Look for these signs to know if you need a break from social media

Social media is, needless to say, a helpful but addictive tool. Whether it is a routine scroll on the newsfeed when you get up, a bedtime ritual hearting posts or watching videos, internet addiction is a trap that seems the hardest to fight off. As phones continue to hog up our "real" timelines and people prefer to do things online instead of IRL, it is important that you know that this habit is not a healthy one for you.

Similar to detox diets and cleanses, there are phone detoxes too. However, if you feel like going off an app is a risk you cannot afford, this is for you. Here are signs that you need to take a break for your sanity!

There is a difference between checking the notifications first thing in the morning versus putting social media at the top.

Do you feel like posting about your life on social media or sharing a story before you actually get to live or relish a moment is happening? Are you staging something specifically for your fans? Or, worse, do you actually spend real time wondering about the same?. If you are not an influencer or social media is not earning you a living and you still relate to these signs, monitoring the time you spend online should be your concern.

Secondly, if you are not posting your true, unedited self on your timeline and depending on filters instead, it is time you take a double-check and question your need for validation. It is unhealthy, to say the least.

Mindlessly scrolling on social media is equivalent to stress eating or binge addictions. Making use of social media sites when you are simply bored should not be your automatic reaction. When you are sitting idle or when you have time, you should be engaged in more meaningful activities. Treat it as a sign to log off and take a break.

Do you feel stressed, anxious or a little moody when internet access is snatched away from you? Are you constantly feeling that when you are offline, you would rather be online? If all of this is making you scream out FOMO, you are treading a dangerous line. Separating yourself from social media should make you realize that the world doesn't end if you do not post your weekly #throwback picture or like a certain post.

Do you feel like buying something so that your timeline looks pretty? Are you getting into the trend only because you see the bloggers follow it? If you are probably spending a lot more time on the internet, it can be easy for you to get triggered by posts, things or stuff in which you see someone else post and lead to another unhealthy trait, comparison, and insecurity. Simply said, social media should be the place that fuels you to communicate or inspire you, and not lead to bad obsessions.

Not just the mental draining, being too busy on social media can also lead to physical pain and other health risks. If you spend more time on the phone, feeling pain around the wrists, hands, suffering from the dreaded "text neck", feeling sluggish or dull, or heavy around the eyes is not healthy. It is definitely one sign that your social media addiction is getting out of hand.