Currently, almost all of us are on social media, and this is likely particularly true during lockdowns while we are home and away from loved ones and opportunities for in person connection. While social media can be a source of fun, information, and inspiration it can also have a significant impact on our wellbeing. In a British study of teenagers for example, researchers found that length of time using social media per day was correlated with experiences of online harassment, short sleep hours, the time it takes to fall asleep, sleep disruption, being happy with appearance and body weight satisfaction (for females) and symptoms of depression (Kelly et al., 2018). Another body of researchers published their findings of a negative association between passive social media use and levels of social comparisons and envy – meaning, the more passively participants engaged with social media, the worse they appeared to feel about themselves (Verduyn et al., 2017).
These research findings are unlikely to come as a surprise because I am sure that everyone can relate to the feeling of losing time while online, feeling increased levels of agitation, anxiety or stress or lower mood after being online, experiencing anxiety about not being online (FOMO; fear of missing out) or perhaps increased feelings of envy, inadequacy or overwhelm. If you can relate to this experience, then it might be time to think about your social media engagement and take some proactive steps to improve the impact it has on your wellbeing.
Take a Break and set some limits
First and foremost, do you need to start with a social media break? If you’re feeling like your social media use is extremely impactful and out of control, you might want to start by committing to time away from social media before reintroducing it back into your life. You might have already seen people you follow online do this already as social media breaks are becoming more popular with the rise of the use of social media platforms to advocate for mental health.
If you’re not ready for a break, analyse how much time you’re spending on social media and set some limits and rules in relation to how much, when, and where. You could consider no social media for one hour before bed, no social media when in bed, no social media when spending time with others or no social media when out of the house. You could also consider time limits for how long you’re online in one sitting, and how much in total for the whole day.
Set an intention
Consider what social media means to you and what you want it to bring to your life. It might be to stay connected to friends and family, to learn and grow or perhaps to inspire. Consider how you want to feel before, during and after your use. Once you have set your intention it will make it easier to monitor your use and its impact on your wellbeing.
Curate your social media feed
All social media platforms are designed to keep us online and you’ll know that the algorithms behind what we see are designed to predict what we’ll find interesting, and to keep us from logging off. You, however, can be in control of this. Do an audit of your accounts and unfollow anyone that makes you feel bad about yourself. If you ever see a post that leaves you feeling negative, take a moment to think about whether you need to see this in your day. Unfollow any accounts that are old and not engaged with, aren’t meaningful or don’t meet your intention for social media use. Use all the options available to you to ‘mute’, ‘take a break’, ‘unfriend’ any account that isn’t contributing to positive wellbeing. Act swiftly to disconnect from accounts that leave you exposed to online harassment. Don’t forget to also take time to add content to your feed that makes you feel great about yourself and fits with the reason you want to use social media in the first place.
Do this regularly and you’ll teach the algorithm how to bring your more fulfilling, meaningful, and positive content.
Monitor your body and emotions while online
One of the down sides of online use is the way we can get lost in the content and disconnected from the present moment and our bodies. If you can relate to this, you might benefit from integrating mindfulness skills into your day and during your use. Consider routinely checking in with yourself to see what your body feels like (relaxed? Tense?); what emotions you’re feeling (anxious? Annoyed? Downhearted?); and what is happening in the world around you (are there things you’re not noticing or missing out on?).
Take a moment to reconnect with your mind, body, and the world around you using your five senses – what can you see? what can you hear? what can you feel? what can you smell? what can you taste? Reassess whether being online in that moment enhances your wellbeing or detracts from it and make a decision that is going to help you meet your goals.
For support with your mental health our team are here to help. Contact our administration team on (03) 9882 8874 or visit our website at melbournewellbeinggroup.com.au
References:
Kelly, Y., Zilanawala, A., Booker, Cara, Sacker, A. (2018). Social Media Use and Adolescent Mental Health: Findings From the UK Millennium Cohort Study. EClinical Medicine, Volume 6, December 2018, pages 59-68.
Verduyn, P., Ybarra, O., Resibois, M., Jonides, J., Kross, E. (2017) Do Social Network Sites Enhance or Undermine Subjective Well-Being? A Critical Review. Social Issues and Policy Review, Volume 11, Issue 1, pages 274 – 302.
This blog was written and prepared by Dr Victoria Miller - Associate director and principal psychologist here at MWG.