What to Do When Social Media Becomes Too Much

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Although social media has proven a useful tool to stay engaged with friends, family, and people who share your hobbies and interests, it can also be a significant detriment to mental wellbeing. No matter who you are, you’ve probably spent a little too much time scrolling endlessly through someone’s feed or wondered why this person hasn’t followed you back. In the grand scheme, it’s a minor issue, but constant exposure can make you fatigued. If you feel like social media is becoming a bit too much right now, here are your options. 

Take a Break 

It’s easy to let the days waste away by scrolling through Instagram or Reddit or Twitter or TikTok or any of the other platforms available. No one wants to miss out on something exciting, and that’s what keeps people coming back. But, this can affect mental wellbeing, productivity, and even damage your connections with those around you. If you feel like you don’t enjoy social media anymore, give yourself the chance to step away and take a break. Look for other things to do with your hands instead of scrolling. Go for a walk and leave your phone at home. Do whatever you can to remove the temptation. 

Don’t Get Fooled 

You might think that everyone on the internet lives the perfect life, but that’s because no one posts their failures. And why would they? No one wants to show how many times it took to get the perfect shot, while filtered photos are a whole other issue. No matter how authentic someone seems across social media, you shouldn’t be fooled into thinking they have a perfect life. They struggle with confidence issues just as much as you do, so bear this in mind when you worry about not looking just like they do. 

Reconsider Who You Follow 

Sometimes, it’s the people you follow that can cause social media fatigue. You want to keep in touch with friends and family, but what happens when these people start posting ridiculous rants or conspiracy theories? If you wake up every day dreading a new argument or blow-up, it’s time to reconsider who you follow. Some people don’t follow anyone at all, and perhaps they have the right idea; at least their feed should be entirely drama-free. 

Remove Yourself Entirely 

There may come the point where you know how damaging social media can be to your productivity and mental wellbeing. If this sounds familiar, it is best to remove yourself entirely from the social media sphere while you work on yourself. You can look at how to delete an Instagram account, while places such as Twitter and Tik Tok will share similar information. There are usually two options, deletion, and deactivation. A deactivation gives you the option to return, whereas deleting will permanently remove your account until you make a new one, so consider which is best for you. 

Social

Social media has proven useful for many people, but it isn’t the sole way to stay in touch. No following or app should damage your mental health, so if you feel overwhelmed, consider different techniques to take a step back and return when you feel ready. 

Thank you for reading!