Is Social Media Ruining Your Mind?
Today I wanted to talk about how powerful social media can be, how it affects us to the level of our subconscious, and whether our relationship is enabling or not.
I felt compelled to write about this topic because in the last few years I have become more aware of just how impactful this “alternate universe” really is.
Keep reading till the end of the post where I provide some tips on how to maintain healthy boundaries with social media.
Social media algorithms
The whole point of social media is… CONTROL! haha just kidding but it is a way to influence, market, and connect with people, or at least that’s how I would define it.
If you’ve watched documentaries like The Social Dilemma you would know that the way social media algorithms work is all based on user attention.
For example, if you’re on the app and are looking at clothing boutique pages, the next time you log back in you will be flooded with clothing pages to keep you locked in and scrolling for longer than you intended.
It is designed this way to keep you coming back and logged on.
Are you enabling a toxic relationship with social media?
This is not new information that social media can influence how we see the world and tap into our subconscious.
But I would argue that we sometimes enable this vicious cycle.
When I think about how easily I follow accounts without even taking the time to scan their posts and assess if they could be polluting my perception- I am also part of the problem.
I like to compare this to how I choose my friends and who I let into my life.
I’m choosy when it comes to who I spend my time with and I am always assessing whether or not my relationships are uplifting or draining me.
I wouldn't continue any relationship without considering how it is contributing to my overall well being.
Hear me out, if you were friends with someone who constantly put a magnifying glass over your insecurities, you would likely cut them out of your life right?
But why is it that when it comes to following social media accounts that make us feel terrible about ourselves we continue to follow them?
Lies we tell ourselves about social media
The answer is… I don’t know.
Maybe because we think that if we stare hard enough we will become what we see?
Maybe because we are feeding ourselves lies that everything on social IS what it seems in real life?
Or maybe we have been conditioned to believe that social media is not connected to our real life and that it has no effect on our subconscious mind.
Assessing your relationship with social media
Sometimes feelings of inadequacy, self doubt, or negative self talk can creep up on us and become part of our regular programming without even realizing it.
When I start to feel bad about myself, I’ll notice myself focusing on everything that’s wrong with me.
It’s like throwing gas on the fire.
Image belongs to Eleahvate
Now I can’t bring this up without addressing the avoidance of negativity altogether.
When I talk about avoiding negativity I’m speaking about it in this very specific context when it comes to how repeated negative messaging can affect your self esteem.
In this instance where you’re already feeling poorly about yourself, and your self esteem foundation isn’t quite where you need it to be, I encourage you to disconnect and unfollow as you need.
This is different from avoiding any and all content that makes you notice that you’re not where you want to be with respect to your goals.
I’d argue that doing the above for myself actually weakens my self esteem.
I believe that having healthy self esteem is the ability to validate yourself and not allow your shortcomings define you, but guide you into a neutral or forward position.
It’s a very individual decision you have to make and I hope it is helpful to distinguish the difference between two.
Should I follow this page?
Now, I’m not saying you shouldn’t follow someone because they have something you would like.
Whether you’re inspired by their level of fitness, or you wish to have a materialistic item they possess, or if you admire the lifestyle they live.
These are not “bad” things to look up to.
But I think it is worthwhile to consider the internal messages you’re sending yourself by constantly scrolling through these posts day after day.
Do you tell yourself you are not capable of achieving their level of success?
Do you feel inadequate because you are comparing someone’s 5 years of hard work to you being a being at year 1?
Do you define failure as the absence of what they possess?
These are some of the questions that naturally come up for me when I reflect on the unwritten messages I’m taking in from specific pages.
The upside of social media
When we’re reflecting on our relationship with social media, I find it helpful to also consider if you’re getting a healthy sense of inspiration, motivation, or entertainment.
Because sometimes we don’t feel negative at all!
I know that when I’m being conscious about my social media use I can feel light, happy, and inspired by the content I’m consuming.
For example, I love watching different Youtube channels and often feel inspired by different creators and I also find them very entertaining.
Let’s get real, it takes SKILL to be able to tell a story in such a captivating way that makes the audience feel like they are there with you.
So thank you vloggers.
Now I’m not advocating that social media should be your only source of joy- it’s still important to get outside, move your body, and connect with people in real life.
More than being on your phones…let’s be clear.
But I see this all as a continuous journey and even though I have my moments where I catch myself slipping I give myself grace.
When I’m overindulging on social media there’s usually something deeper going on.
And it’s typically rooted in some form of escapism from whatever is going on in life.
Although I do this less, it is a conscious decision to actively cope with life’s stressors in other ways such as calling a friend or going for a walk.
*More on escapism: Click this link to learn more about what escapism is and how it shows up in various ways!
But we strive for progress, not perfection over here.
And as someone who feeds off the energy of the environment I immerse myself in, I find it crucial to always assess how my environment is affecting my inner world.
The habits I practice allow me to abandon the idea that social media is all bad and help me keep my mental in check.
Boundaries with social media
Some things I do to create healthy boundaries are:
Move the Instagram app to the second page on my iphone (this helps to prevent me from opening the app out of habit since it’s not the first app I see)
Make it a habit to ask yourself “do I feel better, neutral, or worse” about myself after scrolling.
For Instagram- change the setting so that my homepage is only content from the people I follow (click the Instagram button with the lower arrow on the left side of your homepage and then select Following)
Be aware of what content triggers my negative self talk and actively not follow those pages
Delete any social media app off my phone anywhere from a couple hours to a couple days.
**I do this when I notice that I’m mindlessly scrolling rather than consuming the content I’m seeing.
**Whenever I notice myself compulsively opening and closing apps with no purpose, this is usually my sign to put myself on time out and take a break.
Being intentional about the type of content you are feeding your brain will benefit you in the long run.
Accepting that you have the power to influence and change the state of your mental environment is the first step to being more conscious.
Even though it may seem like a tedious task in the beginning, it’ll eventually become second nature to think in this way.
Talk To Me
Thank you so much if you took the time to read through this post!
I really hope you found it helpful or that it made you reflect on what your relationship with social media is like.
If you made it to the end, as always please leave me a comment right here under the post!
I would love to know whats your #1 tip to maintaining health boundaries with social media?
With love,
Leah
IG: @eleahvate
Pinterest: @eleahvate
References:
https://www.verywellhealth.com/escapism-7565008
