Just personal contact with other people can trigger the hormones that relieve stress and make you feel happier and more positive. Spending too much time on social media can actually make you feel more lonely and isolated and become a slave to your phone.

Here are some signs that social media is harmful to you and it is time to take a break:

1. You spend too much time on social media

When social media takes up most of your free time, it can affect productivity and relationships. Even if you are out with friends, you still feel the need to check social media all the time.

2. You feel anxious or depressed

Even if you know that many of the photos on social media are manipulated, they can still make you feel insecure about how you look or what is going on in your life. It is quite common to feel jealous and frustrated when looking at photos of friends from a beach vacation or reading about their new promotion at work. This ends up in low self-esteem.

3. You neglect real-life responsibilities

When you start neglecting important responsibilities like work, school, or family obligations because of social media, it is a clear sign for a problem.

4. You have trouble sleeping

Using social media before bed can interfere with sleep. Blue light from screens makes it difficult to fall asleep.

5. You feel the need to check social media all the time

If you feel the need to check your social media accounts all the time, it is a sign of addiction and can cause a lack of concentration and reduced productivity. More, you no longer have any time to reflect on who you are, what you think, and what you do.

6. You experience FOMO (fear of missing out)

FOMO is a common feeling when using social media. When you see on them exciting photos and stories of your friends or strangers, it makes you think that others are having more fun or living better than you. This fear of missing out can make you pick up your phone every ten minutes to check for updates even at night.

There are coping mechanisms for social media addiction. Here are some of them:

- Reduce time online, turn off your phone at certain times of the day, don't take your phone with you to the bathroom or bed. Turn off the devices and leave them in another room overnight to charge.

- Disable social media notifications. It is hard to resist the constant sounds of your phone alerting you to new messages.

- Go on social media with a purpose, not out of boredom or curiosity

- If you feel lonely, don't surf social networks, but invite a friend for coffee or go to the gym or for a walk.