Are You Following Me?

It is fairly obvious to most people that I am slightly obsessed with social media. Not a day goes by where I don't post on Instagram at least once. However, you read so often in the press how it is inherently damaging to our self-esteem. I don't think it's as cut and dry as that. In this post I'm going to detail how social media helps me with my mental health as well as maybe how it doesn't help so much. 

Let's start off with the negatives. You see these people showing off their perfect lives full of exotic holidays, fancy meals and tans I can only dream off. You start to feel inadequate because you feel like all of your peers or off traveling around Europe and you are sat on your arse with a second tub of Ben and Jerrys binge-watching Judge Judy. I've been there, trust me. Some of my lowest moments have been triggered by seeing what everyone else is doing and feeling like I'm missing out. That's why I decided to change all of that.

I deleted apps that made me feel the worst about myself. The biggest offender her was Snapchat. Constantly full of people out having a good time, it took up too much space on my phone and it made the social anxious part of me hate myself for passing up opportunities to go out partying even though staying in was the best thing for my health. Next came Instagram. I had a massive cull of all of the accounts that tried to make their lives look rose tinted, followed a whole load of self-care accounts and started to converse with people by posting only positive comments on pictures I liked. Do you know what this did to my mood? It made me feel so warm inside. I think I understand now why everyone bangs on about hygge so much. I don't like to post pictures that make my life seem like it is just one massive holiday. I take photos of what I think looks beautiful and things I'd like to share with other people. Twitter on the other hand is my excuse to moan and write funny things that Mike says or that I see on the metro. I try my best to network with other bloggers and so far it's worked! Facebook helps me keep up to date with friends and family. I blocked everyone that just posts negative statuses or that I don't really know. 

So far my social media cleanse has worked in improving my general mood level from one that fluctuated lots to a level that is a bit more constant and manageable. You hear people telling you all the time to just delete all of your accounts but realistically that just isn't going to happen. I've tried to just use social media in a better way. Harnessing the benefits and minimizing the negativity.