{"id":2768,"date":"2019-08-15T04:00:19","date_gmt":"2019-08-15T09:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.creativesolutionsonline.org\/?p=2768"},"modified":"2021-03-04T08:52:36","modified_gmt":"2021-03-04T14:52:36","slug":"social-media","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.creativesolutionsonline.org\/rebuild-csbh-sit\/social-media\/","title":{"rendered":"Social Media and Mental Health"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"social<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Whether you think of it a good or an evil, social media is a large part of our lives in the 21st century. Most of us are on it more than we\u2019d like to admit. So many social interactions happen through our screen these days. In some ways, this is a blessing: we can stay connected to friends and family anywhere in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Social media, however, can be bad for our mental health, and understanding how to use it and when to set limits is so important for self-care. While it can be a great tool, it\u2019s important to handle it responsibly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Social Media as Avoidance?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Life can be overwhelming, and there\u2019s nothing wrong with taking a break. We all need to unwind from time to time, and distractions can be healthy. Moderation, however, is key. When we spend all day logged into Facebook or Instagram to avoid a problem, it doesn\u2019t go away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If we avoid an issue instead of putting energy into trying to solve it, the problem will probably feel bigger and bigger\u2014every time we look up from our phone, it\u2019s still there. The only difference is that we\u2019ve wasted time and energy. Our problems won\u2019t go away until we face them, and that\u2019s not going to happen over social media. It can be tempting each time we feel stressed to log back in because it\u2019s so much easier than facing our worries, but this isn\u2019t a healthy coping technique.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Immediate Gratification<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Social media has its own timeline. Everything on our phone is pretty instantaneous, whether it\u2019s sending a message, looking something up, calling someone across the world, or ordering food. All it takes it a few taps of our fingers: there\u2019s no real work put in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This can be great when we\u2019re in a hurry, but when we spend too much time on social media, we can start to lose our ability to be patient. Whether it\u2019s making up after a fight, fixing things around the house, getting along with our boss, or solving problems with our kids, most of life outside of social media and technology doesn\u2019t happen within a few seconds. It can take hours, days or weeks\/years to see progress and real solutions, and when we live on social media time, this can be frustrating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Work<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

When problems happen or uncomfortable situations come up, it\u2019s important to know how to carry on despite our discomfort. We need to be able to work towards solving our problems, but our ability to do so requires patience and a tolerance of discomfort. Both of which is lacking in social media. When it comes to navigating the world, our skills need to be bigger than just using an Internet browser or phone app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Skewed Perspectives<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The more time we spend on social media, staring at people\u2019s Instagram
personas, the harder it is to appreciate our own life. There\u2019s nothing like checking up on old classmates or exes to feel unhappier about our lives. Even if the time we spend on social media is minimal, it can still impact our happiness. It\u2019s easy to get into our heads when we\u2019re staring at someone else’s Best Moments Highlights reel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The more time we spend online, as well, the easier it is to get sucked into
arguments and negativity. Anyone who\u2019s read a comment section knows this well. The Internet can be a wonderful way to connect, but it can also be an easy way to blame others or to try to tear strangers down. It\u2019s easy to start feeling angry and powerless when we stay logged in for too long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What to Do?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This doesn\u2019t mean we need to delete all of our accounts and throw away our phones. It does mean, however, that we should be conscious of the time we spend online and whether it\u2019s improving our happiness or if it\u2019s just bogging it down. Always remember: balance is key. Try to reconnect with those friends in real life, get outside, and find ways to relax that don\u2019t require a screen. The world is a big, wonderful place and as hard as it can get, it\u2019s always worth putting down our phones, getting outside, and reengaging without the pressure to post photos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re struggling with how to implement any of these ideas, please feel free to contact me. We can work on a few different ideas, and help you develop more balance in setting your priorities in life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contact Me<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I know how stressful and demanding it can be to make changes in your life, but you don\u2019t have to figure it out on your own.   Some of the benefits of individual therapy include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n