5 Ways to Manage Your Social Media for Better Mental Health
Hello! I’ve been noticing lately on the MissHeard Media social feeds, there’s been an increase of drama and negativity. Since I manage all of the social media, I see it in real time. I don’t know why that is, but i do want to offer some solutions and tips for keeping social media a healthy and positive experience.
I do believe that, ultimately, social media is a net good that connects us and gives us new opportunities to share and learn in ways that did not exist when I was a teenager.
*manages hair*
1. Make sure to have a private profile- or at least restrict who can see your posts!
This is a pretty good idea so that your information stays more private. Ultimately, everything we put online is available for everyone, even with a private profile (people can take screenshots of photos/posts, etc).
A good start to keeping your info a little more locked down is with a private account. Social media is for people you know and want to keep up with, not for anyone in the world, anywhere at any time. Make your account private, or restrict your posts.
2. Curate! Only add your friends.
Add your friends and people you trust. If people add you and give you weird vibes, you’re not obligated to accept them. If someone in real life said something strange to you, you wouldn’t accept that- you don’t need to do it online either. Go with your gut instincts and only add people know you know and trust.
Do not add people that make you uncomfortable. Your social media space is yours- just like you don’t invite strangers into your house, you don’t need to invite them to peer through the windows either.
3. Don’t be afraid to block/unfriend people.
I don’t know why people -myself included- are nervous to block or unfriend people. I guess it seems like we’ve “lost” the argument, or that we’re somehow compromising ourselves or silencing others.
Trolls are going to troll and we don’t need to give people access to our online space. If you have a garden, you want pretty flowers and plants, so that when you look at your garden, you think “Gee, this is a beautiful, nice space where I enjoy spending time.”
You don’t want to look out and see weeds or poison ivy- you pick them out. On social media, pick the weeds. If an account is trolling, abusive, harmful, or posting things that are racist, sexist, or otherwise upsetting to you, don’t be afraid to unfriend or block those accounts.
It may make you feel apprehensive in the short run, but I promise, in the long run, you’re going to be happier when you’re not hate-following people or nervous that trolls are going to flood your latest post and infest your social media space.
Don’t be afraid! It’s worth it.
4. Remember to engage in hobbies and spend time with people irl.
It’s so normal to get caught up in the social media likes game. It’s easy to think “that picture didn’t get many likes,” or “my bff and I posted the SAME photo and hers got so many likes- what the heck?!” One of the most important things about having a good and healthy relationship with social media is encouraging your passions and hobbies OFF of social media.
It’s not just about getting likes, it’s about spending quality time with people you care about. The more confident you feel about yourself, and your friendships and relationships, the less those numbers will affect you on a daily basis. The more time you spend nurturing yourself in the physical world, the happier you’ll be overall.
You can use social media to share your hobbies, etc., I love seeing those kinds of posts. Please share! If your photo doesn’t get “enough” likes, you’ll know that you have done something positive with your time, like creating something neat or spending time with your friends.
5. There is adult help out there!
If you find yourself in a situation online that you don’t know how to handle, please try to find a trusted adult. It doesn’t have to be a parent- but someone. An aunt, neighbor, teacher, someone. No adult wants you to be in a situation you feel like you cannot handle.
The trusted adults who love and care about you want to see you come up with a good solution instead of being afraid, silenced, or suffering alone. Don’t be afraid to reach out.
If you have ideas for a video topic, please feel free to comment or email at hello @ missheardmedia dot com.
Related reading
Leaders, Your Mental Health Matters Too by Julia Schemmer
Girls and Navigating Social Media with Lindsey Turnbull and Maria Fuller
Technology & Dating: What’s Healthy, and What’s Not? by Anitra Edwards, loveisrespect
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