The Digital Detox Plan

The digital age has everyone connected yet at the same time, extremely disconnected. ADUH IRENE shares pointers on how to achieve balance for a healthier saner you, in a digital world.

- Aduh Irene

Do you check your phone first thing after turning off your alarm in the morning? Do you stroll through the streets of Twitter, check your DMs or confirm your email inbox before getting out of bed? If you think you aren’t an addict and have answered yes to these questions, this is for you.

A digital addict is someone who’s excessively dependent on digital devices and this affects their daily life negatively. He/she is unable to accomplish other tasks that need to be done because they spend most of their time on the internet.

According to a study by Hootsuite and We Are Social, on average, 3 billion people are active on social media and let's be honest, no one is keen to upload their failures. This starts the long chain of people comparing themselves to each other which then leads to social anxiety, isolation, depression and low self-esteem. Digital detoxing involves taking time off from all electronic devices so as to focus on physical interactions with family and friends and in so doing, reducing digital induced stress, overstimulation, and compulsive behaviors associated with gadget use.

Common digital stress triggers may include:

-Excess digital consumption

-Unhealthy relationships with devices

-Excess screen time

-Prolonged periods of digital interactions

SIGNS OF DIGITAL ADDICTION

The symptoms of this type of addiction can manifest themselves in both physical and emotional ways.

Physical symptoms:

1. Overeating or not eating enough

2. Insomnia or Sleep Dysregulation

3. Migraines