Especially during the holidays, the sharing of greetings, likes on family photos, and tagging of friends increase—a sign that, even when stepping away from work and problems, detaching from Facebook remains difficult. Why?

Some have taken a break from the leading social network, perhaps realizing how demanding it is to keep up with updates, posts, and friends, while others have made it an integral part of their daily routine. It has become a fixed appointment to fill gaps and boring moments, to stay connected with friends and real-time news, or—among true FB Addicts—to spend a large part of the day monitoring reputation and likes on their content.

But if we were asked to join the “99 Days of Freedom” campaign—launched to detox from social media for three months—how would we respond? And if we chose not to participate, what would our reasons be? (I work with social media, can I be excused?)

Cornell University in Ithaca, United States, conducted a study on a sample of people who joined this initiative, investigating the reasons that led them to give up before reaching the goal:

– Addiction. Social media has infiltrated many aspects of our daily lives, making it difficult to abandon or rebalance, like any habit.

– Control over reputation and image. Disconnecting from Facebook means losing control over what happens to one’s public presence, other people’s judgments, and their perceptions.

– Mood. Happiness often keeps us busy with other things, whereas sadness can reduce motivation, leaving more time to be lost on social media.

One of the reasons why quitting Facebook is challenging is that it has essentially become synonymous with the internet—it provides information, news, allows content sharing and staying in touch with friends, discovering new people, accessing games, and finding interesting individuals or activities. For many, it has become essential, making disconnection far from easy.

But is taking a break from social media really necessary? If engagement is excessive, perhaps so. However, if physical and social relationships remain intact, simply reducing the time spent online may be enough.