How Social Media Can Influence Your Mental Well-Being
Today I have the pleasure of welcoming Rachel from Lukeosaurus and Me with a post about how social media can influence your mental well-being, something which well all perhaps need to be a bit more aware of.
In today’s digital society, can you even picture a world where social media doesn’t reign supreme? Yeah, me neither. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter – they’ve become our virtual buddies, connecting us with loved ones, work opportunities, and an outlet for our creativity.
However, the constant presence of social media can become pretty detrimental to our mental health, causing feelings of inadequacy, depression, anxiety, and more.
So how do you navigate the world of technology while maintaining a happy, healthy lifestyle? Let’s find out!
Highlights vs. Reality
We’ve all done it…been casually scrolling through our feeds, and then BAM! There it is – a series of perfectly curated posts showcasing people’s seemingly flawless lives.
It feels like those users have mastered the art of living their best lives, whilst you’re still trying to figure out how to master the art of ‘adulting’.
The thing is, it’s so easy to forget that social media isn’t reality. Many users spend hours curating shiny, polished content that glosses over the struggles, stumbles, and downright failures that make us all human.
So next time you find yourself feeling inadequate because of a shiny highlight reel on social media, take a moment to step back and learn how to stop comparing yourself to others. Consider muting or unfollowing users whose content makes you feel bad about your own accomplishments, or take a few days to detox from your favourite social media platforms.
The Doomscrolling Dilemma
Ah, the dreaded doomscrolling. We’ve all been there, right?
Mindlessly scrolling through our feeds, oblivious to the world around us. It’s like being sucked into a world of negative news, updates, and, quite frankly, pretty uninteresting stuff.
And yet…you just can’t seem to stop?!
Well, it’s time to break free of this digital trance and break your doomscrolling cycle. Set some clear social media usage boundaries by giving yourself a designated time slot for scrolling.
Trust me, it works wonders.
Limiting your screen time will shield you from the onslaught of negativity, and instead, it’ll allow you to focus on activities that light up your soul and make you happy. I guarantee you that spending less time on social media and spending more time focusing on hobbies, friends, family, or anything else that brings you joy will skyrocket your mental well-being.
Chasing Validation And The Dopamine Effect
Raise your hand if you’ve ever posted a selfie and eagerly awaited those delicious likes and comments. Yep, guilty as charged!
But here’s the scoop: seeking validation through social media can be a dangerous game.
Those little dopamine boosts you get from external approval? They’re like temporary sparks of joy that fizzle out way too soon.
The key is to shift your focus inward. Discover activities that bring you genuine happiness – whether it’s diving into a good book, nurturing your green thumb, unleashing your inner artist, or even embracing some good old self-care.
By finding fulfilment from within, you’ll be less dependent on those fleeting moments of external validation and start to realise that your self-worth truly does come from within.
Final Thoughts On How Social Media Can Influence Your Mental Well-being
Let’s face it, social media has certainly reshaped the way we connect and communicate. Although there are numerous benefits to social media use, it is also essential to be mindful of our mental state when using these apps and websites.
Remember that what we see online is very rarely the truth. Celebrity images are usually photoshopped, many influencers use shiny filters and presets, and apps such as FaceApp can even change the colour of a person’s hair, eyes, or makeup with just a few taps.
Therefore, it’s important for your mental health that you recognise this and establish healthy boundaries to keep the doomscrolling at bay. Setting up good social media boundaries will not only give you more time for the things in life that bring you joy, but they will also help to reduce your reliance on external validation in the form of chasing those sweet likes, comments, and shares.
So, if you ever feel like your mental well-being is taking a real hit, social media could be a contributing factor in your deteriorating mental state. If this is the case, don’t hesitate to step back, take a breather, and give yourself a social media detox – your mind will thank you for it!
About The Author:
Rachael is a family lifestyle blogger over at Lukeosaurus and Me. She covers plenty of family and lifestyle topics, such as fun ways to keep kids entertained, family finances, and health & beauty, as well as offering lots of free kids printables.
She also writes a lot about mental health in both adults, and children, and is passionate about self-growth.
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TikTok is the only social media I actively participate in. I don’t really see anyone that I’d want to be or emulate. That’s maybe my age TBH. I like tiktok because it can be very educational ranging from physics, maths, wood/metal working, etc. It’s great at seeing other people from other countries and, in particular, how dysfunctional the USA is. Tiktok’s downside is that it can be quite addictive.
I do think it affects your mental health, it really helps to have time away from the screen
I really struggle with social media… Ihave a habit of over-sharing when my mental health is bad (I have bipolar) I always regret it but I don’t have many friends and sometimes I just wanna get it out there that i’m just fed up or whatever the trigger on the day is… Then there is the whole thing of social media just making me feel worse when I see people with such great lives and i’m struggling… (even though I know social media is not an accurate representation of what is actually going on)
I agree that that social media can be good in communicating and interacted with friends and family, but it is easy to be dragged into comparing your life to other peoples, especially when it seems like they have everything.
I don’t have a fb ,twitter, or Instagram account so I don’t get dragged into this so much. But I can see how the constant comparison is dangerous.
The Doomscrolling Dilemma – I have definitely been there. I like to give myself social media breaks. I rarely look on my phone and try to leave it exclusively to the laptop
Like many things, social media is a tool and it is up to us how we use it. I connect with friends (people I know IRL) and family and enter competitions. I do use various forums but generally keep away from arguments.
Every now and then, I give myself a break from Social media to improve my wellbeing. It can definitely influence how you feel, especially if there’s lots of ‘drama’ posted about people’s lives. I try to keep my own page as light and cheerful as possible.
The internet is a dangerous world and it’s especially with social media. It is suppose to connect us with the people we idolise and love and yet it can cause so many turmoil and pressure with ourselves to fit in and be anything other than ourselves.
I’m very fortunate that I never let social media have that affect on me, mainly because I use it purposely for competitions but I’ve seen the damage around me.
There are lots of documentaries educating people about the dark side of social media, lots on the BBC and sometimes watching that can help you break free. Highly recommend it. Otherwise I agree with spending more time with the people who love you for YOU than the screens and immerse yourself in nature where the true beauty lies
A very interesting post. I don’t think that social media affects my mental health in a negative way but I understand how this can happen, particularly in young people