Are there healthy ways to use social media?

We all know by now that social media can have a real negative impact on our mental health. Being in constant contact with people we know and don’t know, and seeing only a small part of their lives, can make people feel sad, lonely, depressed, angry, and judge themselves and others. Despite the setbacks, social media remains an important place for people to stay connected, conduct business and stay informed. So, if we are going to continue using these platforms to interact with others, is there a healthy way?

Are there healthy ways to use social media?

Research continues to show the impact social media has on our society. Since the introduction of social media apps like Facebook and Instagram, depression and anxiety have skyrocketed, and it’s especially bad for teens.The Surgeon General recently warned Social media is fueling the teen mental health crisis. at the same time, The average person spends more than 2 hours a day on social media. So what exactly is social media that makes people feel depressed and anxious?

Social media has made everything more accessible. This can be both beneficial and detrimental. It can be dangerous to come into contact with people and things that we don’t necessarily come into contact with. People usually only post the best things in their lives on social media. Seeing clips of everyone’s best moments can be incredibly triggering when you’re struggling in your own life, or even when your life is going smoothly. It naturally makes us compare and judge ourselves and others.

social media is Good at making us feel longing and needing, wanting more. More cosmetics, clothes, toys, gadgets and the things that make our lives happy. Social media algorithms are complex and designed to be brain addicting. While some people may be ashamed of the addiction, they were created to make it hard to quit.

Here are some things to consider when using social media.

Observe your current social media usage

Observation is a great way to learn about our habits and addictions. Start noticing when you click on the app, how long you use it, what you do while using it, and how you feel before and after using social media. Even jot down some notes for later reference. You may notice a pattern. Do you click on social media apps when you’re bored, sad, lonely, angry? Can social media provide you with temporary relief from these feelings? Perhaps a temporary boost of dopamine? Now think about how you feel after using social media. Are you lacking motivation or feeling frustrated with yourself? These are important feelings and sensations to pay attention to. If you want to have a healthier relationship with social media, it’s important to identify which parts of social media trigger you and eliminate them.

create boundaries

Your relationship with social media is not going to be healthy if you open apps casually or at any time. You’ll find yourself clicking on the app every time you’re bored or have some free time or even don’t! It became a habit and was honestly a waste of time. When you have access to your phone and scroll regularly throughout the day, you’ll find that your work and everyday life is much less productive.

the first See your current screen time and time spent on social media apps. You can find it under Screen Time settings. It breaks it down so you can easily see your overall screen time, as well as how much screen time you spend on certain apps. It’s embarrassing and scary at times, just know you’re not alone. On average, people spend more than 2 hours per day on social media apps.

How much time do you actually want to spend on social media? For those of us whose jobs depend on social media, this can be a little tricky. Maybe set some guidelines around specific times of the day or week to check in, post, reply to comments, etc. A friend of mine only uses social media apps on weekends. Noticing that she was spending too much time on these things, she wanted to set some boundaries. She still enjoys using social media, but she now feels more in control and has a lot more time in the week. Instead of mindless scrolling, she spends her evenings reading or connecting with family.

on purpose

I was listening to an interview recently where they were discussing the idea of ​​using social media intentionally. We often find ourselves scrolling mindlessly before we even remember why we started using the app. A lot of times we don’t actually go on to do anything in particular, we just click mindlessly and then suddenly we’re 30 minutes later. Think of the awesome things you could do in 30 minutes instead of being on social media.

Determine your intent for using social media. Are you using it for business or personal reasons? Who do you want to contact? What content can fill your glass without leaving you with negative emotions? If you are clear about these intentions, even writing them down or discussing them with your partner will help you achieve them.

Pay attention to who and what you care about

One of the things we often forget about social media is that we have complete control over who we follow. Unfortunately, algorithms, ads, and explore pages can still show us things we don’t want to see. The best thing you can do to create a healthier relationship with social media use is to check and clean up who you follow. Choose content that makes you feel good. Get rid of anyone who brings up negative emotions like jealousy, disgust or anger.

Ultimately, we can’t control the addictive nature of social media, we can only control how we choose to use it. For some, finding a healthy balance can be done. For others, getting rid of it completely is the best path forward. Consider your own relationship with social media applications and make a decision that works for you.

We’d love to know your thoughts on social media. do you use it How does it make you feel?