Mental health and Social Media

[ScaredGR5274]

Social media has a huge impact on mental health. People who are lonely or suffer from loneliness can become even more lonely by coming to social media. As an introvert, when I see successful people I know in their personal, professional and social lives sharing their happy moments on social media, enjoying their lives to the fullest, I feel like somewhere in my own life I have left something incomplete, I have not been able to enjoy life to the fullest. It makes me feel very sad.

[LifeIsThePitts]

Don't believe the social media crutch. It's a snapshot in time, a moment that is orchestrated to present the best vision of what the poster wants the world to believe. It's an extension of the ego and a ploy to show everyone how wonderful everything is on the SURFACE of that person's Life.

How often do people post about their most recent anxiety meltdown or put up pictures from their dumpster fire martial arguments? We all have them...but we'd never willingly advertise about those events in the same way we post pics from vacation in Hawaii.

In other words....it's a sham.

Be unapologetically YOURSELF. There's no other You in the world. Embrace your eccentricities and uniqueness. Nurture your own wants and needs... regardless of what "others" think.

This is the way to personal healing, awareness and fulfilment. It comes from within you, not from without, & CERTAINLY not from the material world.

[fauxartist]

The reality is.... most of it's B.S..... your being told what people want others to believe. Everyone has their own stuff to deal with in life, and it's always not just roses.... good, bad, indifferent. Many make up this squeaky clean perfect person, and happy family persona on the internet because they can..and it's just what they want to project so others will admire them and want to be them....often reality is a very different story.

I think by being honest with yourself, and accepting the things you cannot change, change the things you can....and the rest will work itself out. We all have our own mixed bag of stuff here on the site, and because you are anonymous....you can be open and honest, you can let it all hang out...But by being honest with yourself, is the first step in healing and finding things that work for your lifestyle.

[LifeIsThePitts in reply to fauxartist]

My husband says that when we're born, we get a big 🛍️ bag of 💩 s@#$ to deal with. You can carry that bag with you and let it drag you down or you can empty that mother effer out, sort it out and figure out how to lighten the load and live freely.

I'm taking my hubby's advice and dumping out my 🗑️ trash.

[b1b1b1 in reply to fauxartist]

I think people who are so called "influencers" on social media are basically people who may not be very successful in real life. Most of them are just putting up a false front. x

[fauxartist in reply to b1b1b1]

It's the people that believe these air heads and every word they say and think they are somehow knowledgeable...that worries me most. I was once told that because it was on the internet, it must be true. When did every's brain fall out.. I'm just gob smacked.

[b1b1b1 in reply to fauxartist]

"air heads" is a good description. I once sat next to someone who was getting ready to post. She spect at least a half hour fussing with her hair and makeup (which were already perfectly fine). Then she posted pictures of herself on line for a plane. I was meeting someone at the airport, so kept an eye on her. She didn't actually take a plane--just implied to her "followers" that she was having a glamorous jet setting life. Sad.

[fauxartist in reply to b1b1b1]

It is sad isn't it....that anyone would feel so small in their own life that they would have to pretend that it's more than it really is. I like simple, and proud of it. Oh sure I've done this and that and met this and that, my family are the beautiful people of So. Cal....but me..... I'm an old hippie livin in the country in a simple house with a simple life, and I don't care about nothin but gettin through the day the best I can. I have what I need, I envy no one, I want for nothin....except maybe a little more peace and quiet....but that will happen sooner than not.....and in the Spring, it's all back to the garden, the cat, my partner building or planting something, and there will soon be two grand babies hangin around.

Simplicity....

[Beavis2022 in reply to fauxartist]

Yes, you're right - if only these Super People with amazing lives would tell the whole truth. But they're not going to do that and ruin their image, meant to make people jealous and inferior. That's why I try to stay away from FB & others. I think people are hard-wired to believe what they read, and this causes inferiority and shame. The last thing depressed and sad people need.

[fauxartist in reply to Beavis2022]

I agree Beavis...

[fauxartist]

That's funny B1.....and to add to that ..... we also don't have to be anyone's commode to get dumped on either....haaaaaa! You know what I mean....those people that come over to supposedly talk with you, but instead just dump all their crap on you, and when they are done....their out the door....yeah.....none of those left in my life either.....lightening the load literally.....

[Beavis2022 in reply to fauxartist]

That's right I wouldn't mind listening to other's problems, if only they would even pretend to care about mine. I've known people like this; I think they're so wrapped up in their drama that they're unable to listen to more of anybody else's.

[fauxartist in reply to Beavis2022]

They are called emotional vampires...they suck the air out of a room when they walk in. And after talking non-stop about themselves, and everyone is spent...they leave for the next victims.....and they are all happy because they dumped everything on everyone else.

[LoveforAll41]

I agree Scared, maybe some people do okay on it, but for me social media is a toxic waste of time.

[ScaredGR5274 in reply to LoveforAll41]

Indeed - social media is wasting a lot of time in our daily lives that we could use for other productive activities.

