No more Facebook, Instagram or social media of any kind. It was literally driving me to distraction. I felt more stressed and more disillusioned with people on an hourly basis: all the petty disagreements, the need to be right all the time on the part of others, the feeling of not being good enough every time someone posted about their “perfect” vacations, weddings, achievements, etc. As it turns out, McClean Hospital supports my own experiences:

A 2018 British study tied social media use to decreased, disrupted, and delayed sleep, which is associated with depression, memory loss, and poor academic performance. Social media use can affect users’ physical health even more directly. Researchers know the connection between the mind and the gut can turn anxiety and depression into nausea, headaches, muscle tension, and tremors.

It feels good to unplug. I’m here writing tonight instead of obsessively checking how many likes I’ve gotten on a post. I’m feeling less stressed already, and I have a feeling that for me at least, the need to unplug is absolutely necessary for my artistic life.