Social Media and Your Mental Health

[0:00]You can get a lot out of your social media accounts. Updates from friends and family, new connections and opportunities to express yourself. But you may also end up with things you never asked for. Studies published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found frequent social media use increases the risks of anxiety, depression and low self-esteem in teens and adults. And those issues can sneak up on you so subtly that you might not even realize where they're coming from. When your social life is filtered through a screen, it's easy to feel overshadowed or left out by the people around you. Their digital lives can seem so much happier and more interesting than the life you experience every day. You may end up measuring your whole life against the best, most filtered pieces of someone else's. And when negativity invades your favorite platforms, you can end up stuck in a cycle of frustration and bad news. Luckily, social media doesn't have to be an emotional mindfield. You can improve your relationship with social media by reflecting on the interactions you enjoy, which experiences make you unhappy and how much time you want to commit to your social networks. When you have your answers, make a plan. Where do you want to focus your attention online? How will you limit your exposure to content that distresses you? And when will you know when it's time to take a break? Finding a plan that works may take some trial and error, but when you meet social media on your terms, your screen time can feel like quality time again.