From models like Charli D'Amelio & Kylie Jenner to intense news stories: being on social media can leave you feeling pretty shaken up. Sometimes it can be too much to handle. How can you manage body image, stress, and life when you're being fed so many mixed messages?
It's easy to handle when you're feeling centered. However, in some other cases, it might be healthy to take a break. Here is how to tell social media is no longer good for your mental health. As well as some signs you are ready to go back.
1. The First Thing in Your Morning Routine Is Checking Your Phone.
Checking your phone first thing in the morning a few times can be okay, but over time it can become an unhealthy habit. Checking your socials in the morning can turn a perfectly happy morning into anything but that. It is proven that checking your phone first thing in the morning can cause our brain to be unable to properly prioritize that day's tasks.
This is because by choosing to look at our phone we got distracted and that leads to the distracted mindset all day. If you feel like you have been more anxious throughout the day, or less focused on the important things, it's best to stay off socials for some time or even just in the mornings. Instead of being on your phone first thing in the morning, take 10 to 20 minutes to meditate, focus on your breathing, or even journal or plan your day ahead.
2. You've Had A Lot of EXTRA Anxiety, Not To Mention Stress.
Some days being on social media makes you smile and laugh, but other times it can feel like the world is ending or you are not good enough. A lot of the time the negativity on social media can become something too difficult to deal with. If you start feeling anxious about even little things throughout the day, or even feeling overly stressed out, it's probably time to take a break from social media.
3. You Know More About What's Going On In Other People's Lives Than Your Own.
It's easy we follow friends and celebrities then want to know what they are all up to. Sometimes you search or "stalk" someone's feed because it is inspiring to you or you just want to get to know them better. However, this can turn into a cycle, you can start to care more about the other people.
If you are feeling like you could tell everyone all about someone else's day rather than your own. Then that is most definitely is a sign to take a break from all your social media. Spend the break focusing on yourself and your goals not those of other people.
4. You Are More Focused On Posting Everything Than Being Present In The Moment
Snapping the perfect picture of you and your friends at brunch or the daily food can be so cute and can totally spice up your feed. But it should not become your sole focus when out. Sometimes we can become distracted by taking the perfect picture that we miss out on living in the moment and spending time with the people we care about.
Try and spend less time focusing on the picture and actually being in the now. By taking a social media break you will be forced to do this, which in turn will be a really good thing for your mental health.
5. Obsession Over Perfection And Body Image Is Your Main Focus.
Overtime social media went from a way to share your life to competition for perfection. There's no question that social media leaves people with so many mixed messages. Deciding what to post after scrolling through your feed can cause you to feel like you need to look perfect or a certain way.
When in all honesty there are so many apps out there for people to professionally tune their photos to look a certain way. What you are seeing is what they want you to see, and it's not always reality. If you have started having more obsessive thoughts over what to post and how you look it is one hundred percent time to log out of your socials and stop for a while.
The damage of trying to be extra perfect or change your body is so bad for your mental health. Taking a social media break is the first step in fixing that.
6. You Care More About What Others Think And Don't Want To Upset Any Followers/Friends.
The world will always be full of people with conflicting opinions. Social media only fuels this fire. It is amazing that people have become outspoken and stand up for what they believe in through their profiles.
However, sometimes it can be hard to go against the crowd or even be in the crowd without upsetting someone. If you are constantly overwhelmed by the idea of people being upset with your posts, spend some time recentering and accepting you and your own beliefs.
7. You Have Developed Separation Anxiety From Your Phone.
This title speaks for itself. If you cannot go without holding your phone or looking at it, take a break from social media and your phone.
Going Back To Being Present On Social Media
Coming back to being on your social media can be so exciting. Make sure you've been able to recenter yourself and focus on your own values. Take all the good habits you have developed without social media and implicate them in your life with it.
This may sound easier said than done, however, you surely will be able to readjust in no time. Social media is such a unique part of our lives so try and use the best out of it after your much-needed break.
