Will you be stepping away from Instagram for a social detox this Christmas, or does the extra time mean even more scrolling than ever? Find out just how obsessed you are with our quiz, and get some expert advice on how to curb your addiction from Frances Trussell, therapist, mindfulness teacher and author of You Are Not Your Thoughts. 

QUESTIONS

1. How much time do you usually spend on social media each day?

A) Less than an hour

B) 1-2 hours

C) 3-4 hours

D) 5-6 hours

E) +7 hours

2. You’ve taken a photo. How long does it take you to edit and upload it?

A) About a minute

B) A couple of minutes

C) 5 or 10 minutes

D) Half an hour

E) Around an hour

3. When are you most often distracted by social media?

A) Very rarely

B) When I’m eating

C) During conversations

D) When I’m at work

E) All the time

4. Do you feel your social media use is negatively impacting on your relationships?

A) Absolutely not

B) I don’t think so

C) I’ve been “told off”
a couple of times

D) Only with certain people

E) Yes, quite a bit

5. Has anyone close to you ever complained about how much time you spend on social media?

A) Never

B) Maybe once or twice

C) My significant other

D) My manager

E) Yes, every time I go on my phone

6. Do you scroll through social media near bedtime or when you’re in bed?

A) Never

B) I’ll only answer text messages

C) I have a little scroll

D) I try to limit it to around 30 minutes

E) Definitely!

7. How often do you check social media notifications?

A) Once a day

B) A couple of times throughout the day

C) Every couple of hours

D) Probably once an hour

E) Every 10-20 minutes

8. When you don’t have access to social media, how do you feel?

A) It doesn’t bother me

B) Relaxed

C) Bored

D) Like I’m missing out

E) Anxious

9. How would you feel if you got no likes on a post?

A) I couldn’t care less

B) Meh. It probably wasn’t a great post

C) Must. Try. Harder

D) I’d ask friends to like it

E) Embarrassed, I’d delete it

RESULTS

Mostly As – Off the grid

You really couldn’t care less about social media. You post maybe once a month so that distant relatives know you’re alive. You like to communicate with friends face-to-face.

Frances says… You are more mindful than most in life, able to enter flow states of deep concentration and avoid procrastination. Use your elevated connection abilities and intimacy skills to help others.

Mostly Bs – Casual browser

You love to scroll through Twitter and garner all of your inspo from your Instagram feed. It’s no bad thing to take inspiration from others, but make sure that you are looking at a variety of accounts to hone in on your own style and preferences, rather than just following the crowd.

Frances says… This is sensible social media use, but it can still fuel anxiety and self-esteem issues. Bring awareness to when you are scrolling and who you are in front of. Even casual use in front of a partner or children can cause issues.

Mostly Cs – Timeline trapper

Neither an addict nor a shunner, you can embark on an hour-long scroll, but also know when to put the phone down. Work on asking yourself whether your time spent on social media is adding to or detracting from your life, and answer honestly.

Frances says… Put extra steps in place between yourself and the action. Create a separate folder where you can store social media apps and label them with “think” so you pause before opening. Logging out of apps will cause a barrier rather than having them easily accessible.

Mostly Ds – Super stalker

You often find yourself in a social media hole. You post every day across all accounts and have to document your every move. When you’re out, challenge yourself to keep your phone away so you aren’t tempted to update your location or post your #favenewdish.

Frances says… This level of usage is excessive. I see clients with short attention spans and a heightened inner critic. The link between thoughts of how they are both perceiving and perceived by others and social media use is clear. Delete some apps from your phone.

Mostly Es – Scrolling addict

You’ve probably got RSI in both thumbs and are overcome with anxiety and FOMO when separated from your phone. You show no signs of slowing down though. Try turning off notifications and use your phone’s screen time settings to restrict your use.

Frances says… Social media addiction is a compulsive behavioural disorder. It’s damaging to mental health and can affect your ability to engage in real life. Turn off devices for one day a week. Go for a walk, look up rather than down, noticing how it enables you to be more present. If you’re struggling, then seek external help to help you find better balance.

Find out more about how to do a digital detox here