Welcome back, everyone! I hope you are drinking enough amounts of water, meditating, spending time with your loved ones, and most importantly, taking care of yourself. Before diving into today’s podcast recap, let me ask you a question. What were you doing before stumbling upon this article? Reading, working, or taking your dog out for a stroll? You were on social media, weren’t you? You might as well admit it! It is nothing to be ashamed of, though. Most of us spend our free time watching adorable cat videos on loop or trying all kinds of filters on Snapchat. In Forever Blooming’s latest episode, our host, Jordyn, and co-host, Insha, take us on a tour of all the negatives of social media, how they affect our mental health, and how to cope with them.
Photo Credit: London Meets Paris
It is no surprise that social media is a humongous part of our lives. But there is a dark side to it too that we can’t ignore.
How many times have you looked at a celebrity’s or an influencer’s pictures on social media and envied them for their perfect skin and gorgeous hair or even their expensive outfits? I have done that multiple times, leading me to hate my body and question my lifestyle. Comparing our lives with others’ lives, programming ourselves to become somebody we aren’t, is what social media has become today. It has been found that the longer college students used Facebook, the stronger their beliefs that others were happier than they were.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
How many of you have spotted pictures of people with slender bodies on social media and forced a strict diet upon yourself just in hopes of attaining what you believe is a “perfect” body?
Unrealistic pictures like these can trigger people with eating disorders like body dysmorphia and develop major insecurities.
87% of women and 65% of men in the US compare their body images with social media trends. 50% of women and 37% of men in the US look at their bodies in a negative light.
Isn’t it sad how just a handful of social media trends can make us loathe our bodies?
We try to change our bodies in order to fit in, thus losing our individuality. Individuality is what makes people unique. But people are trying to seek happiness by living like other people or pretending to live like other people.
Where does that put the saying “Be yourself!”?
Photo Credit: Geralt/Pixabay
On the other hand, for people who do try to show the world the real versions of themselves, social media does anything but support them. That is when many people turn to plastic surgery. It doesn’t necessarily mean that plastic surgery is an evil thing, but glorifying it is absolutely wrong. Plastic surgery is not the path to choose if you want to get rid of your body insecurities. Instead, learn to embrace and accept your flaws and your body. Reach out for help if needed.
But then again, who doesn’t adore attention? We always get the urge to show our life occurrences to the world. The sole reason for that is the need for gratification from others. The positive comments and encouragement we get from our followers when we post something new provide a boost to our self-esteem. This makes us crave happiness and validation from our audience. Before we have the chance to comprehend it, we begin crafting ourselves into someone we want people to think we are. We might not even realize how toxic it can get. When we don’t receive the fulfillment that we seek from the world, it may lead us to pursue that validation from darker, more perilous sources.
Photo Credit: Practivist’s Journey To Life
Portraying yourself as someone you are not is not only virulent for your own mental health but for your audience too! Although admittedly, it is quite difficult to come out of the dark tunnel that is “social media.”
Hence, here are a few tips to help you healthily manage social media, without damaging your mental health:
Attach yourself to the authentic side of social media.
If you are a content creator, focus more on the quality of the content rather than the likes or comments that you get.
Follow body positivity accounts that help you boost your self-confidence.
If you deem social media to be the reason for your procrastination, limit your time on social media.
If you are negatively affected by a specific kind of content or account, try to avoid it.
If you are overwhelmed by the pessimistic news on social media, avert yourself from it as much as you can.
Take a break from social media. Utilize the time that you would normally spend scrolling on your phone, to bond with your family and friends. Take up some new hobbies.
Practice some coping strategies that suit you.
Most crucial of all, try not to revolve your life around social media.
Photo Credit: Fabrik Brands
Social media aids us with connecting and interacting with people all around the world, people who share the same interests as us who can motivate and inspire us. It is a terrific platform for small businesses and side hustles. It is also a wonderful belvedere for entertainment. It is advantageous and handy if not used in a pernicious or overconsuming manner.
We need to apprehend that everything we see on social media is not real. If we don’t, it can adversely affect our mental health.
So, the next time you don’t receive heartening comments on a selfie, don’t fixate on it too much. Instead, invest some energy in yourself!
Do you spend a lot of time on social media? How has it affected your mental health, and what are some coping strategies you used to overcome it? Share your answers in the comments. We are eager to read them! Stay tuned for the next episode!
Until then, take care!
Truly said. Keep it up
It was soo good buddy, social media time needs to be controlled, it also harms our eyes and whole creativeness gets