Nation Unfriend Day is observed annually on the first day of spring, this year it’s March 20th.
The purpose of National Unfriend Day is to remind people that when they’re not getting along with other people, unfriending them from social media might be a good idea! For example, if someone posts something annoying or offensive on their timeline and you want to cut ties with them without confronting them in person, then unfollowing or unfriending them may be the best option for you. –
The History of National Unfriend Day: There isn’t anyone history for National Unfriend Day. Instead, there have been multiple events throughout history that may be considered a catalyst for this holiday tradition. Some examples include Friendsgiving celebration and giving thanks to those who aren’t friends anymore
The idea of Friendsgiving is that friends should remind themselves to be thankful for their friendships. This holiday includes eating all the traditional Thanksgiving foods and then gathering around a table with family, friends, or both! There are also traditions like sharing what you’re grateful for and writing down things about your life that make you happy – which can include “friends” in addition to other sources of happiness (ReNation).
In the nation’s case, National Unfriend Day has been used as an opportunity to give thanks because some people may not truly know how many good friends they have until after unfriending them on social media. It’s also important to remember where we once were when it comes to our relationships so that we can learn to have a little more patience with our loved ones when they make mistakes.
National Unfriend Day was first coined back in 2000 by Dr. Laura Schlessinger as she discussed the idea of “closing your friend account” and unfriending people on social media who were not friends in real life (The Huffington Post). The holiday has grown in popularity over the years, with some saying it should be universally celebrated each year because friendships are important aspects of one’s well-being.
In conclusion: On November 20th, 2018, there will be another national unfriend day for all those Americans out there who want to honor their relationships; whether that means eating good food or spending time with family members/friends.
Long story short, the term national unfriend day is a play on words that in practice means to spend time with your true friends and family members.
National Unfriend Day celebrates people who remove toxic individuals from their lives for mental health purposes or because they need space from someone but still value them as a person.”
“It’s not healthy when we let relationships go too long without tending to them,” Schlessinger says. “When you’re pouring out energy into something at work and it goes well, there’s elation. But when you pour all this emotional energy into somebody else who doesn’t deserve it–that wears you down after a while.” (The Huffington Post)
The entirety of 2018 will be called National Unfriend Day.
National unfriend day is nationally observed on October 17th every year, and the following year’s national unfriend day will be designated when it falls in a leap month.
The first mention of this holiday was from Dr. Bradbury when he wrote about his new book “National Unfriend Day” which released January 31st, 2018.
The article goes into how people are feeling overwhelmed with loneliness and need some support while also understanding that social media can have negative impacts too so they’re not advising anyone to completely isolate themselves either.” (Psychology Today)
Some statistics: As we spend more time online instead of interacting face to face or via phone call there has been an increase in mental health issues like depression and anxiety.
For example, the percentage of adults 18 to 20 years old who had a major depressive episode in 2012 compared with 2008 increased from 11 percent to 13 percent. (National Institute on Mental Health)
Adults who report feeling lonely are more likely to have an accident, be depressed, or a suicide risk. (National Institute on Mental Health)
A quote from the article: “The best thing we can do when it comes to our own mental health is finding balance and make sure that time spent online isn’t at the expense of real-life connections.”
“We all know social media has been used as a weapon against us in many ways,” she said. “It drains your energy because you’re always checking for likes and retweets. It’s like being hungry, but never eating anything.” – Sarah Hagi, author of Everyday Disruptions: The Digital Demands of Social Relationships (Northeastern University Press).
