“Whether you recently started using social media or have had an active presence for years, you’ve likely come across plenty of mentions about its potential negative impact on mental health.But contrary to what many people may suggest, social media isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

“Social media often gets a bad reputation for being a contributor to negative outcomes,” says Britt Frank, a licensed psychotherapist and author of the book “The Science of Stuck.” Yet, like anything, Frank goes on to say, the coin has two sides. In other words, social media could be both harmful and helpful.

The key to using social media well involves finding ways to lessen the downsides and amplify the upsides. Here’s how.

Ultimately, the key to building a better relationship with social media lies in exploring how your use affects you. Small steps and more thoughtful use can lead to an improved relationship with social media and yourself.

Keep in mind, too, that social media apps tend to be designed to keep you engaged and actively using them. So, you might not always find it easy to cut back on your own. If that’s the case for you, a therapist can offer more guidance and support with setting boundaries for more mindful social media use.”

My Takeaways From This Article

1. This article is great to really see how social media truly is not a good or bad thing, it really depends on how an individual uses it and how it affects their health! Depending on how you use social media and how you engage with content it can do amazing things and add that spice in your life. On the other hand going off boundaries can exacerbate conditions like bad sleep schedules and certain mental issues down the line.

2. The article mentions several benefits and detriments of using social media, each of them are unique and different for every single user. Some users will not struggle with self-esteem issues associated with social media while others may not. It’s definitely a case by case basis and is based upon the most common things that come out of surveys and social media users.

3. In the last paragraph it's shown that the best way to improve and maintain a healthy relationship with social media is to be aware of all the things social media is designed to do (social media designers are finding ways to keep you drawn and keep scrolling as that increases engagement and ad revenue). Additionally be able to describe how social media affects you, everyones different so it definitely does vary case by case.

Full article is here!

What are your takeaways from your article? How would you describe your relationship with social media and what are some things you would want to change/keep same?

#SocialMedia #MentalHealth #Well-being