Is Social Media Affecting Your Mental Health?
by Be Well Collective
Social media is an incredible tool used to create social communities and networks to share ideas, opinions and information allowing us to be informed and connected on a level which was not possible previously. However with the use of social media at an all time high, there are many drawbacks associated with this.
Some which many of us are are familiar with include:
- Disconnect from real life and relationships
- Feelings of inadequacy
- Fear of missing out
- Increased feelings of loneliness
- Trolling and cyberbullying
Sound familiar? But how do we know when social media use is having an adverse effect on one's mental health? Some signs to look out for are:
- Time spent on ourselves or with in-person social interaction is replaced with time spent on social media.
- Sleep patterns are disrupted.
- Distraction from work, interactions or responsibilities.
- We make negative comparisons to others based on aesthetic standards of social media.
Can you relate to any of these? If so you might want to reassess or reduce your social media use. A 2018 University of Pennsylvania study found that reducing social media use to 30 minutes a day resulted in a significant reduction in levels of anxiety, depression, loneliness, sleep problems, and FOMO. Considering on average we spend over 2 hours a day on social media, it sounds as though we could all benefit from this.
Practical tips on how to reduce screen time:
- Try turning off social media notifications, so that you are not receiving constant reminders to check your apps.
- Move the apps which you find you click to on autopilot into a folder on a screen that you have to swipe to, or remove them from your home screen or phone completely.
- Change your focus to find a healthier alternative to social media. Sat on the tube and want to scroll? Carry a book with you or listen to an educational podcast. Head to Spotify or Apple podcast to listen to our podcast 'Live Well, Be Well'.
- Picking up our phones can often be used as a distraction. When we are bored, waiting in line or on public transport we often struggle to let our minds be still without stimulation. Instead, try to sit with your thoughts and bring awareness to the brain's need for distraction.
- Avoid sleeping with your phone by your bed. It’s tempting to scroll last thing at night or first thing in the morning, however, this can wreak havoc with sleep patterns and routine. So instead, take your phone out of the bedroom completely.
Whilst these tips are to help you stop the mindless scroll on social media, we want to point out that it can also be a way to switch off, unwind, connect with friends or find inspiration - and that’s ok!
So instead of picking up your phone and mindlessly scrolling for half an hour, why not make a mental note to scroll for just 5 or ten minutes. By acknowledging this it will help to bring awareness to social media use and we will be more likely to not overuse.