Three Tips to Change Your Relationship with Social Media Right Now
Amelia Elkins, LCSW, CAS
Are you finding yourself mindlessly scrolling on a daily basis? Does your mood negatively shift after being on social media? Do you look up and realize you’ve been lost in the feed for a whole hour? If any of these are true for you, it may be time to shift your relationship with social media. As therapist, I see folks who not only become anxious and/or depressed from too much time on social media, but also dependent. There are plenty of challenges with social media but also plenty of positives as well. Here are three tips to reset:
>Who You Hang Out With is Who You Are, Who you Follow is Who You Become
Just as we cleanse our life from unhealthy food or beverages, we should also cleanse the content we are following. Are the folks you’re following making you laugh, feel good, or even motivated? Or are you left feeling bad about yourself, comparing your life, or with a sense of dread? Look to follow a variety of social media accounts that interest you and connect with your values as a way to reduce negativity. And of course, remember, everyone in life struggles in life and social media is a way to show the world the positive in our lives so don’t believe everything you see. Interested in the psychology behind following? More here: https://displaypurposes.com/blog/why-people-follow-influencers-what-makes-people-follow-you/.
>Space: Take a Breather
I highly encourage all of my clients who are active on social media to consider taking at least a week off here and there. During this time, taking stock of how you feel, what you notice, and your ability to stay present. Is this a challenge? Do you feel a strong pull to check your accounts? What are you missing out on in life by being glued to your phone? And most importantly, how do you feel after the week is done? A sense of relief? Possibly more relaxed? Just as we take space from folks in our lives who are creating stress, taking a break from social media should also be important. Still not convinced? One study found that too much time on social media is linked with depression: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/da.22466.
>Boundaries: Are You Controlling Social Media or is Social Media Controlling You?
Lastly, as you reincorporate social media back into your routine after a break, set a daily time limit for yourself to reduce rabbit holes. Check in with yourself and notice what feels like a healthy amount of time for yourself. If setting time boundaries independently feels too challenging, here’s a list of apps which will do this for you: https://www.mothermag.com/screen-time-limit-apps/.