Are the waves of countless thoughts come crashing inside your mind when you see posts online? Are you experiencing some anxiety because of social media? Are you asking yourself questions such as:
Why am I not successful like them?
I wish I was as happy as them.
Why are they so pretty and I’m not?
What will happen to me if the economy fails?
What if I’m going to be sick just like them?
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Facebook. Twitter. Youtube. Instagram. Reddit. Google. Social medias are online platform were people can post anything they want to post. These are areas where one can share to the world what it’s like to be on their side of the world. A group of people can inform and educate other people about the causes they want to fight for. Friends can share celebrations and important events to other friends. Families uniting over video calls and facetime. Social media is an area where people can socialize without actually meeting the person physically.
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There is nothing wrong with social media. In fact, social media helps us in many ways. Like how it allows us to connect to people that are far away from us. Or how it lets us know different information from places around the world. Or how it gives us the capability to celebrate with the victories and achievements of other people.
However, the problem comes in when a person relies too much on social media alone. There are tendencies where people revolve their world and worth on the opinions and approval of others online, giving importance on their virtual world than the real world. This, in turn, might lead the person to different problems – one of which is anxiety because of social media.
Anxiety brought by social media can range from worrying to much about being humiliated online to being anxious that people think less of you because your post is not receiving enough “likes”. This happens because there is a high tendency of comparing oneself from others online. Somehow, social media gives us this notion that “because they are happy, successful and popular, I should be like that, too.”
Signs that you have anxiety because of social media
There are a lot of indications when one has anxiety because of social media. These are just a few of them:
- Spending up to 8 hours or more on social media.
- Being too attached to you phone or computer because you have to check our social media every now and then.
- Feeling anxious or worried when people won’t comment or like you posted online.
- Frequently excusing yourself in social situation with family or friends just to check your social media sites.
- Always looking at number of followers and finding ways to increase it.
When a person is gripped by immense anxiety because of social media, they become restless and are inclined to spend more time checking their websites to make them feel more secured. That is why it is common to people with Anxiety of social media to have sleep disturbances and chronic depression .
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How to deal with anxiety because of social media
If you happen to identify yourself with anxiety because of social media or if you know someone who is going through this, do not lose hope. Let me share with you effective way on how to deal with anxiety because of social media.
Choose to look at the other perspectives
Anxiety is an internal issue. It usually starts in the mind and it creeps in when you entertain a certain thought that makes you feel restless and worrisome.
So, the first thing to do in dealing with anxiety is to choose to look at the different perspective. Remember, what you have in mind is not always the right scenario. Most of the time, overthinking lets you only see the negative side of it, the worst scenario. Stop overthinking and start to question the thoughts that grip your mind.
For example, when you start to become anxious because people are not responding to your post, ask yourself: “Does the likes and comments I receive define me? Or am I more than that?”
When anxious thoughts begin to creep in, fight and stop it immediately and calmly talk to yourself to look at the other perspective. Instead of focusing on the negative side, practice looking at the positive side as well.
If you can’t do this or if your anxious thoughts are still the ones you see, ask help from a trusted friend. Let them share their own perspective about your social media dilemma. This way, you will be able to hear a different thought apart from your own anxious thoughts.
Fight social media anxiety by looking at other perspectives.
Focus on what matters
Is your social media more important than the people around you? Are the happenings on your virtual realm more meaningful than the ones in real life?
One of the downside of social media is it takes off our eyes to the reality around us and tells us to focus our eyes on what is online. Ones we have our eyes fixed on what are seen online, we never get to appreciate and enjoy who we really are and what we actually have.
Another way to deal with anxiety due to social media is to identify what really matters to you. Take time to meditate and take a look at your life. List and identify which are the things you have in real life that gives meaning to your life. Once you do identify these things, focus on these when you start to feel anxious.
I remember when I was still dealing with anxiety, I was always checking my social media every now and then because I believe that being updated to the recent news on my newsfeed matters. I did not realize that I was starting to neglect my communication with my family since I was always on my phone. I was like that for a couple months.
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I was thankful that my dad reached out to me one time and tried to take my attention off from my phone and on to the conversation that he was trying to engage me in. I enjoyed the communication that we have. It made me realize that the time I spent with the people around me matters most than my newsfeeds. That helped me deal with the anxiety I feel when I’m not around my social media.
Know that there is life outside social media. The people around you and the blessings that were given to you are the ones that gives meaning to your life, not social media.
Use social media as a means to reach a goal, not as an end goal itself
I believe that the creators of social media platforms created these as a means to help people reach goals. However, due to increasing factors of social pressure and competitiveness, social media also became a venue for people to brag. Others made it as a basis for what success and happiness looks like.
Remember, social media is a tool. It is not the end goal of your life.
So, to deal with anxiety due to social media statistics and social media itself, get rid of the idea that social media is the end of all things. It is not. Instead, use social media as a means for you to reach a goal that you want to achieve in life.
What do you think is your purpose? Or what do you want to achieve in life?
Once you know your goals and things you want to accomplish, use social media as one of the means to help you achieve this. Don’t use social media alone.
Having goals and finding your purpose gives you directions and motivation to take a course of action. Instead of focusing online and the anxiety that come with it, focus on these goals and let social media and other means help you reach them.
It takes your mind off the anxiety you feel from social media pressure and actually helps you achieve something in life, no matter how big or small the goal is.
Know your worth in Christ
Let me tell you the truth:
YOUR WORTH IS NOT FOUND ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS. YOUR WORTH IS FOUND IN YOUR CREATOR – JESUS CHRIST.
The reason why we never find our true satisfaction on social media is because it was never meant to make us whole.
Anxiety comes when we feel that we lacked something, what we did was not enough, or we are never good enough. But the truth is, social media is not the basis for our worth. The likes and interactions we do online are not the ones that will define us. The status and the things we post does not and will not define us.
We are defined based on how Jesus defines us – loved and accepted, no matter what flaws we have.
So, the best way to fight depression and anxiety because of social media is to let go of our phones and computers and spend time reading the bible and other materials that can help you know your true worth in Christ. Seek God and let Him tell you that you are valuable.
Choose to accept the fact that God knows what you are going through and that by allowing Him to help you is the most efficient way to deal with anxiety because of social media.
Relying and spending too much time on social media can lead to anxiety. If we don’t fight and discipline ourselves, we are sure to be caught up on the habit of comparing ourselves to others online. We will end up finding our worth and value on things that are intangible. That is why that we need to be brave and take a step to fight against your anxieties.
Let change our perspectives, always choosing to look at the other side of the story. We should choose to focus on the things that really matters. Put in mind that we have a life outside social media. Let’s grab every opportunity to focus on what is real. We must look at social media only as a one of the tools to reach our goals and help achieve the purpose we have in life. Lastly, we must always remember that our worth was never found online, it can only be found in our creator, Jesus Christ.
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