10 Signs Social Media is Causing You Stress
By Jasmine Clark, Live Well Enhance You Contributing Writer
Social Media Day is recognized on June 30th. It’s a day meant to celebrate and appreciate social media. But considering all of social media’s negative effects, is it really something that should be celebrated?
My answer is yes! Social media has plenty of benefits. Yes, it can cause problems, but you can avoid those problems by becoming aware of what they are and taking a break from social media if you need to.
What research says about social media
Social media can cause problems for your emotions in a number of ways. One example is the anxiety and sadness caused by “doomscrolling,” or scrolling through tons of negative news. Another example is the jealousy triggered by FOMO (fear of missing out). When you see other people posting about things and experiences you wish you had, it’s easy to feel like your life is missing something.
The online therapy website Talkspace points out that if you already have mental health issues and you use social media to feel better, it could backfire. “Excessive social media usage can create feelings of dissatisfaction, isolation, and inadequacy. These feelings may, in turn, cause or intensify anxiety, stress, and depression — those very feelings you might be trying to escape in the first place.”
But even though social media can stir up negative emotions, it’s hard to stay away. There’s this constant pressure to check these sites for no real reason other than to “see what’s going on.” And even when you don’t check, you still get notifications on your phone, and there’s that annoying little red number alerting you that something needs your attention. Honestly, social media can be addictive.
The good news is that social media isn’t inherently harmful. A Harvard study showed that it’s possible for social media to have positive mental health effects depending on how you use it. What effect does social media have on you? Take a look at these warning signs and see if any of them apply to you.
Social media stress warning signs
You habitually jump onto social media soon after you wake up and/or when it’s time for bed
You feel the need to be active on social media almost every day, and if you miss a few days, you feel guilty
You often look at social media while spending time with people in person
You doomscroll a lot, even though the news makes you sad and angry
You easily get into arguments with people on social media
You constantly check your followers/likes and get frustrated when the numbers aren’t as high as you hoped
You feel jealous or resentful when someone else has more likes/followers than you
You look at other people’s selfies and you feel bad about your own appearance
You often get distracted by social media when you’re supposed to be working
You get annoyed when people don’t respond to your messages fast enough
If you can relate to some of these, it’s time to take a step back and carefully examine the way you use social media.
How to reduce social media stress
Do a social media detox - Try going at least one week without any social media. If it’s longer than that, even better. It’ll be hard at first, but you’ll get used to it and you’ll probably find that you’re less stressed. Don’t worry, there are lots of other fun activities you can do instead.
Track your social media time - Keep track of how much time you’re spending on social media. Be aware of how much it’s distracting you from work or other important tasks. You may need to turn off social media notifications, or even delete the mobile apps from your phone.
Avoid social media when you wake up and go to bed - When you wake up in the morning, instead of rushing to check social media, you can start the day with a feel-good morning routine. This makes it easier to wake up so you can start your day right. When it’s time for bed, try silencing your phone two hours before bedtime. This helps you wind down, especially if you have a relaxing bedtime routine that you like.
Follow charity accounts - This is a powerful way to use social media for good. Follow social media pages of charities and be sure to like, comment, and share their content. This helps the charities get more support, and it also helps you stress less by seeing more positive content.
Give encouraging comments - Another way you can use social media for good is to give people encouraging comments that uplift their mood. There are so many arguments and rude comments everywhere, so why not be positive instead? You can make someone’s day brighter while also making yourself calmer.
Social media is worth celebrating. It helps us keep in touch with family and friends, express ourselves, and find inspiring and thought-provoking content. As long as you don’t overdo it and you also find ways to be happy outside of social media, it won’t cause major problems for you.
Jasmine Clark is a freelance writer from North Carolina. She enjoys writing about topics such as stress relief and positive thinking. She likes to encourage others to find ways to calm down and relax. In her spare time, she loves to write fiction stories and watch TV and YouTube. You can find her on Instagram @cozysachi.