Earlier this year, the BBC released an article called "Is Social Media Bad for You?"
This article revealed scary stats such as the average person spends two hours a day on social media and that studies have proven that even twenty minutes a day on Facebook can lower your mood.
In the day in age of social media becoming the center of our universe, I have personally witnessed my friends become depressed or anxious due specifically to their mindset on social media. Social media can be a good thing if we use it correctly. Placing your emotions through it can lead to a lot of stress and unnecessary concerns. If you stop doing these seven things... your whole outlook on social media can change and you can get on the track for a mentally healthier life.
1. Sub-tweeting your feelings instead of confronting the person
Subtweeting
https://beca460zaldy.wordpress.com/2015/05/12/subtweeting-what-is-that/
Subtweeting is old news and unproductive. Instead of speaking into an internet void, why don't you to speak to the person you are subtweeting about? Twitter will never solve your problems or make you feel better.
2. Purchasing items for the purpose of an Instagram photo
Donut
https://www.instagram.com/p/BiGBiEolh2X/?taken-by=grandcanyon.odyssey
This picture is featured on my communities Instagram. It was more motivating to purchase the sprinkled donuts for a picture compared to the plain glazed one.
3. FaceTuning your photos
social media
https://twitter.com/jamescharles/status/844322259300855809
FaceTune is one of the worse apps you could possibly have on your phone. It makes you believe that you are not perfect in your own! FaceTune also provides a disbelief that other peoples are perfect and it makes you want to measure yourself up to other people who aren't being genuine themselves. It's like comparing yourself to a store mannequin.
4. Getting upset when someone specifically doesn't like your photo or see your story
Love me
https://emocioninvestiga.wordpress.com/2014/01/24/dont-you-love-me-anymore/
People have lives outside of social media. It's probably not personal. And if it is, that's so petty are you sure you need to be friends with that person?
5. Getting upset when someone comments on someone else's picture... for whatever reason
Don't look at me
https://www.buzzfeed.com/lyapalater/times-in-2017-gal-gadot-was-perfect?utm_term=.vyaMnPjKV#.erRQM9kRD
Whether it's your friend commenting on someone's who you are not friends with anymore's photo or you don't want your significant other to comment on anyone's photo that's not yours... stop. Social media is an online platform, it doesn't mean anything and it doesn't exist in reality. Focus on the stability of your actual relationships compared to the status of virtual ones.
6. Making plans for the purpose of posting a photo
coffee
https://unsplash.com/photos/-K_LqkjMXjE
"Do you want to get coffee later?"
"Sure! Where?"
"What's like... the cutest coffee shop we can go to?"
"We can go to the one near our house."
"No, let's drive to the one twenty minutes away because they have cute cups and better lighting."
While this scenario may look innocent, it's truly choosing your routine based on social media. You should be focused on meeting your friend for coffee compared to the cool photos you can take of each other. Life doesn't happen online.
7. Starting your morning and ending your evenings by checking your feeds
https://www.lifewire.com/who-unfollowed-me-on-instagram-3485849
Your day is reflective on how you start your mornings and how you end your nights. Start your morning with a cup of coffee and some feel good music compared to scrolling your feeds to see what you possibly missed. End your evenings with some ice cream and a favorite Netflix show. If you are craving human communication, then give a friend a call.
