Social Media Awareness
Did you know that Social Media Use plays a significant role in how you feel about yourself, others around, and life in general. There are pros and cons to social media use, which means some aspects may support mental health, but there are many other aspects that are detrimental to your mental health. It is vital to understand and be aware of both sides and understand how to be intentional and smart with your social media use.
On the plus side, it may help people feel more connected and validated.
However, there are many downsides that are extremely harmful to our physical and mental well-being. In particular, social media and depression are closely linked. Studies after studies show, the more time spent on social media, the higher the risk of depression and other mental health issues such as eating disorders and anxiety. It also can take away from time spent doing real-world activities and physical exercise.
But, why does social media have a negative impact on our mental health? Well, there is cyberbullying, exposure to misinformation, exposure to predators, and exposure to news that may elicit strong emotions. There are also more subtle ways that social media impacts our mental health such as social comparison. When we are constantly looking at others' lives through a falsely positive lens, we may start to feel like our life and who we are is not good enough. Social media use may also alter your identity and who you want to become. You may post something you later regret or that impacts you from getting a job or relationship you desire.
Social media also has an addictive factor, as it increases dopamine levels in your brain. If you are someone you know is struggling with their social media use, please reach for help. Talk with a trusted staff member and/or reach out to the Wellness Team. We are here to help!
Below are 10 suggestions when using social media:
- Respect yourself. Show off how great you are and represent yourself accordingly on social media. Make sure your photos are appropriate. Do not post or text photos of yourself naked, dressed provocatively, or making obscene gestures. Avoid uploading anything you would not want your grandmother to see on the front cover of the New York Times! Social media plays a major role in building and ruining personal images.
- Post with positivity. If you don’t have anything good to say, don’t post. Avoid ranting or arguing with people on social media and posting when you’re upset. You may be upset with your mom but it would be very disrespectful to share your anger with the world. Share positivity and good vibes on the web.
- No “twerking” videos. Do not post videos that portray negative images of you, your friends or family involving profanity, sex, nudity, crime, drugs, discrimination, violence, lewd gestures, or anything that could be offensive to the public. Keep your video posts kid-friendly. You don’t want a video of you intoxicated and “twerking” inappropriately with friends to surface while you are campaigning for political office in 20 years.
- Know your followers. Allowing strangers to follow you can be very dangerous. Even if their account looks harmless, be aware that there are many fake accounts where creeps follow their prey. If you don’t know them, ignore them and don’t let them follow you. Also, use privacy settings to protect your accounts from being viewed by strangers.
- Be careful what you post for likes. You don’t want to end up “instafamous” for something that could destroy your future. Keep your posts positive, dignified and smart. Social media is a great way to build a web presence for future endeavors. Don’t compromise your future for “likes” or “followers.”
- Play nice. No one has the right to harass anyone based on their sex, race, age, orientation, personal beliefs, values, etc. The impact of harassment is heightened and can have deadly consequences when acted out over the Internet. Avoid engaging in cyber brawls on Twitter and status face-offs on Facebook. If you have a personal issue with someone, keep it off the Internet. If anyone is saying things about you on social media, report their account and let a relative know.
- Think before you post. Nothing is ever truly deleted, so be very sure about what you post before you hit the post or send button. Once you post a picture or a status it is stored on the site’s server and can normally be retrieved even if you delete it from your profile.
- If you see something, say something. Report anything inappropriate. Block or un-follow people that post negative comments on your timeline, make you uncomfortable or harass you in any way.
- Manage your use wisely. Too much of anything can become a bad thing. Is social media keeping you from getting work done? Try putting time limits on your social media usage to make sure it is not impacting your productivity.
- Don’t post your every move. Leave some information to share with your real friends and family over the phone. Your best friend would probably want to know you and your boyfriend broke up before the whole world knows via your relationship status change. Also be careful sharing info when you are going out of town. You don’t want to alert a potential burglar that you will be in the Bahamas for a week with your family.
Videos/Links:
Who Are You on Social Media
Posting Appropriate Content on Social Media
Oversharing & Digital Footprint
Smart Social Media Use: 15 Tips
