Over the years, social media platforms have increasingly come under fire for their negative effects on our mental health, and it’s little wonder why. With the rise of associated suicides, it’s vital we strike a balance with our online presence.
Possibly the biggest challenge when it comes to social media, is to not compare ourselves to what we see of others online. What we see when scrolling through the likes of Facebook and Insta is simply what the poster wants us to see- and who wants hundreds of followers to see us at our lowest ebbs, mad with our kids, under financial stress, or having a mental health crisis? The point is, people tend to post only the positive snap-shots of their lives- the bits they want people to see, and hide the less desirable, so don’t be fooled into thinking that everyone else’s lives are all rainbows and lollypops!
On the flip side of this are the arguments, online bullying and general nastiness most of us have encountered at some point on social media. The problem is, from behind a screen, many people take advantage of the anonymity and use it to harass and upset others, and some even get a kick out of it. It seems you can’t click on any public comments section without seeing a barrage of hate-fuelled posts.
To add to this, scrolling through posts can eat up valuable hours every day, expose us to fake news and mega-sensationalism, leave us vulnerable to harmful, sleep-depriving blue light, and increase our digital footprint- which carries dangers of its own such as leaked photos and personal information that almost anyone can obtain.
However, despite its dangers and pitfalls, social media does have some merit. It’s a fantastic way to keep in touch with family and friends in one easy place, you can connect with new people via groups and pages, meeting like-minded folk and accessing help for just about any issue you may have, there are thousands of business pages- including mine, it acts a digital time-stamped photo album, event invites are now often via Facebook, and we can keep abreast of current events, often before major news outlets report on them. But how can we strike a balance to use social media in a healthy and beneficial way?
1. Limit your usage- You can get apps on your phone that will tell you how much time you’ve spent on different social media platforms- and the results might surprise you! Once you know what your usage is, you can work on reducing that number.
2. Connect with people in person and through other means- although social media is a great tool for connecting, it’s no replacement for seeing people in person and having a good face- to – face chat. Failing that, email, phone calls, text messages and FaceTime are all great alternatives to have a more personal chat.
3. Remember what you see, isn’t the full picture- people tend to only show the highlights of their lives, so what you’re not being shown is the every day challenges!
4. Report any bullying and harassment- Don’t just accept hurtful comments. If you see something discriminatory, or unduly unkind, don’t respond but do report it.
5. Only befriend those you would befriend and talk to in real life- Remember that not everyone is who they say they are online, and not everyone on your friends list has good intentions. A good rule of thumb is to only befriend those on social media that you would in real life.
6. Get out and about- Compliment your online activities by getting out and about in the real world, and leave social media in your pocket for a bit- try not to let it be the biggest part of your day.
7. Only post what you’d be happy to share with everyone, including your parents, your children and your boss- Your posts can be screen shot, shared and printed out, and even seen by your work company even if your profile is private. Before posting, ask yourself if you’d be happy for everyone to read it.
8. Practice gratitude- It’s easy to get bogged down in the dark side of social media, so it’s a good idea to reflect on what you’re grateful for each day, to take yourself out of the online trap. Focus on what you can see, hear, feel, smell and taste, the things you can tangibly experience and the people you can connect with on a personal basis.
In today’s age, where social media seems to be everywhere, striking that balance isn’t easy, but to protect our mental health, it’s vital that we do. Remember that Facebook and other platforms are not the enemy, but without putting some limits in place, we open ourselves up to anxiety, depression, fear of missing out, upset, low self esteem, low confidence, and even internet addiction.
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