There's A Fine Line Between Helpful And Harmful Social Media Use | The Odyssey Online
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There's A Fine Line Between Helpful And Harmful Social Media Use

When does it make the switch?

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There's A Fine Line Between Helpful And Harmful Social Media Use

Lately, I've been wanting to rebrand and start a new life for myself, on my own terms. (If you need tips on rebranding read my article here). Yet, something keeps holding me back, and her name is Social Media.

Social Media has always played a huge part in my life, even if I don't have too many followers, I absolutely truly love social media. I always write down ideas for YouTube videos (which are actually coming soon this time), buy a ton of Presets and invest in Canva Pro to edit my Instagram pictures, and constantly Tweet and delete.

Though there's been this downside to social media, the other side has been truly amazing. Without social media, I wouldn't have my amazing boyfriend, friends, my fellow Endo warriors comforting me, an outlet to post the photos that mean the world to me, or simply people on the internet to laugh with.

So, how can I love something so much and yet have it hold me back from doing the things I want to do?

At some point, social media consumes you, or it did me anyway. It becomes always wanting the perfect picture and dreading posting photos because you know it means taking forever to edit photos before you post them. Your old tweets haunt you when you want to become a new version of yourself, because the old version of you is still there, for all the internet to see. There are even horror stories of encounters from catfishes and dangerous people on the internet.

Where is the line, how can you tell you've crossed it?

Ask yourself a few questions: Am I truly happy when I make a post? Is my social media presence what I want it to be? After I scroll through Twitter, am I laughing or anxious and unhappy? Is Social Media holding me back from the person I want to be?

After some self-reflection, if you feel like it's time to make a change, absolutely go for it. This could look different for everyone. For one, it might be simply taking a social media cleanse (simply some time away from social media), or for another, it could be deleting your old Instagram account to make a new one.

I've done both, and there is no right answer. You have the power to take control of your social media, not the other way around. Mess around with your accounts to see what looks best for you and your aesthetic, and try taking a cleanse! You may be surprised to find out you're investing too much of you're time in the wrong parts of social media.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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