By Steve Price
The internet is ubiquitous in modern society; you can hardly find a time or situation where the resources of social media and the wider world wide web are not helpful in solving information gaps and general knowledge problems. We are effectively connected at the hip to our smart phones and our computers, devouring information online at a rate that would make our ancestors sit up and take notice. With this flood of data pouring across our electronic devices, it is no secret that the digital revolution has had an incalculable impact on the mental and physical wellbeing of people the world over. The internet is an inextricable part of our daily lives – but should it be?
Many people around the world have made it a priority to not spend as much time online, instead focusing on the world around them for the benefit of their mental and physical wellbeing. Such an attitude springs from the negativity that can permeate social media, along with the physical effects of spending too much time online and not enough time getting out and exercising. More than that, the information overload that over-stimulates our brains can be a drain on our energy reserves and force us into a perpetual cycle of doom scrolling through the same content on repeat waiting for new info to drop. It leads to a permanent need to be connected online, a dependency that robs us of our agency.
Let us posit a world where the internet is not a necessity, but a luxury that we can tune into when want. How would that world operate with respect to our daily lives, and what benefits could we gain from unplugging ourselves from the nexus of multimedia, social or general?
- The Benefits of Getting Outside
Having the ability to take a break from the internet and get some fresh air can be a wonderful way to refresh your mind and recharge your emotional batteries. Often times we find ourselves glued in public to our smart phones or our laptops, missing out on all that the world has to offer in favor of the digital revolution. Reconnected with nature can be incredibly soothing for stress and nerves and can help deprogram the knowledge overload that comes from using the internet all the time. Having the ability to put down our devices and get some fresh air and exercise is great for our physical wellbeing, obviously, but it can also relax our minds from the daily challenges that can sometimes creep up on us while using the internet more than recommended by medical professionals. - The Disconnect From Overload
Accessing social media can be a mixed bag of connecting with family and friends, exploring ideas with likeminded individuals, and getting the business end of a verbal thrashing from trolls or people on the other side of whatever spectrum may be pertinent to the content being discussed. Having the wherewithal to disconnect from the social media overload can do wonders for our mental health, freeing us from the constant stream of information, good and bad, that pounds itself into our skulls daily. Social media bullying is on the rise, as is a flood of false information that can muddy the waters and lead to general confusion or information overload. Disconnecting from platforms like Facebook, X or Instagram can help reduce the tidal wave of knowledge and keep us from the ills of the toxic cesspit of online arguments, flaming and trolling.
- Mental Wellbeing and the Web
The penalty we pay for our dedication to the internet and its usage is the aforementioned flood of false information, flaming, gaslighting and online trolling that has become its own cottage industry in the twenty-first century. Experts warn that excessive usage of social media can expose people to these problems, which can lead to mental health issues like anxiety or depression. The world wide web, for all its wonders and possibility, can still be a toxic place to traverse, and people that can unplug from social media can find a level of relief from the daily grind of going through the odds and ends of the internet. Disconnecting from social media for even a day can lead to improved mood and mental wellbeing.
- Destressing from the World
One of the realities of living in a post-digital revolution world is that we are all connected in a way that would have been a mere fantasy less than fifty years ago. People on one side of the world can communicate with people in real time online without a second thought, an absolutely mind-blowing part of society in the twenty-first century. The benefits of this connectivity and manifold in the lives of individuals, but the downside to this information cornucopia are just as present as the benefits. News flows at a constant, daily rate that pulls us into the stresses going on around the world: disasters, wars and rumors of wars, and the grind of geopolitics and socioeconomics can cause distress and anxiety for internet users. In this case, ignorance really is bliss; having the ability to depart from the news cycle for a day can lead to improved mood and productivity in your daily affairs. It all brings us back to the point of limiting internet overusage.
These are just a litany of benefits to taking internet usage down to a manageable level; from destressing to protecting our mental health and just avoiding general information burnout, having the wherewithal to escape the clutches of the digital revolution occasionally can be a major boon to our mental and physical wellbeing. Having access to the internet is a wonderful, revolutionary, life-changing technology that recent generations have been blessed with; it has connected the world in a way that was never before possible, and turned anyone into a fountain of information through the knowledge and media contained online. Just remember not to let the internet overwhelm your faculties, and be mindful of the health benefits from not overusing this wonderful technology.
