The possibility of separating an individual’s life most especially youths from social media these days is quite slim. Social media has so penetrated into every sphere of our lives in this present day that some individuals can’t really live outside the social media space.
The various information we come across on social media has a great way of influencing our mental health positively and otherwise if measures are not put in place.
It’s important every individual protect their mental health from social media because several studies have linked social media use with depression, envy, lower self-esteem, and social anxiety.
Check out how you can protect your mental health from being affected by social media.
1. Know that life on social media can be fake, so resist the urge to compare
Comparison is said to be the killer of joy. Staying on social media has the tendency of making individuals compare themselves with people they see on social media.
While it’s natural to compare your own experiences with online content, it is important to remember that what is on the social media space is only a curated version of reality.
You should know that what people post on social media platforms is the aspect of their life they want you to see. No one has a perfect life, they only carefully select what they want the world to see.
To protect your mental health, begin to see the social media space through the lens of entertainment rather than reality.
2. Set boundaries in place
Life on social media is not one that should be lived without putting boundaries in place. All you do in life should be placed on a priority scale, the time meant for your family or career should not be spent on social media.
In order to set boundaries, you can come with a daily schedule of how you intend on spending your day. Allocating time to different aspects of your life based on their importance. Setting boundaries help you resist certain urges In relating with the social media space.
3. Take breaks
Staying on social media without a scheduled time for breaks is not healthy enough for any individual. To protect your mental health from social media, you need to design specific time to take a break from social media.
It can be weekly, fortnightly, monthly, quarterly or yearly breaks. This is to give you time to refresh yourself and think outside the social media space.
Taking breaks from social media might not be easy at first but disciplining yourself to do so will helps lower stress, and provide a higher sense of satisfaction and happiness.
4. Limit when and where you use social media
Not having specific places or times you use social media has a way of affecting your mental health.
Creating time and place to use social media will help you connect better with people in your life if you have certain times each day when your social media notifications are off – or your phone is even in aeroplane mode.
Commit to not checking social media when you are with family, friends, children, or your partner and while at work.
When you limit when and where you use social media, your mental health is protected.
5. Get a life outside social media space
To protect your mental health from social media, you need to sincerely ask yourself if you have a life outside social media.
In case you misplace all your devices that give you access to different social media platforms or an end comes to the use of social media, will you be able to survive a day? Or is an end to social media is also an end to your life.
It is important you ensure that your interactions with people on social media don’t become a substitute for talking face to face.
Social media is not bad in itself if it’s rightfully channelled. Your mental health is a germane contributor to your overall wellbeing, so, it is important you guide it jealously.
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