Social Media May Be Costing Us More Than We Think

If your time online has started to feel more like a burden than a blessing, you’re not alone. In recent weeks, social media platforms have seemed especially chaotic arguments erupting over minor disagreements, good intentions drowned in waves of toxicity, and the subtle but relentless tug of hostility even among believers. And while it's tempting to scroll past the noise, there's a deeper issue at play we weren’t created to carry this much emotional chaos day after day.

Social media has altered the way we experience community, information, and even our own sense of identity. What started as a tool for connection has become something far more invasive. The average adult now spends over 2.5 hours per day on social media, a staggering figure considering most people say the experience leaves them feeling drained rather than uplifted. That’s not just anecdotal a 2022 Pew Research study found that 64% of Americans say social media has a mostly negative effect on the way things are going in the U.S. today.

For many, social media isn't just a habit. It's a compulsion.

Author Rebekah Lyons has spoken openly about this internal tug-of-war, describing her own moments of withdrawal when she attempted to unplug. “My hand would twitch for my phone,” she admitted. “My body craving the dopamine hit of connection.” That craving is more than psychological it's physiological. Research confirms that each “like” and comment releases a small dose of dopamine, the same chemical linked to addiction. Over time, that feedback loop conditions us to reach for our phones not out of desire, but out of dependence.

But what happens when we interrupt that loop?

Lyons shares that after the discomfort of withdrawal came unexpected beauty. “I began to notice the beauty of everyday moments again. A sunset. A child’s laughter. The sound of silence. I didn’t feel the need to capture them for anyone else. They became mine alone to savor.” That shift from performing to being is the quiet miracle that emerges when we choose presence over performance.

Taking a break from social media doesn’t require a dramatic detox or public announcement. It starts with simple steps: turning off notifications, uninstalling apps temporarily, or carving out designated times each day to stay offline. Even short breaks can bring meaningful clarity. According to a study published in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, participants who took a one-week break from social media reported significantly higher levels of well-being, reduced anxiety, and improved sleep.

But this is about more than rest. It’s about rediscovering who we are apart from an audience.

Social media often gives us an audience, yes but it rarely gives us intimacy. Lyons puts it plainly: “Social media had promised connection, but it had stolen my presence. It had given me an audience but robbed me of intimacy.” How many of us have felt that disconnect? We log in hoping to feel close to others and walk away feeling lonelier than before. We seek truth but leave overwhelmed. We chase community but end up exhausted by conflict.

Choosing to log off isn’t about rejecting technology. It’s about recognizing when something that once served us begins to shape us. It’s about reclaiming the sacredness of stillness, the holiness of everyday life, and the freedom that comes when we are no longer performing for likes, comments, or shares.

This past week, a deeply divisive post had to be archived due to the level of vitriol it attracted a sobering reminder that not every conversation online leads to transformation. And that's okay. Not every battle is ours to fight. Sometimes the wisest, most spiritually grounded decision is to step back and protect the peace that allows us to engage with others in love, not just reaction.

There is power in silence. There is healing in solitude. And there is freedom in knowing that our worth is not tied to our online engagement, our productivity, or our digital presence. As Lyons said, “Every time I unplugged, I felt like I was getting my life back.”

This weekend might be the right time for you to do the same. Take a step back. Turn off the noise. Let the arguments rage without your participation. Instead, fill that sacred space with prayer, with laughter, with conversations that restore instead of drain. You might just find that when you return, you bring with you something the world desperately needs perspective and peace.

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