What’s Your Relationship with Social Media? Want A Better One?

Are the hours of scrolling on social media worth the mental health risk?

You can definitely find useful information on social media. There are many resources available to you, and they can be beneficial to your life.

Where else can you find an expert in every field in no less than 30 seconds?

You can also likely find a person who is helping you to achieve your goal, no matter what you hope to accomplish. If you need help in your personal life, you can address the problem instantly with a simple click or tap.

The possibilities are endless, and we can’t help but wonder, is social media leading to less socialization?

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It seems like the answer is yes. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), social media causes anxiety and depression.

Due to the social disconnection of social media, people are impacted. In 2019, there were nearly 3.9 billion social media users worldwide.

People are using social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, LinkedIn, and TikTok, hoping to connect.

Connection isn’t the problem. Humans need connection and a sense of belonging.

These are basic needs, and studies show that problematic social media use is replacing friendship, partnerships, and relationships, leading to a decline in mental health.

Depression and anxiety can be the result of increased social media use. When you are connected to a screen, it is harder to connect to a human being.

At social gatherings, you can disengage by going on your phone instead of feeling discomfort. If you are at a meal alone, you may choose to go to your favorite social media app rather than learn how to engage in a conversation with the server or people around you.

To feel more connected, you may be disconnecting from your surroundings.

Many groups have gone back to old-school dating where you meet a person organically rather than downloading another dating app.

For some, there is a curiosity when it comes to not knowing much about a person before you go on a date with them. That way, you can get to know the person in real-time.

The impacts of social media don’t stop with your relationships, personally and professionally.

Parenting can be affected by social media. When you are modeling extreme social media use for your child, you can teach them that their screen is more important than the benefits of family.

While it may not seem like a big deal to disengage during family time, it can limit connection with your kids and partner.

Instead of having a meal together, you might be looking up a recipe on your phone to eat someday, completely removing yourself from the present moment.

Social media use can lead to disconnection from the present moment.

Instead of enjoying a hike or nature activity, you may be waiting to take the perfect picture and then posting it for all of your friends to see.

The reality of the hike or nature activity may be completely different from what you posted. This may create a fear of missing out in others or even yourself.

Did you really have the experience that you posted for others to see? Maybe not.

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Low self-esteem can come as a result of posting and scrolling too much.

Have you heard about compare to despair?

By comparing your behind-the-scenes with another person’s social media highlight reel, you may be inviting loneliness, anxiety, and depression into your life.

It is not a fair comparison to look at someone else’s social media and hope that you have the same things one day.

This can lead to envy and jealousy, which can drive behaviors like spending and decrease life satisfaction. Social comparison can be a result of social media use.

Following your favorite influencers can mean consumer credit card debt, expensive vacations, and home renovations that you can’t really afford.

Keeping up with others can be costly not only to your bank account but also to your mental health.

For some, social media use can also impact their sleep. Are you sleeping with your phone beside your bed?

There are countless ways to distract yourself with social media before you get shut eye, which may lead to poor sleep hygiene and mental health disorders.

Even if you don’t identify as having a social media addiction, there are undoubtedly positive feelings linked to social media use, which can be problematic.

In fact, you will get a dopamine hit when you access your social media accounts. That little red notification is intentional and creates feel-good sensations throughout your body according to Health Line.

So, what can you do to connect to the present moment, your relationships, and yourself again?

Some of the simplest solutions are also the most effective.

Ways To Promote Healthy Social Media Use

Delete your social media apps from your phone.

Remove the temptation all together.

You do not have to delete your accounts all together, however, deleting the apps from your phone can give you an extra pause so that you can examine why you want to use the app in the first place.

Allocate time for social media and stick to it.

Set a boundary for yourself when it comes to your social media apps.

Give yourself 2 hours each evening to mindlessly scroll, find an interesting article, or catch up on the events. Once you have reached your limit, replace the habit with something else.

You’d be surprised at how much you can rest or be productive when you limit your social media engagement.

Remove your screens from your bedroom.

Sleep can be restorative for both your mental and physical health. Don’t risk getting less sleep due to increased social media use.

Leave your screens out of your bedroom. This means it may be time to get an old-fashioned alarm clock.

Engage in a hobby.

One of the best ways to replace a habit is to get a new habit.

Read More: “What Parents Need To Know About Social Media And Teens’ Self-Esteem”

What can you replace social media with in your life?

Each time you want to use social media, think about other ways to bring joy to your life instead. This can be drawing, cooking, walking, or getting outside.

The possibilities are endless. Open yourself up to them.

Stay connected IRL (in real life).

It can be tempting to put all of your social activity online, and there may be mental health benefits when you take your friendships and relationships offline.

Sharing a meal with someone rather than talking to a person online about it can be really powerful.

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Loneliness and social isolation can increase when you don’t spend time with others.

Your attempts at having a more healthy relationship and engagement with social media use likely won’t be perfect. There are ways to make progress as you explore your engagement, and that’s okay!

If you are part of the nearly 3.5 billion users of social media worldwide, it is not about removing it from your life completely.

It is about managing your social media use to work with your lifestyle and your values.

If you find yourself with increased depression or anxiety due to social networking, you are not alone.

There are ways to get connected with professionals to help you examine your relationship with screens and social media use.

At Denver Metro Counseling, we have therapists who understand the impact social media has on mental health and specialize in helping people with depression and anxiety that may or may not be related.

If you are ready for a change, or just curious about making changes, we are here to support you every step of the way.

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Written by: Randi Thackeray, MA
Clinically Reviewed and Edited by: Julie Reichenberger, MA, LPC, ACS