Top 5 Ways to Deal with the Toxic Side of Social Media
Learn how to deal with the toxic side of Social Media
Thanks to the easy availability of smartphones and cheap data rates, accessing social media has become easier than ever. Although, this has revolutionized the way we communicate, it’s the toxic offshoot that massively concerns the users. Needless to mention, children and teens are especially vulnerable to falling prey to the negative effects of social media.
Here are the top 5 ways to deal with the toxicity of social media:
- Only time will tell
The most common complaint that people have regarding social media is that it eats up too much of their time. To combat this, we suggest you download any app (many are available for free on the app store) that tracks how much time you spend on each app daily. Set timers on the apps you think you use more than you would like. This will automatically shut the selected app once time is up!
- Unfollowing, with love
While the saying “The more, the merrier” is true in most cases, it ironically may not be true for social media. You have to be mindful of the people and pages you follow since this may seriously impact you. Don’t hesitate to smash the unfollow or unfriend button when you stop feeling good about the content they are putting out. You can also choose to mute such accounts if you can’t unfollow due to personal reasons.
- Perfect the way you are!
The rise of beauty enhancing applications like Photoshop and filters, combined with the mass popularity of fashion and beauty bloggers, lifestyle influencers, and fitness gurus, contributes to feelings of low self-esteem, anxiety, body-image issues and depression among many people. While there is nothing wrong with wanting to be the best version of yourself, don’t compare yourself to unrealistic depictions of what the ideal should be. You are perfect just as you are!
- Be mindful about speaking your mind
With social media comes an influx of opinions and arguments about those opinions. While being informed about what is happening around the world is a necessity right now, too much of it can easily overwhelm your mind. Especially with the infiltration of fake accounts, “trolling culture”, cyber bullying and such, sometimes it’s more important to prioritize your mental health than be proven right. This doesn’t mean you have to stop raising your voice, just make sure you’re actually making a difference and not just screaming into the digital void!
- Take a break
Social media has become such an integral part of our lives, we can hardly imagine our lives without it! But it’s good to take a break from it sometimes, just for a few days or even a few hours. This will help you bounce back with a fresh perspective on things and remind you of all the things that make life beautiful.
Hope these 5 ways come to your aid as you navigate the tricky world of social media!
