Introduction
Social media is easy to use, and those of us who maintain an active online presence know that it’s a great way to stay in touch with friends, family, and other people whom we know from different parts of our lives. But what impact does social media have on our mental health?
The debate between the merits and drawbacks of social media for mental health is as old as social media itself. The following are ways how to protect your mental health on social media;
1) Act with Dignity
It can sometimes seem as though we spend all our time on social media, and this is a very seductive trap for a lot of us. Your online identity is the total of all the posts you make and the comments you make, so you have to be mindful of how many times you address issues that are not directly related to mental health in your online life.
It is easier to construct a well-adjusted personality on social media than it is in real life, so try to be mindful of the trigger points that you find when you look at your Twitter or Facebook timeline.
2) Don’t overdo it with posting selfies
A study conducted by the University of South Australia found that the more pictures users posted, the higher their depression score. The theory is that people who are already depressed tend to post more on social media, but researchers are not convinced. To illustrate; if you’re depressed for a day and you post about it, your friends will be there to support you. If you’re depressed for a month and you post about it, your friends may start feeling like you’re using social media as an attention-getter.
3) Stay focused on your life goals
It’s natural to use social media as a means of boosting one’s self-esteem, but remember that whatever you are posting is visible to your friends and family. The whole point of using social media should be to create relationships, not just put your best foot forward.
Conclusion
It’s easy to think that our real lives are the only ones that matter, but this is not true. Social media can be used to make friends and create a positive self-image, but it’s important to keep in mind the consequences of how your online life affects those who care about you as well.
