What would our mental health be like in a world without social media?
Many of us are so busy with them social media accounts that it is difficult to remember what we did before their time.
There are many positive elements in our contact with the internet, but how can we to find a balance with the constant feed of information from friends, family, celebrities and brands constantly vying for our attention?
How social media affects mental health
In fact, our brains are probably begging us to slow down scrolling.
A 2018 study found a direct link between reducing social media use and improving depression and loneliness.
In a 2021 survey, 86% of a sample of 1,500 Americans said that social media they directly negatively affect their happiness and self-image. Between 79% and 83% reported negative effects on anxiety, loneliness and depression.
Similarly, a 2022 online survey in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Norway found that those who used social media for entertainment or to reduce loneliness during the pandemic showed changes in their mental health.
While using social media for personal contact and maintaining contacts and relationships was associated with improved mental health, there was still a link between increased daily time on social media and poorer mental health overall.
On the other hand, a 2021 pilot study of 68 college students found that most students reported a positive change in mood, reduced stress, and improved sleep during and immediately after taking a break from social media.
The data seems pretty clear.
Things you can do instead of scrolling
Your mental health is more important than your Instagram looks. It’s important to identify why you feel the need to connect on social media, and when you find it, you can redirect that feeling by doing other things.
If you use social media to relax. If you find yourself reaching for your phone when you have free time, consider swapping scrolling for these options:
- Take a walk around the block
- Put on some music
- Set your mood with candles and a book
- Read a book
- Try a puzzle or a craft
- Try a new snack recipe
- Try yoga or meditation
- Help a girlfriend or a friend with some of his pending
- Go through old photos and reminisce
If you use social media to connect with others
If you feel like you’re looking for the human connection, try one of the following:
- Invite a friend or family member over for something to eat or drink
- Bake a cake and visit your neighbors
- Organize a weekend brunch, a hike or a shopping spree with friends
- Volunteer at a local food bank or other organization
- Go to a group program at the gym.
If you use social media for fun, choose one of the following:
- Find a live and go with a friend or by yourself
- Learn an instrument
- Take a dance or martial arts class
- Go to a nearby museum
- Take up gardening
- Look for new podcasts
- Read a book
- Gather a friend or two and play board games.
How to set healthy boundaries on social media
While breaks from social media are great, it’s important to be realistic. It’s not practical to abstain entirely.
If social media is a part of your life, that’s okay. There are ways to reduce the negative effects and enhance the positive effects of social media even as you use it.
Think about:
- Skip the filters and show the real you Post photos of the “messy” moments, not just the perfect ones
- You post encouraging comments on other people’s posts
- Don’t scroll out of boredom
For most of us, social media is just a part of our lives, for better or for worse. At the same time, we can use it in a way that emphasizes the positive over the negative, both for ourselves and for others.
With a little conscious use, occasional breaks, and balance with other activities, social media can be a healthy tool for self-expression and connection.
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