How to develop a healthy relationship with social media

After I wake up in the morning, the first thing I do is check my phone for updates or texts from friends, and then I start scrolling my news feed aimlessly before I consider processing the trauma of having to wake up and going on with my day.

Oddly enough, this is a daily scenario for many. It's such a normal thing to do that we often fail to notice how our physical lives are so directly intertwined with our virtual ones. And whatever the reason may be, we choose, often against our will, to place a significant amount of our time on social media. 

So, why is it necessary to have a healthy relationship with social media?

It goes without saying that social media has become a ubiquitous part of modern life, and it can have both positive and negative effects on our mental health. Studies have shown that excessive use of social media can lead to increased levels of anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem among young people. Therefore, it's essential to have a healthy relationship with social media so that we can navigate around it without letting it affect us in a harmful way.

So, how can young people develop a healthy relationship with social media?

Set limits

It's very easy to get lost in the endless sea of content on social media. Setting limits is only necessary so that we don't become reliant on them for instant gratification. It's not mandatory if you're good at managing your time, but if you're someone like me, you would want to pay attention to your screen time. 

Be mindful of the content you consume

Consuming negative content regularly can harm the way we perceive the world around us. Similarly, going overboard with positivity has the tendency of entertaining a person's delusions, which may result in negative impacts. Reflecting on where we choose to spend time is important for us to be able to determine if the content is worth consuming. Being mindful of the content we consume and the content we share leads to a healthy social life on the web. 

Understand that social media is different from real life

When it seems like your friends, your friends' friends, and your nemesis are having a great time while you're falling behind, it's always worth reminding yourself that we often only see the best parts of someone's life on social media. 

Photos that are taken from the finest angle, and art pieces that have been refined to the point of near perfection are things we often place a higher value on. It's easy to compare yourself with others when it seems like almost everyone is doing better than you. Understanding the differences between the physical world and what we choose to showcase in the virtual world is necessary so that we don't fall into the spiral of a false sense of reality. 

Take breaks

Occasionally taking breaks may prove to be beneficial in many ways. It can help us recharge and prevent us from being burnt from the perpetual obligation of using social media websites. It also helps us stay more in touch with our physical selves, be more mindful or make productive use of it.

Developing a healthy relationship with social media is essential because it allows us to enjoy its benefits while avoiding its pitfalls. By forming a healthy relationship with social media, we can stay connected to others, express ourselves, access valuable information, or simply have fun without sacrificing our mental and emotional well-being.

Fahad is exhausted. Send him pats at amfahad1747@gmail.com