How to protect your mental health from social media damages
Photo credit: University of Leicester
Before reading this blog please ensure you check out part 1 so you are up to speed on the topic being discussed.
While you are at it make sure to check out my other blogs 😊😊😊.
A quick recap is always relevant and necessary....In part one I looked at the impact of social media consumption on mental health and shared the changes I noticed I had undergone after engaging with social apps over a period of time.
Click here if you need a refresher…you’re welcome 😌.
Documenting my changes and sharing them with the world was not easy but I am content in the fact that I am not alone in my journey and I may have saved someone the emotional and mental distress I went through. I should just change my name to “Super Woman”.
Fun and joke aside it took a lot of prompting, crying, self realization, trial and error to reverse the damages done to my mental health.
But....I am better than I was before and these are the things that helped me.
Detox periods
Schedule regular multi-day breaks from social media. You can attempt to do this every three months or setting aside times throughout the day where you are not engaging with any of the platforms. I found that a two week break every three months lowered my stress levels and re-directed my focus and outlook on life.
Prune
Overtime users accumulate online friends, followers and also follow hashtags, organizations and join groups. As the world evolves or “dissolves” so does ones outlook on life. Your online friends and the content you consume should serve as pillars of positivity. If you find that certain content causes you harm, is annoying and infuriating then it’s time to trim the dead leaves. During my time of self-care I deleted, muted and blocked contacts, hashtags and contents that no longer aided in my mental well being. Start pruning your social content and your brain will thank you for it.
Certain apps have to go
Social media in general has it flaws and it would be unfair and ridiculous to blame an app itself for the increase in toxicity and depression. After all, it’s just a software made up of numbers and algorithms devoid of human characteristics. However I do believe that there are social apps that have condone certain behaviors and as such the app itself has taken on a life of its own. There is one social app that I will never download again and I will refrain from calling out that app. My point however is that certain social apps no matter how we spin it are worse than others and are not worth your sanity. Analyze your feelings after using the apps and I guarantee you can pinpoint what platform needs to be deleted forever!
Delete apps from home screen
Are you guys familiar with the quote “out of sight, out of mind”? Well it basically applies to this approach. You are more likely to click on an app if it’s visible on your home screen. I removed all social media apps from my phone screen which saw a decrease in how many times I found myself wandering off to Facebook or Instagram. I was less inclined to go into my App Store, that was an extra layer of work that I did not care for.
Do not read comments on certain posts
This should be a given especially during a time where “keyboard bullies and trolls” spew hate and stir up controversies. While you may feel a sense of morality and justice to educate and call out ignorance, post on sensitive topics such as racism, politics, violence will only leave you feeling depressed and lost. There are other ways to share your opinions and express yourself without having to engage with toxic users. I no longer read comments on certain posts but rather I express my thoughts through blogging, talking to a friend or making my own social commentary on the matter.
Pay attention to what you do and how you feel
Experiment with your favorite social media apps at different time intervals and see how you feel during and after. For me, I found that 10 minutes on Facebook made me feel better than 45 minutes. If you feel exhausted and mentally drained after a session on Instagram then think about reducing the amount of time you spend on the app. Also focus on how you participate on social media. If you are passively consuming and browsing other people’s content rather than engaging with others online then you are more likely to end up feeling bad about yourself.
Find an alternative output to replace social media
Approach social media with a “why” am I doing this. If you find yourself going on social apps because you are bored or trying to escape from something then it’s time to be brutally honest with yourself. Social media should not be a place of escape and should not replace meaningful activities. I found myself running to social media because I was bored after work. I realized I needed an hobby or an output and turn to blogging and reading and online shopping (a discussion for another time).
Mute notifications
You do not need to be constantly alerted of every post, comment, like, message on social media. Those notifications only serve one purpose and that is to draw you back to the platform. I muted all my notifications and only checked social media during the time I allotted for myself.
To be honest, I am still working through the mess that now occupies my brain. At the end of the day issues of anxiety, depression and low self esteem doesn’t just up and walk out of your life because you found the “holy grail”.
It’s a work in progress and as I have come to realize progress only works when failure and success complement each other - Quote by Juleen Anderson
Thank you to Karen for inviting me to speak on the topic on her YouTube blog.
Please check out her channel and subscribe. Link here
I will be posting the interview as a separate blog.
Until next time...Julz out!
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