Social Media Self-Care
Social media has become a significant part of our daily lives, as we check apps like Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok throughout the day.
While there are many positive aspects of social media the drawbacks are significant. However, social media is here to stay. Learning to navigate it in a way that reduces the negative consequences is a must!
Social media can negatively affect our mental health; Many of the teens we work with at Mindful Healing tend to compare themselves to others on social media, believing others are happier, richer, prettier, or better than they are. This leads them to feeling “less than,” sad, or anxious among other feelings.
That’s where self-awareness comes in to combat the negative effects of social media. If the content on your news feeds is negatively impacting your mental health, here are a few tips to practice social media self-care:
1. Be Mindful of how social media is impacting you:
If you’re not sure of how you’re responding to content, take time to notice. Pause next time you are scrolling through your newsfeed or stories and ask yourself questions to increase your awareness of how you interact with social media. Ask yourself, “Does this make me happy?”, “Am I comparing myself, my body or my life to others?”, and “Do I feel better or worse than before I started scrolling?” By being mindful of your thoughts and feelings while going through social media, you can actively make changes when your mental health is negatively impacted.
2. Unfollow/Unfriend accounts that make you upset:
If you find yourself unhappy or upset consistently after seeing posts from a particular account, unfollow the account. It’s not worthwhile to keep viewing content that brings you down. If you are triggered by an account, if the content is toxic, it may be best to unfollow or mute the account. Honor yourself and remove content that induces anxiety or makes you feel badly about yourself.
3. Follow accounts that create positive feelings:
Follow accounts that bring you joy or make you laugh. Fill your news feed with positivity and happiness, and accounts that inspire you. You can tailor your social media feed to you and what makes you happy rather than scrolling through content that isn’t beneficial for your mental health. Follow accounts that are consistent with your interests. Social Media can make you smile rather than compare.
4. Take a break!:
Turn OFF notifications from your social media accounts, that way you’re not constantly being pestered to open the app. Try leaving your phone at home when you are out with your friends. Yikes! Set app limits, leave your phone out of your bedroom at night, etc. Give yourself a break from social media. If this is hard for you, that may indicate you need a break more than you realize!
It’s important to remember that social media is not reality and what you see is not always true. People have more going on in their lives than what they share online. Honor yourself and your mental health by using these tips and practicing self-care while on social media! A little bit of self-care can go a long way!
