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It’s pretty common knowledge that social media takes a big toll on your mental health, but how bad is it really?

Scrolling through the endless feeds of Instagram or TikTok is an easy way to pass some time, but there’s a growing body of research that suggests it’s doing far more harm than good. A recent study, published in JAMA Network Open – a monthly open access medical journal published by the American Medical Association – not only details the clear benefits from taking a social media detox, but also suggests that the benefits can be felt in as little as a week.

Does a detox really work? 

The study, titled “Social Media Detox and Youth Mental Health,” consisted of 373 participants and determined that problematic use of social media was found to be associated with poorer mental health outcomes. 

Following two weeks of regular social media use, participants were asked to complete a one-week social media detox intervention, during which they avoided platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and X. 

The findings were pretty staggering. Researchers reported that the detox was shown to have significantly reduced symptoms of anxiety by 16.1%, depression by 24.8%, and insomnia by 14.5%. For the 295 participants who actually participated in the one-week detox, their total screen time resulted in about a half an hour per day during the detox. 

Comparison is the thief of joy 

While the researchers note that there is further study needed to determine the durability of these outcomes and behavioral changes, particularly in more diverse populations, some medical professionals have a pretty good idea regarding why avoiding social media makes us feel better. 

In an article for SELF about the same study, Gail Saltz, MD, associate professor of psychiatry at the NY Presbyterian Hospital Weill-Cornell School of Medicine stated that, “Social media for many people stokes comparison with unrealistic expectations.”

In the same article, Thea Gallager, PsyD, a clinical associate professor at NYU Langone Health and cohost of the Mind in View podcast, told SELF that, “You’re constantly comparing your life to other people on social media – that alone will increase anxiety and depression. Even just taking a one-week break from this constant comparison can have a benefit for your mental health.” 

Further research

A study titled “A systematic review: The influence of social media on depression, anxiety, and psychological distress in adolescents,” broke the study’s key findings down into four common domains of exposure to social media: time spent, activity, investment, and addiction. 

The study classified time spent as the amount of time that users spent on social media; activity as the quality and quantity of users’ engagement and interaction with social media sites; investment as the act of putting time and effort into social media; and addiction as the state of being dependent on social media. The researchers determined that all of these categories were found to be correlated with depression, anxiety and psychological distress.

Another study, “The Impact of Social Media on the Mental Health of Adolescents and Young Adults: A Systematic Review,” published by Cureus: Journal of Medical Science, determined that “higher levels of social media usage were connected with worse mental health outcomes and higher levels of social media use were associated with an increased risk of internalizing and externalizing difficulties among adolescents, especially females.”

Doing a detox of your own 

Like anything else, trying to jump into a full detox can be incredibly daunting and often not sustainable. If you’re looking to take a break from social media and spend less time on your phone, an easy way to start is by instituting daily time limits for the apps that you tend to waste a lot of time on. If you have an iPhone, you can go right into your settings, scroll down to screen time, and select app limits. From there, you’re able to set limitations for certain apps each day. 

Ready to really get off the apps? Start by taking one day off of social media and see how you feel. Next time, maybe take a three or four day detox. If you really want to make sure you’re not tempted, consider logging out and deleting the apps from your phone altogether. 

With all of your free time, make sure you’re still connecting with people in real life. Even a simple phone call can go a long way to foster connection. If you find yourself yearning for a quick Instagram hit when you’re bored, take that time to do something more meaningful that you enjoy, like reading a book, taking a walk, or picking up a new hobby. The more you’re able to turn to other activities when you’re bored, the less inclined you’ll find yourself seeking out your phone for a quick scroll. 

If and when you decide to come back to social media, be mindful of your app consumption and usage, and consider limiting your social media use to certain times of the day. Being able to step back when necessary, even if it’s just for a day or two, can do wonders for your mental health.