Scrolling through feeds and reading the constant stream of posts on social media can cause anxiety, stress, and depression.
So how do we stay positive online? Is it even possible?
We don't need to give up social media altogether, but we can make some changes to improve our well-being.
Here are some ways to be more mindful of your social media usage and keep your mood positive.
How social media can affect your mental health
Social media can be a great resource to stay in touch with friends and family. But if you don't make time to take care of yourself, it can lead to negative outcomes, like stress or depression.
Constantly scrolling through feeds and reading posts on social media may cause anxiety, stress, and even depression.
That's because our brains get used to the short bursts of information on social media. This becomes draining for our mental health over time.
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) study found that 75 percent of all participants reported feeling burnt out after checking their social media feeds.
And 42 percent said they worried about the amount of time online while scrolling through their feeds.
It's important to remember that social media is an addictive form of entertainment, so if you want to avoid these negative feelings, it's best to go offline periodically—even just for half an hour at a time.
Ways to stay positive online
As we all know, social media isn't always positive.
Scrolling through feeds and seeing constant posts on social media can cause anxiety, stress, and depression. So how do we stay positive online?
It's not as difficult as it might seem! Here are some simple ways to be more mindful of your social media usage and keep your mood positive:
1. Unfollow toxic people.
Toxic people will make you feel worse and send you into a spiral of negativity that can ruin your day. Unfollow these people if they leave negative comments on your posts or bring too much drama into your feed to protect your mental health best.
2. Only follow people who make you happy.
If most of the content you see on social media makes you unhappy or stressed, unfollow those people! It only takes a few seconds to unfollow someone on Facebook or Instagram.
And if they happen to notice, explain why you unfollowed them, so they understand where you're coming from.
3. Digital detox for a day ____ week
Digital detox is a term used to describe the process of abstaining from digital media to focus on other important things.
A digital detox can be done for many reasons, including feeling overwhelmed by technology and social media or just wanting time away from screens altogether.
There is no set protocol for how long you should stay off your phone or computer; it's all up to personal preference.
Some people may choose not even use their devices throughout the day.
Others might take one break per hour during which they check emails, messages, etc., but then go back into "digital silence" until their next break comes around again.
4. Make use of websites that provide encouraging content.
You may browse websites that feature particular inspiring information. One website that you may visit to read uplifting information is Simpliways.
The importance of moderation
It's difficult to stay positive when constantly surrounded by negativity online. And, with so many platforms out there, it can be hard to keep up.
However, one of the most important things is to have a strict moderation policy. That means limiting your time on social media and setting boundaries.
You might decide only to use social media for a few hours per day or only check it during certain day hours. Other people might choose to turn off notifications from their favorite social media apps entirely.
Take care of yourself first! If you don't want to use social media as much as some people do (or at all), that's okay! You deserve to take some time for yourself and enjoy your life offline too.
Conclusion
Social media has become an integral part of our lives.
It provides an opportunity to connect with old friends, stay up to date on current events, and share the most mundane parts of our days.
However, social media can also have negative effects on our mental health.
Luckily, there are ways to stay positive online. We've compiled a list of tips to help you stay positive, enjoy social media, and use it to your advantage.
- Take a break from social media.
- Make your social media accounts private.
- Limit your time scrolling through feeds.
- Be selective about who you follow.
- Use hashtags sparingly.
- Filter what you see.
- Focus on the positives in your life.
