When we look out of the window, the view that we see has the power to influence our mood. Whether it’s the colour of the sky, the level of traffic on the road, someone else’s facial expression. If we think about social media as a window into our world, it’s easy to understand the powerful impact that it can have on our mood. There’s a ripple effect too, as we share content with our friends and contacts. When we share positive content, it offers us the power to lift someone else’s mood and create a rising tide of positivity. I spoke to Metro for an article about ditching the doomscrolling, and embracing 'hopecore'. The idea of filling our feed with more positive content. Click here to read the full article, and read on to learn what I had to say.
It sometimes feels as if we have sleepwalked into a culture of doomscrolling. Of absorbing content that makes us depressed or worried or frustrated or anxious or stressed, and somehow feeling as if we can’t step away. And social media platforms tend to create an echo-chamber, where we see more and more of a similar style of content. Hopecore represents a proactive move away from this mindless act. Towards a more mindful and positive way of using social media.
Social media is an incredibly useful way of connecting and sharing information. But there’s a huge downside to our use - or overuse - of social media. This happens when it begins to replace our real life human interactions. This can lead to a sense of disconnection from other people and from the outside world, making us feel more socially anxious. Social media can help us to connect and feel solidarity with people who have similar views to us. But it can also lead us into expressing extreme polarised views, or acts such as trolling.
The pace and design of social media can be utterly overwhelming for our brains to absorb, and can have a negative impact on our ability to focus and concentrate on individual tasks. We might have lots of information at our fingertips, but we might spend less time actually reflecting on that information, and thinking deeply about what we have seen.
Tips for coping with the influx of news, views, images and opinions on social media:
Figure out what you can control, and take action. If we are passionate about global affairs, it can easily leave us feeling powerless when we watch events unfold on social media. Think about the actions that you can take in your everyday life that will make a meaningful difference in your community.
Don’t feel guilty for switching off. Our minds are not designed to absorb the rolling news of a social media feed. And yet sometimes our conscience leaves us feeling guilty if we turn away from difficult images or stories. We can bear witness to what’s going on in the world without feeling as if we ’should’ be watching it 24/7.
Find an outlet for your feelings. When we passively watch news about the world on social media, it can lead to all sorts of feelings, such as anger, frustration, anxiety and fear. It’s important to find an outlet for these feelings, so that they don’t simmer and become toxic.
Set some boundaries. If you’re struggling to switch off, set some rules for yourself to control your use of social media. Use app settings to help you to enforce this for yourself. Share your plan with someone else so that you feel accountable. Keen to explore more? In counselling we can take a deeper look at how you feel about yourself. Click here to contact me, or click here to book a 30-minute introductory call.
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