Is Social Media Making You Depressed?
Social Media is great for so many things, it helps you express yourself and connect with others. You get to show off those new shoes and learn new recipes to dish out something tasty. There’s just something that we all just love about scrolling through your Facebook feed and looking at relatable memes. But is our beloved social media doing more harm than good?
Many mental health experts are starting to warn users of something called “Social Media Depression”. There’s many negative emotions that this brings out in people, such as things like…
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Anxiety
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Jealousy
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Stress
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Pressure
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Loneliness
In a recent survey of 1,787 adults between the ages of 19 and 32, researchers found that people who used social media the most, were significantly more likely to be depressed. Though this research showed a clear link between social media and depression, the authors of the study didn’t suggest to log out of it completely. So how much is too much?
Here are a few signs that it might be time to close your laptop and log off Instagram to improve your mental health.
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You’re Seeing Nothing But Negative
If your Facebook feed is a continuous link of political rants, indirecting one another, or depressing news that’s beat to the pulp, it may be about time to tune out. The Huffington Post reports that “Constant exposure to negative news is something psychologists say can have a significant impact on your mental health.” So it makes sense that this translates into your social media use. If you’re feeling bogged down by all the depressing news, power down your phone and take a walk or go see a friend!
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You’re Feeling More Than a Little Jealous
If you’re scrolling through Instagram and you see a pic of an old classmate or friend in a cute new trendy outfit or posts a photo with her new beau hanging on her arm. Its okay to feel a little jealous and think “UGH I wish I had a bae” or “I wish I would look that good in that top” that’s fine! It’s human nature to get a little jealous, we all do it! But if those feelings turn into more than a comment or a brief thought, to where it bugs you enough to eat an entire tub of ice cream and actually feel down about yourself. Put your phone down girlfriend because you’re amazing and you don’t need that kind of negative energy in your life!
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You’re Not Feeling Good Enough
We all know what time of year it is again and for most it’s the dreaded bathing suit season. I too know this time of year is hard, when you’ve eaten one to many McNuggets over the winter while all your friends were eating celery. But if this is actually getting to you where you’re beating yourself up telling yourself you’re not good enough that you need to live up to a certain standard. Again this is another sign it’s time to close out of the social media for a bit. But ladies…be you, be the best you there is. Show off what you got and don’t be ashamed!
Just remember to take a break and step away from technology for a bit. Social media is great until it starts hurting you more than doing good. I hope you all stay happy and healthy this year!
Xoxo, Eva