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Digital detox: Does it really help celebs stay sane?
If you have major FOMO (fear of missing out) and can’t see your life without Instagram and Twitter, then it suffices to say that you’re a borderline social media addict. But with that, comes negativity — lots of trolling and bullying — a trend that has forced Bollywood stars and television celebrities to get off the digital world. Several have taken a break of late.
TV actor Kavita Kaushik, popular for the show FIR, quit Facebook, stating that she’d rather channel her energy into positive avenues in real life. Kaushik, who has now signed up for yoga classes, says social media “is just a time-guzzler. It’s all right to use it for business and marketing opportunities, but otherwise, it’s a complete waste.”
Not just this — on August 20, reality television personality Raghu Ram stopped airing his political views on social media owing to the negativity all around. On his Twitter profile, the Roadies judge says that haters will be muted. Actor Swara Bhasker tweeted on August 16: “Twitter detox for 10 days people. See u when im back! Don’t blow up the world in the meantime.. the cyber world I mean :)” She was back on August 28.
Actor Pulkit Samrat, who took a break from social media after rumours of his relationship with actor and Sanam Re (2016) co-star Yami Gautam surfaced, says, “I honestly believe it’s okay to take a break from it anytime you think it’s killing your peace of mind. It’s okay to say to yourself, ‘Timeout man. This isn’t worth it right now.’”
Trade analyst Amod Mehra explains that the constant attention on oneself can get stressful: “There can be a lot of trolling and abusing, and it can get annoying. So, it’s okay to disappear for a healthy life.”
Celebrity image consultant Rita Gangawani feels that stars should maintain an air of mystery instead of being constantly on social media. “Once upon a time, social networks were meant to connect with people, but now this has become a platform to vent feelings, so the positive energy is just wasted. There’s one good comment, followed by hundreds of negatives,” says Gangawani, adding, “It’s important to detox every threefour months.”
Celebs are going off social media in the West, too. Singeractor Miley Cyrus deleted all her posts from Instagram, and hasn’t been active on Twitter since July. Singer Ariana Grande announced a break from Instagram and Twitter.
However, a permanent absence is rare. Social media professional Arpit Pruthi says, “The sad truth is that we can’t survive without it, which is why celebs keep coming back even after saying they’ve quit.”