With technology constantly evolving, and everything going digital, it’s no surprise social media has become such a huge part of people’s lives. It is where we find out what to eat, where to go, who’s doing what… and it’s all too easy to become addicted to it. Those who are over dependent on social media were revealed by their frustration during the recent load shedding, when phones and computers couldn’t be charged and networks were down.

What are the warning signs that you need to take a break from social media?

It affects your self-esteem

If you are constantly comparing your life to other people’s, and feel left out, as if you are missing out, affecting your self-confidence, it should set off alarm bells. When social media becomes a way to put pressure on yourself, making you feel inadequate because you don’t have a certain lifestyle or look, it’s definitely time for a serious detox. It’s good to keep reminding yourself that things are not always the way they seem to be on social media.

Expenses rise because of the pressure

Are you spending more than you should, just to make your Instagram look lit? New lifestyle, new clothes, just to stay relevant and get those likes? Going over your budget and adopting bad financial habits to create a make-believe lifestyle to impress your followers, although you know you don’t have the means to keep up, is a major red-flag.

Disconnected with family and friends

If you can’t recall the last time you had a face to face conversation with your friends and family and prefer to communicate with them on social media, even when you do have the time to see them, it is a sign you need to put the phone or laptop aside and build real connections.

You panic if you haven’t checked social media for a couple of hours

Do you feel you must be missing out on something important if you haven’t checked your social media handles for a couple of hours? Do you feel anxious if you have to get through an entire day without finding out what’s happening on Facebook or Instagram and worried you are missing out on something? If social media has begun to interrupt your thought patterns and daily routine, it is a clear indication you have become too dependent on it.