabilize you from the first hours of the day, negatively affecting your mood.
Do not go to bed with your smartphone as the blue light emitted by this device can ruin your sight and disturb your sleep.
Keep track of your use of the Internet through a sort of diary. Write down the hours spent between the different apps, the activities carried out and the sensations experienced. This will help you better understand your relationship with the digital world and how to possibly change your approach.

What are the benefits of digital detox?

The digital detox can turn into a truly liberating experience and give us a series of countless benefits. By distancing ourselves for a moment or for a certain period from technological tools and social networks, our concentration threshold would undergo a marked improvement and our mind would immediately be more relaxed. Without considering that, by temporarily eliminating technology from our lives, we would have much more free time to devote to constructive and educational activities, such as sports, reading and so on.

Digital Detox: the apps to detoxify

It seems paradoxical, but, to help you in your digital detox journey, there are even several apps that act as real tutors that monitor and imitate the use you make of the different social platforms.

Social Fever: this is an app that pushes the user to engage in offline activities such as a walk or reading a book, giving evening feedback on the quality of the day and the time spent between social and email.

Off the Grid - Digital Detox is an app that filters notifications to avoid being bombarded by constant "pings".

Forest - Stay Focused invites users to set goals to optimize their daily performance outside the Internet.

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