[Beavis2022 in reply to LoveforAll41]

I couldn't agree more. You can't believe any of it - all the pics of large groups of smiling, hugging, wine glass -clanking "friends" that they only see once every 15 years. It's all about creating an image - and the harder they try, the more desperate lives they live. It's a never-ending junior high school mentality that no one needs,

[LifeIsThePitts]

Honestly, this forum is the only social media account I have. It's an extension of group therapy for me and a healthy outlet to put my insecurities and fears out of my mind. Writing anonymously about your struggles, like journaling, is cathartic and gives others a chance to validate your feelings.

Use this as therapy. There are many quality people here to learn from. Be patient, you'll find your niche and like minded individuals if you keep posting and replying.

We're here to support each other... not to fix each other.

[ScaredGR5274 in reply to LifeIsThePitts]

This platform is great for sharing your thoughts. But in some cases, social media plays an important role that we cannot deny.

[fauxartist in reply to LifeIsThePitts]

Exactly what I do here too.....

[RS1974]

It doesn't seem like it's social media it's more your low self esteem that's making you feel sad. Don't feel sad be happy for them and happy that your working on yourself and will be happy too soon

[Beavis2022 in reply to RS1974]

I don't believe these people are happy - if they were, they'd have no need to impress anyone with any of it. They'd be living their happy lives without the need to broadcast every move they make.

[fauxartist in reply to Beavis2022]

Agreed.... the hollow souls....the shallow people.... constantly looking for satiation from input and likes.... because they are like sieves.....they are never satisfied.

[Beavis2022 in reply to fauxartist]

Yes, it's true. It's like a drug addiction, only they can't see how pathetic and meaningless all this drivel is.

[-Charlie]

I think social media is fine for someone who owns their own company and uses it for business reasons. But for personal reasons, no way. I used Facebook for about 48 hours ten years ago then deleted my account because I couldn’t keep up with the mindless chatting. It’s fake validation, fishing for likes for the instant dopamine hit, which quickly wears off so people become obsessed and addicted to it. That’s anxiety and depression just waiting to happen. xx

[Beavis2022 in reply to -Charlie]

So true. And after all these years, it's just a never ending repetition of "hugs and kisses", never ending dog/cat pics, and complicated recipes that no one cares about, or even attempts to do. And: Live, Love, Laugh: types of blather / They're ought to be a law.....

[fauxartist in reply to -Charlie]

I am pretty isolated where I live, so being able to stay connected is awesome. But the only social media I use is this site... and my art site. I appreciate people having fun and interacting on all the sites, it's good when it's good, but the bulling is awful. The internet is an amazing tool for me, the hours I used to spend looking stuff up in books can now be done in an instant. For me... I am always learning something new....it's like having a world of knowledge at my fingertips. But as with anything...there is the dark side too. We just have to know when to press the 'delete' and 'off' button and go smell the roses.

[-Charlie in reply to fauxartist]

Hi Faux! I use the internet for everything. You name it and I’ve gone digital. I can’t imagine going back to researching through books. It’s such a time saver. I rarely need to open my snail mail as I’ve already received an email copy of whatever it is. I will admit I can be searching for something as quick and simple as a recipe and an hour later I’m still online and somehow reading about the meaning of life lol. One thing leads to another and I love learning in general, especially when things are quick and easy to find. It’s wonderful you can utilize it for your art. I would imagine that opens up a whole realm of possibilities for you and you can share your work with other artists and talk shop. That’s a great healthy outlet.

This site is as far as I go with media and being social too. I love my YouTube and enjoy TikTok for humor but don’t engage. I never understood how putting my life ‘out there’ for the world to see would benefit me. My kids used to be really into Facebook and Instagram. It was sad to watch them place that much importance on what others thought of them. One night I handed them their dinner on a paper plates and caught them a moment later switching their food to my fine china to take a pic for their ‘followers’ to see. That was when I knew how silly it had all become. I told them I’m not cooking with the intention of the entire world to see. Think they were just trying to impress girls.😉

But you’re so right…knowing when to disconnect and remembering there is still a world out there beyond are screens is so important, especially for our mental health.

[dollcat]

People can be what or who they want to be on social media but often are rarely their true selves. There are some really nasty vile people in some of the groups who obviously wouldn't say the awful things they say to other people in "real life." Not to your face book I call that particular social media platform. It is antisocial media.

[Beavis2022 in reply to dollcat]

So true. I know several of them well - they're judgemental, critical and mean, but preach loving everyone, and how kind and giving they are. The only ones they're fooling are people who don't know them well at all.

[HangryCat]

One of the best things for my mental health has been to leave social media. It is toxic and designed to make you stay on it, and click, no matter what. That leads to content designed to make you angry, or other strong emotions.

Add in the fact that nobody really posts about their real lives, and the way people hide behind their screens to say vile things they'd never say in real life, it really is antisocial media.