The Web That Is Social Media

There is no denying the prevalence of social media, the hub of communication that
intertwines us all together. It’s almost like a web of connections that is spun throughout our earth, giving us insight into other people’s lives. Yet, just like a web, social media can create false expectations and goals about an individual, trapping them into these unrealistic ideologies of specific standards that they must conform to.

It can make someone feel isolated and alone and cause them to believe that what makes them different is inherently wrong, impacting their self-esteem and raising their anxiety.

Being different isn’t something to look down upon, because without difference everything would be rather mundane. Social media can make us feel like the way we live our life is incorrect, as we don’t live the lifestyles of these popular celebrities or online influencers. It fails to account for the damage it causes our anxiety, the fact we feel if we don’t fit the ‘perfect life’, our life is just a toss-away.

Does this mean we should just simply delete all social media and stay detached from that environment? No, we shouldn’t, because with that analogy then no one would drive cars for fear of crashing.

Instead, here are a few key tips that might help make your time spent on social media more enjoyable:

Don’t blindly trust what you see - not everything on social media is real, and things can be painted and manipulated in a way to hide a real scenario. For example, just because someone is smiling in multiple pictures, it doesn’t mean they actually feel happy.
Spend time away - social media is a very useful tool, but too much time spent may not be beneficial. Instead, spend the time you would normally spend on social media trying out a new hobby, or spending real quality time with friends/family, and check social media sparsely through the day.
Appreciate the little things - being mindful of the smaller things life brings, to keep you grounded and remind you life is beautiful. It can be easy to forget about them when we're lost in the huge web of social media.

At the end of the day, social media is a great place to stay connected to others, but all that doesn’t matter if you lose the connection to yourself. Remember, anxiety grows when you put on an act instead of being your authentic self.

By Dylan Starr

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