The Social Media Jail!
Social media is a constructive and compatible way of connecting with your loved ones. There are usually substantial benefits that develop from social media use. Many of us log on to social media for a touch of belonging, self-expression and a desire to connect. Apps like Facebook and Twitter enable us to stay in touch with geographically scattered family and friends, interact with like-minded others around our interests, and connect with an online alliance to support for causes valuable to our hearts.
Sincerely sharing about ourselves online can improve our sentiments of happiness and online social support, at least in the short-term. Facebook communities can improve break down the stigma and cynical stereotypes of illness and personalities.
However, there is an obscure side to social media. It causes us to feel envy and instead of turning it into admiration, motivation, and self-compassion it often causes us to feel unhappy with ourselves and others.
Exposure to the carefully curated pictures from others’ lives leads to negative comparison, and the absolute quantity of social media communication may divert from more meaningful real-life encounters.
So, what can we do to control the downsides of social media? One approach is to log out of Facebook altogether and take a complete break.
We can also become more watchful and curious about social media’s impacts on our thoughts and feelings, balancing the good and bad. We should question ourselves how social media makes us feel and act, and determine whether we need to restrict our exposure to social media completely.
Understanding how social media influences our relations, we might restrict social media communications to those that promote real-world relationships. Instead of lurking or passively scrolling through a never-ending herd of posts, we should come up with our own individual judgments about social media usage, based on our personal experience. Grounding ourselves in the analysis helps us scale the good and bad.
Online social interactions are not a replacement for the real thing, and that in-person, strong relationships are essential to the community and our individual well-being.
We need to make sure we are mentally prepared for social media. It’s natural to feel left out, jealous, or insecure when you see your friends on Instagram going on vacations, or looking so beautiful that you don’t feel as pretty in comparison.
But if you dwell on these repugnant feelings or fall to bits every time you’re not involved then, you are definitely not emotionally able to be on social media.
Social media is intended to be entertaining. And if scrolling through a news feed causes you more sorrow than joy, please log off or delete the app. Take your emotions as a warning that the best moments of other people’s experiences are deceiving you to your special blessings, and it’s time to draw back.
Don’t base your self-esteem on social media. If you rely on social media to build you up, you also give it the power to tear you apart. Social media can mess with your mind, sentiments, and your spirit.
While social media is a fun way to interact with friends, reading too much into it and, allowing it to dictate your attitude gives it a strength it doesn’t deserve. Experience social media as an “added benefit” in your life, but don’t base your determination on it. Put your trust in things that are genuine and honest so your emotions stay off the roller coaster.
The bottom line is – Do not spend more than an hour on social media!