A group of young people in the United States decided to abandon their modern devices for a month. They participated in the “One month offline” challenge to get away from the social networks. The initiative seeks to reduce the harmful effects of technology on mental health.
Jay West, a 29-year-old data analyst, said that at first he was searching for his cell phone in his pocket out of inertia. He explained that the experience was liberating and that he learned to accept boredom as something positive. During this time, participants used lid appliances very simple.
Rachael Schultz, 35, had to ask cyclists for directions on the street due to the lack of digital maps. For her part, Lizzie Benjamin listened to music on compact discs recorded by her father. Bobby Loomis indicated that before the challenge he couldn’t even finish watching a television program without being distracted by the screen.
Scientists have long warned about the relationship between cell phone addiction and anxiety. A California court ruled in March that platforms like Instagram and YouTube are responsible for creating this dependency. According to a YouGov survey, 66% of people aged 18 to 29 want to spend less time in front of screens.
Kostadin Kushlev, a researcher at Georgetown University, said that getting away from your smartphone improves personal well-being. He noted that the benefits in attention span last over time. On several university campuses there are already groups that promote these digital “diets”.
Josh Morin, an organizer in Washington, considers it vital to offer attractive social alternatives to break the habit. Its program includes weekly meetings in bars to foster community life. The company Dumb.co currently operates this project.
Registration for the program has a cost of $100. This amount includes the loan of an old cell phone with basic functions such as calls and messages. The company hopes to reach 1,000 participants during the month of May.
Graham Burnett, a professor at Princeton University, compared this trend to the rise of the environmental movement of the 1960s. He believes this is the beginning of a profound cultural transformation. Kendall Schrohe, 23, ended the challenge in January and deleted her Instagram account.
Schrohe now finds his way around his neighborhood without digital help and leads his own support group. She commented that she feels optimistic about what she considers the beginning of an important movement for society.
