Social media can be dangerous; that’s a fact. As you scroll through photos on popular social media platforms, reading updates and viewing pictures, you can easily find yourself drained of energy. I’m not just talking about physical energy but mental energy.
These days it’s no surprise to see social media riddled with hate, trolls, cyberbullying, degradation and fake life.
Sometimes viewing social media can affect your self-esteem. It would seem as if everybody getting more out of life, having fun, achieving their or getting more likes for their photos and updates. This can be really damaging to your mental health.
There are numerous research studies that tie social media use with depression, loneliness, envy, lower self-esteem and social anxiety.
Although there are many negatives sides to social media, it is also a great way to stay in touch with long-distance family and friends. It is also a great way to learn new things, make new friends and promote your business.
As you can see, social media is essential, and can rarely be avoided. So how can you use social media while protecting your mental health?
This beneficial article has some useful tips on how to protect your mental health on social media.
1. Improve your social health first
Many people don’t know what social health is all about. I wrote a top-performing article on how to improve your social health, where I discussed a lot about it.
Someone with good Social health has the ability to develop meaningful relationships with people around him and interact in a healthy, positive way. Having great social health helps you to relate to the people around you and adjust to different social situations.
Improving your social health is important to protecting your mental health from social media’s dangers because it improves your overall well-being and self-confidence. Good social health will help you survive outside social media.
2. Limit your use of social media
Statistics have shown that people spend close to three hours a day on social media.
Regular use social media for long periods can affect your relationship with others. It is imperative to reduce the amount of time you spend on social media, as well as where you use it.
Think about it; the more time you spend on social media increases the chances of you viewing something that will depress you. Also, where you use social media matters too.
Don’t use social media while having conversations, or while eating with someone.
Don’t keep your smartphone or computer in your bedroom when you are about to go to bed or use social media right before bed, because using devices at this time affects your sleep.
3. Mind how you use social media
There are so many good things you can do with social media, especially when you have a purpose before going online.
However, when you go online to aimlessly peruse through your Instagram stories, or other people’s status updates, you can easily find yourself spending minutes upon minutes on social media.
It would be best to go online with a clear purpose in mind and leave once you have achieved that.
Also, be mindful of the kind of things you are putting inside your head when you view something on social media.
4. Pay attention to how you feel
Our actions affect our feelings and vice versa. So how much time you spend and what you do social media can affect how you feel. In fact, viewing a picture can change your feeling or mood.
If that happens, you need to reevaluate or examine your feelings. Should that really make you feel bad? Is this content something that you completely dislike? If your answers are yes then you know what to do.
5. Block, unfollow, mute.
Many times, you can accumulate thousands of friends or follow numerous accounts on social media that are not useful to you; sometimes, you might even see contents from accounts that make you feel bad.
Feel free to use your block, unfollow or mute button to avoid that rubbish.
6. Have an active life outside social media
It wouldn’t come as a surprise to see many people who are active on social media to be inactive in real life. One reason why most persons feel bad when they see people on social media post great pictures is that they have a really boring life.
Try hard to make your life meaningful outside social media, and you will feel better always. Read real books, travel, visit your loved ones, exercise and try new adventures.
7. Realize that likes and retweets don’t matter
I’ve heard so many people say they felt bad because they don’t get many likes and retweets when they post on social media.
Well here’s the truth: Except, you are into social media marketing, or are an influencer they DON’T MATTER.
The number of likes you get never determine your happiness. Feel good about what you did outside social media rather than when you posted it inside.
Bottom Line
Social media has a plethora of advantages, but it’s dangers are equally manifold. One particular aspect of your well-being that we need to protect on social media is your mental health. Thus, you should learn these beneficial tips on how to protect your mental health on social media.
