How to tell if you have healthy relationship with Social Media

19 de agosto de 2020

4 min de lectura

The phrase "social media" has been around since 1997, according to Forbes magazine. In that short amount of time, social media has exploded into a widespread and nearly unavoidable part of modern society.

Of course, there are plenty benefits of using social media that we can be grateful for. Thanks to networks like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, we're able to share major life milestones, make new friends and online connections, grow a business, learn about subjects that interest us, join a cause, keep in touch with distant loved ones, and stay up-to-date on breaking news stories.

But as you or your child may know firsthand, social media isn't all just likes and follows.

For many people, social media use can become addictive and harmful to their mental and emotional health. Wondering if your social media habits are hurting or helping you? Keep reading to learn about what it means to have a healhty relationship with your various social networks.

Here are a few important warning signs which may suggest it's time to make a change in how you scroll, tweet, like, and share:

1. You spend more time on social media than you do with your real friends.

2. You frequently compare yourself to other people on social media. You may notice worsening self-esteem or obsessive concerns about your appearance, relationship, lifestyle, etc.

3. Many of your loved ones say you spend too much time on social media, or that you're "addicted" to your phone. Ironically, you may start to use social media even when it's socially inappropriate, like when you're out with friends, having a conversation with someone, working, or driving.

4. You do risky, out-of-character, or unethical things simply to gain likes, followers, shares, or reactions. This may include dangerous or mean-spirited pranks or cyberbullying.

5. You struggle to fall asleep, or spend a lot of time on your phone while in bed. Nonly can the stress and stimulation of social media keep you up, but so can the bright lights emitted from your digital devices.

6. You feel like you're not growing as a person or spending quality time on yourself and your goals because you're using up so much time and energy on social media.

7. You experience new or worsening symptoms of anxiousness, inadequacy, loneliness, isolation, depression, or "FOMO" (the fear of missing out).

Perhaps the biggest challenge about social media is that it can create an unending cycle of negative feelings. That is, feeling lonely, bored, or sad may cause you to use social media more often. But too much social media can lead to more feelings of inadequacy and isolation, which may worsen mood and cause you to reach for your news feed all over again!

According to the Pew Research Center, 7 in 10 Americans use some form of social media regularly. What this tells us is that we ALL could use some tips to help us make sure we're using our social media well...and not allowing our social media to use US.

The good news is, just because social media gets you down sometimes doesn't mean you have to swear off it forever. Here are several ways you can enjoy all the good things social media has to offer while minimizing your exposure to the negative aspects most of us would rather "unfollow":

Consider keeping your bedroom "social media free." That means no scrolling on your phone as you're laying in bed preparing to go to sleep, nor hopping on Instagram or Facebook the moment you wake up in the morning.
Disable notifications on your phone.
Put your phone on airplane mode during certain times of the day or while doing certain activities.
Some platforms like Instagram feature in-app "trackers" that help you know how long you're spending on social media every day. Use these and consider setting a goal to reduce your time. You may even consider installing apps that can limit how many times you can check your phone, which may help you avoid compulsive checking and re-checking of your social media accounts.
Curate your follow list and news feed! Only follow people or pages who leave you feeling better or happier after consuming their content. Unfollow people who leave you feeling poorly and trigger feelings of isolation, inadequacy, and other negative emotions.
Take a moment to be mindful. Before you log onto your social media platform, spend even just a few seconds taking some deep breaths and clarifying why you're about to hop on.

Social media is a gift—use it wisely! Share your successes, and maybe gain some like-minded followers, by exploring our Healthread community today. Also, be sure to check us out on Instagram for some educational and inspirational news to add to your day.

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7 Signs That Your Social Media Use May be Harmful

Tips for Improving Your Relationship With Social Media

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