The usage of social media can lead to psychological problems. Here’s how to avoid them.
Nowadays, few people stay away from social networks. Users of its platforms may experience some problems, such as isolation, loneliness, and depression.
According to a survey by the American Psychiatric Association on the perception of social media, only 5% of respondents see positive effects on social networks. 38% see adverse effects and 45% negative and positive effects.
Two-thirds of respondents believe that there is a link between social media and social isolation and loneliness.
Jelena Kecmanovic, a psychologist and professor at Georgetown University who has studied the risks of online interactions, offers six tips to protect yourself from social media.
1.Limit places and moments:
If you limit your use of social media at certain times of the day, you will protect your relationship with the people around you.
Put your phone in airplane mode or cancel notifications during mealtimes with family and colleagues.
Make sure your phone does not distract you.
It is important not to bring your phone or laptop to bed before going to bed.
2. Disconnect:
Many studies confirm that a period of five days or more without Facebook, Twitter, etc. reduces stress and brings greater life satisfaction.
If that’s not possible, limit your chat and social media sessions to 10 minutes a day to get similar results on preserving the loneliness or depression problem.
3. Pay attention to what you do and feel:
Listen and try.
Analyze yourself a bit. Do you feel better by doing three small sessions of 10-15 minutes of social networking at certain times of the day or instead after a long period of 30 to 40 minutes?
Does Facebook leave you feeling uncomfortable when you check in late at night? If so, leave this platform after 22 hours.
If browsing other people’s pages makes you feel depressed, limit your online interactions to people you know, or even better, to people around you.
4. Classify:
Rate your virtual friends list.
Take away people you would never dare to invite to a BBQ at home — the same thing for pages that you follow without much interest.
Do not worry; the majority of these people will not even notice!
To add excitement to your social media moments, subscribe to fun or comical pages to reduce the negative effects of these platforms.
Jelena Kecmanovic mentions a recent study that Facebook friends’ lives affect people more negatively than other content.
5. Change your perception of social media:
If you feel like you want to check your Twitter when you wake up or open on Instagram when it’s hard to work, ask yourself, “Why am I trying to do this? “
Is this really what you want to do with your life?
6. Prevent social media from replacing real life:
Social media should not end up replacing in-person meetings.
Having an online conversation with a friend is good, but visiting him is better.
Social networks must be a “+” to social life, not an end.
They are the real people who can meet our basic human needs for relationships
Author: Steav