Social media has a somewhat negative reputation. From bullying to triggering anxiety to causing poor sleep quality, the negative effects of social media on mental health are real. But avoiding social media entirely isn’t always realistic or practical. Some people use it to stay connected to family and friends, and having no social media presence can make it difficult to stay informed about the world around you.
Fortunately, you don’t have to give up social media or your mental health. It is possible to use social media carefully and in a way that has a positive impact on your mental health and well-being.
Can Social Media Use Be Positive?
A 2020 study aptly titled “Social Media Use Can Be Positive for Mental Health and Well-Being” surveyed 13,000 U.S. adults about their social media use. The respondents also rated their mental health, social well-being, and overall health.
The researchers discovered that using social media can have a positive influence on well-being and mental health. Specifically, it can be used to:
- Build community
- Find acceptance
- Build mental health awareness
- Strengthen connections
However, the positive correlation is tied to how often someone uses a social media platform and how emotionally invested they are in the content.
What Does Healthy Social Media Use Look Like?
Healthy social media use is part of someone’s daily routine, similar to drinking a cup of coffee in the morning or exercising in the evening. Checking and interacting with social media is just another part of the day and is done mindfully and with intention.
Healthy social media use looks like:
- Regularly checking your feeds as part of your day (like scrolling during your lunch break)
- Liking or commenting on posts
- Messaging friends and family to stay in touch
- Carefully consuming content, like only reading about the news, hobbies, or community information you want
Social media affects your social ties, too, which can boost your mental health and well-being. For example, someone who can’t attend a wedding due to financial or health reasons can stream the ceremony to feel included in the event and support their loved ones.
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What Does Unhealthy Social Media Use Look Like?
Unhealthy social media use looks different. While users may check social media feeds to connect and gather information, it’s not done mindfully or intentionally. The researchers described the relationship as an “emotional connection.” Essentially, a user looks for validation from their social media posts or compares themselves to others in their social media feeds.
Unhealthy use of social media can include:
- Feeling anxious when you can’t check your feeds
- Checking your feeds due to FOMO — a fear of missing out
- Feeling anxious or stressed when you’re on social media
- Being unable to sleep either because you’re spending too much time on social media platforms or because you can’t stop thinking about other people’s posts
- Experiencing sadness, anger, or even grief when people don’t engage with your posts
How To Go From Unhealthy to Healthy
The study found a difference in people who have a healthy versus unhealthy relationship with social media. People with a healthy relationship reported that they had:
- Better social well-being and felt more socially connected and supported
- Improved mental health and experienced fewer negative feelings
- A general sense of feeling healthier overall
This is in direct contrast to those who had unhealthy relationships with social media. The negative effects include experiencing more negative mental health symptoms (low self-esteem, more anxiety, higher stress), poorer social well-being (feeling more isolated), and worse overall health.
So, how can you limit the negative impact of social media use and use it positively?
Set Time Limits (and Stick to Them)
Social media is designed to keep you engaged and scrolling. Think about all the times you stumbled on a cute dog video without intentionally looking for one or didn’t realize how long you’d been scrolling. While finding fun content every once in a while is OK, the longer you’re scrolling without realizing what’s happening, the less intentional your social media use.
Practice mindfulness and set a time limit. It doesn’t have to be short. You can say 30 minutes or an hour if that’s what you’d like, but stick to that limit. If you find yourself going long, set an alarm on your phone then get off when it buzzes.
Curate Your Feeds
Social media platforms are always recommending new content and creators for you to follow, and there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s how you discover new people, groups, and ideas. But just because the algorithm suggests something for you doesn’t mean you should follow it.
Be selective in which accounts you follow to help limit your time on the platform. Mute accounts you haven’t engaged with in a while, and see if you really miss them. You might be surprised that you don’t need them and can unfollow them, too.
Don’t Compare
Finally, even when you know that many social media posts are smoke and mirrors that show what the creator wants you to see, you may still compare yourself to that polished image. When that happens, it’s OK, and you shouldn’t beat yourself up over it. But if it keeps happening, you may need to remind yourself that what you’re seeing probably isn’t real or take a social media break.
Social Media Use Can Be Positive for Mental Health and Well-Being
Social media has a bad reputation when it comes to its impact on mental health, but it can have a positive impact on your well-being if you’re selective and mindful of how you use it. Having an emotional connection to social media can cause negative health outcomes, low self-esteem, and put you at an increased risk for mental health issues.
If you can’t seem to stop scrolling, are anxious about your social media image, or are generally worried about your social media use, we can help. The caring, compassionate team at Anchor Light Couples & Family Therapy can help you use social media more mindfully and improve your well-being. Schedule a consultation today and take the first step toward improved mental health.
