What happens when you finally stop scrolling long enough to hear your own mind again?
In this episode of Healing Is My Hobby, Jessica steps into the Healing Lab to share the surprising results of her four-day social media reset. What started as a simple break quickly revealed how deeply woven digital habits are into daily life—the impulse to check, the discomfort of stillness, and the quiet comparisons happening beneath the surface. Through intentional pauses and mindful detachment, Jessica discovered clarity, sharper focus, and a calmer nervous system. This experiment didn’t just change her screen time—it reshaped her relationship with herself, her time, and the world around her.
Key Takeaways
I realized social media doesn't add nearly as much value to my life as I thought.
The urge to check was intense, especially in the first two days.
With fewer inputs, my thoughts had room to breathe.
Emotional discomfort surfaced without the distraction of scrolling.
I didn't realize how often I compare until the comparison withdrawal.
Micro pauses helped disrupt my autopilot behavior.
I feel more productive because my attention is sharper.
This single shift has radically reduced any anxiety related to social media.
A short pause is enough to break the cycle of compulsive checking.
I'm having more ideas and feel more connected to my values.
Chapters
00:00 The Social Media Reset Experiment
02:23 Unpacking Emotional Discomfort
04:10 Finding Connection Beyond the Screen
05:43 Lessons Learned from the Experiment
06:35 NEWCHAPTER
Want to stay in the know? Subscribe to our newsletter here.
digital boundaries, emotional wellness, social media, mental health, self-care, emotional intelligence, intentionality, self-protection, healing, mindfulness
Transcripts
Gabriella Colarco (:
Welcome to Healing Is My Hobby, the podcast where we explore the tools, practices, and curiosities that support mental wellness and personal growth. I'm Jessica Calarco, a licensed clinical social worker, and just like you, I'm on a healing journey of my own.
today's segment is the Healing Lab, where each month I test real
to see what actually supports emotional healing.
This month's experiment, a social media reset. I didn't do a full digital detox. Instead, I stepped away for four full days, and I was surprised by how much I was pulled to check, especially in the first 48 hours. I felt uncomfortable when I couldn't log in. That alone was powerful insight. Ultimately, I realized social media doesn't add nearly as much value to my life as I thought, and I was absolutely fine with it.
Now I'm taking a page from Therapy as My Cardio. I post and I leave it. No more checking, no spiraling, no monitoring. I feel calmer, more productive, and more intentional about when and if I log on. So here's what happened. Instead of tracking two separate experiments, here's what I actually practiced. I completely logged off social media for four days. No checking apps.
no quick peeks, no scrolling in bed or during transitions. I held the boundary even when it felt uncomfortable. This wasn't about perfection. It was about interrupting autopilot.
Here's what I noticed immediately. The urge to check was intense, especially the first two days. It felt automatic, a reflex. That told me how conditioned I was. I felt uncomfortable when I couldn't log in. I felt a little restless, a little anxious, even irritated. That discomfort revealed how often I use scrolling as emotional regulation. my brain got quieter.
With fewer inputs, my thoughts had room to breathe. I was more present. I wasn't thinking about capturing moments. I was just living them.
Let's be honest, it wasn't all peaceful. There was restlessness and FOMO. I kept having the thought, what am I missing? That alone showed me how much social media hijacks my attention. Emotional discomfort. Without the distraction, deeper emotions surfaced. Boredom, sadness, loneliness, fatigue. Scrolling usually numbs those and stepping away showed me what needed tending. I am so surprised.
how uncomfortable it was for me and how I do use social media as a distraction or just, it's just so thoughtless. If my phone's in my hand, I'll just check Instagram really quick. With my businesses, I'll check posts on TikTok, YouTube, how things are kind of trending. I'll look at my DMs to see what people sent me. Then I'll get.
lost in a rabbit hole and then I'll just start sending other people things that I find interesting or funny. And it was just all so mindless. That's what was so surprising to me. never, like it wasn't intentional. And again, when I went to go do it, then it was uncomfortable that I couldn't log in. So that was really interesting. Then there's comparison withdrawal. You know, I didn't realize how often I compare until the comparison stopped. And then you feel more relief.
And then you'll kind of grieve for how much energy I've been spending all these years doing all of these kind of silly or mindless things. But what really helped me reset were micro pauses. When I reached for my phone, I took one grounding breath instead and it was enough to disrupt my cycle. And now I find that I'm posting things and leaving things.
For the four days, I did not share any content. And instead of scrolling, I was actually having a lot more conversations with friends, sometimes through, you know, just through texting. But I was at a tournament for my son, and so just being present, watching the game, talking to friends, finding activities to do, and having those connections with other people satisfied.
that same need for belonging, but in a healthier way. And also there's opportunity there for creative or sensory tasks. There's opportunity for creating, organizing, writing. But really ultimately it allowed my nervous system to exhale. Now what I've been doing is I am sharing content, but I'm not checking it for likes, comments, or reactions. I'm just posting it and leaving it. And this single shift has radically reduced
any anxiety related to social media.
The results for me are that I feel calmer. There was more of a frantic baseline and that seems to be gone. I feel more productive because my attention is sharper without constant micro distractions. I'm also more intentional when I log in, it's a choice, not a compulsion. I think for so many of us, it is absolutely a compulsion. You know, I feel a little bit more creative with less noise.
I'm having more ideas. I feel more connected to myself.
Without comparison, I remembered what I value and who I am.
Here's what this experiment taught me. You don't need to disappear from the internet to reset your digital life. Sometimes a short pause is enough to break the cycle and rebuild your relationship with social media from a grounded place. Next week, we're going deeper, exploring how social media can activate old emotional wounds and even trauma responses you may not realize are being triggered. Until then, notice when you reach for your phone and ask yourself what your body is actually needing in that moment.
Thank you so much for listening. If you wanna know more about the podcast, you can check it out at healingismyhobby.com, on Instagram at healingismyhobby, YouTube at healingismyhobby, and of course, if you wanna know more about my clinical practice, you can check me out at jessicacolercolcsw.com, or on Instagram at jessicacolercolcsw. Thanks again for listening.
