4 Strategies to Manage Social Media Anxiety
Photo credit: Hitchins Samson
Social media is flooded with controversial news. Opinions spread quickly, buried issues are brought to light, and tempers run high. On top of this, social media is like an artificial wave pool—a dramatized version of reality that’s specifically designed to grab your attention and keep you scrolling.
Even though Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have provided important platforms for spotlighting social issues, they can also get overwhelming to look at every day. How do you contribute? How do you make sure you’re being sensitive? How do you respond to critics and trolls? There's a strong desire to help, but also the need to take care of yourself. We've prepared four concrete tips that you can implement right away to manage social media anxiety.
1. How to Regain Control
It's too easy to rack up hours on social media. Maybe seeing your phone usage stats makes you feel guilty or embarrassed. So, how can you cut the hours and regain control?
An extreme solution is to delete the social media apps that you spend the most time on. If that's too big of a big step, here's something that might be more palatable: Put your phone on "Do Not Disturb" mode, or turn off push notifications.
This isn't about shutting yourself off from the world. It's about regaining control of your time and space. You’re giving yourself the freedom to decide when you want to check social media, without being at the mercy of push notifications.
2. The Detached Relationship
Social media use can result in an imbalance between online communication and real life communication. Studies have even shown that compulsive social media usage is associated with higher risks of anxiety and depression.
Being too wrapped up in your social media feeds can trap you in a bubble of misinformation. Remember: It isn't real life. Do your best to stay emotionally detached.
Instead, try some real life conversation. Lean on your support network: reconnect with a family member, or call a friend and tell them about your latest project.
3. Mindfulness & Habits
Picture this: You've been working long hours, your head hurts, and you want a break. Without even thinking, you open a new tab and start scrolling through Facebook. We've all been there. Some of us might shrug it off a bad habit. But, if left unchecked, this bad habit will become deeply ingrained in your brain.
One of the best techniques for breaking a bad habit is to replace it with a new one. This takes a bit of strategizing.
One new habit to consider is mindfulness. Mindfulness is a therapeutic technique that focuses on becoming more aware of the present moment, without judgment, instead of ruminating on the past or imagining the future.
Many forms of exercise, like running or yoga, are great opportunities for mindfulness. It takes some practice, and the key is to focus on the present. Every time you realize that the mind has wandered, you gently bring it back to the exercise and your physical state. Even just getting outside and walking is an opportunity to slow down and experience the present. Slow down, feel the breeze on your skin, and listen to the leaves rustling gently.
Another mindfulness strategy is self-care using the five senses. One of the great things about mindfulness is that you don’t need any special equipment. You can light scented candles, relax in a warm bath, or close your eyes as you eat a meal. By focusing on being present in the moment, you break the cyclical nature of anxious thoughts.
4. Emotions Come and Go
If you read the news headlines every day, you’ll start feeling cynical very quickly. Social media is like swimming through neverending waves of death, corruption, and social injustices. One day, you might wake up and feel overwhelmed and powerless.
One of the best responses is to accept the anxiety. It’s a little counterintuitive. We often think to ignore “bad” feelings to make them go away. But that can actually be counterproductive.
Go ahead and indulge: write out your thoughts in a journal, listen to music that channels what you’re feeling, or vent your frustrations to a trusted friend. The goal is to acknowledge and accept your feelings. Once you’ve done this, the emotions will more easily pass.
We hope these tips help you face whatever is going on in your life with a clearer mind, detach from social media, and validate your emotions. When your thoughts are at peace, it's much easier to be kind to yourself.