Researchers have revealed that limiting social media browsing for just two weeks may boost mental health and concentration, restoring some of the cognitive balance lost as a result of excessive digital use.
A recent study involving over 467 adults, with an average age of 32, asked them to minimize their mobile internet usage for 14 days, allowing only calls and text messages. Researchers used the Freedom app to block internet access and applications requiring a network connection, including social media, news, and browsing apps.
The experimental design was based on dividing the participants into two groups, where each group underwent a two-week period of internet blackout, with roles being exchanged later, which allowed for accurate measurement of changes before, during, and after the experiment.
The results showed a significant decrease in average screen time, which dropped from over five hours a day to less than three. Participants also reported marked improvements in mental health indicators, including reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety, and increased levels of life satisfaction and positive feelings.
Regarding cognitive performance, the tests that the participants underwent showed that the ability to pay attention and concentrate improved significantly. The researchers described this improvement as equivalent to reversing a cognitive decline that may have accumulated over 10 years of excessive use of digital devices, with performance approaching a younger cognitive level.
The results were not limited to the trial period only, as improvements in mental health and attention continued even after the end of the blocking period, with screen use remaining lower than previous levels for many participants.
The data also showed that participants replaced phone use time with more beneficial real-life activities, such as face-to-face social interaction, exercise, reading, and spending more time in nature, along with a clear decrease in the consumption of digital and entertainment content.
According to the researchers, even participants who did not fully adhere to the period of abstinence showed some benefits, suggesting that reducing continuous exposure to digital stimuli may have a positive impact on mental health even with partial adherence.
Dr. Kostadin Kochlev, a professor of psychology at Georgetown University and one of the study's authors, said that reducing immersion in the digital world helps restore the natural ability to concentrate and reduces mental distraction resulting from the continuous use of phones.
These findings come amid a growing body of research linking excessive social media use to higher rates of anxiety, depression, and declining academic performance, particularly among young people, opening the door to a broader discussion about the impact of "digital addiction" on mental health.
The study was published in th journal PNAS Nexus.
