Social media has risen quite fast in the last decade or so, with a number of new platforms emerging. This has had a number of effects on other aspects of people’s lives, especially concerning their mental health. That said, it’s important to know the steps you can take to lessen the negative effects social media can have on one’s life. Read on to see some of these measures you can take to live your best life while also enjoying social media responsibly.
Limit the Time You Spend on Social Media
The first step to take in order to maintain control over your mental health is to limit the time that you spend on social media. This is an important measure because the more time you spend on social media, the more likely you are to fall victim to the dangers that lurk on social media. People who’ve experienced traumatic events before are at a higher risk of developing PTSD, and there can be many triggering posts on these websites. This makes it important to take extra care if you’ve ever experienced trauma. Certain aspects of social media may trigger issues in sensitive people and this is why you need to limit the time you spend on social media.
Track Your Feelings While You Use Social Media
Another important step that you need to take is to track your feelings while you use social media. Doing this is important because you may have better control of the outcome of being on social media. If there are specific things that trigger mental health issues in you, you may be able to find out what they are if you keep track of what you feel while using social media. Keep in mind that social media is still dominating the digital landscape and this may expose you to it a lot. This makes it important for you to know just what you feel whenever you interact with social media so you’re aware of when you need to take a break.
Understand the Dangers that Exist on Social Media
This is important for anyone who uses social media including parents, educators, and even those operating these sites. When users know the dangers that lurk in the digital space occupied by social media platforms, it may be easy to steer clear of them. These dangers include bullying, receiving unsolicited images and videos, having your private information shared in a way that impacts you negatively, and more. When parents and teachers know these dangers, they may be more motivated to take safety measures such as enforcing rules on the use of social media. There are applications and other tools that can help parents track their children’s activities on social media. This is easy to do, with there being a little more than 210 million websites around the world in 2010, a figure that’s climbed to more than 1.8 billion in the current day.
Learn Approrpiate Social Media Skills
Finally, everyone needs to learn how they can use social media the right way. This can ensure that anyone who uses social media possesses the knowledge to keep themselves safe while utilizing these websites and apps. As a parent or teacher, you have the chance to improve the safety levels of the younger people in your care who use social media. Create a safe environment in which everyone is free to share details of dangers they may come across on social media. This may help fewer people end up in actual danger and it will enhance the safety of different platforms.
Use this guide to understand just how you can keep yourself, and any young people under your supervision, safe. This will go a long way in helping enhance the experiences people get on social media and can also safeguard their mental health.
Elor McDori
