Beware of these 7 social media habits that can be bad for your mental health

Social media cops a lot of negativity. But there are many great things about social media; aspects that can enhance our connectedness, health and wellbeing. Even our happiness!

In fact, we can boost our happiness in many ways by using social media in the “right ways” such as connecting with friends, appreciating good times and sharing positivity, and learning about new and different people and places in the world.

That being said, there’s no doubt there can be a dark side to social media and in particular, it’s important to look out for these 7 troublesome behaviour patterns…

via the Ladders by KYLI RODRIGUEZ-CAYRO

There’s no denying that social media plays a pivotal role in most people’s lives nowadays. Whether casually scrolling through Instagram, receiving back-to-back notifications from Facebook groups or Twitter mentions, or chatting with friends on WhatsApp, social media is a constant for many people. While there are incalculable benefits — like staying connected to friends and family across the world, or increasing accessibility — experts say that certain social media habits could be having a a negative impact on your mental health and wellness, without you even realizing it.

Over the course of a lifetime, people spend an average of five years and four months on social media, according to a study from influencer marketing agency Mediakix. What’s more, the MIT Technology Review revealed this past January that research has shown the average person in the United States. spends 23.6 hours online — way up from 9.4 hours in 2000. That’s a lot of time on social media platforms — and if you’re not mindful of that time being spent, experts say it can mess with your sleep, your mood, and other factors that contribute to your overall mental wellness. Here are seven social media habits that may be hurting your mental health.

1. You Experience FOMO, Or A Fear Of Missing Out

FOMO, which stands for a “fear of missing out,” is a very real psychological fear that you’re being left out, and some experts says social media can make it worse. “The fear of not knowing what the last trend or challenge is, or not being social enough could end up affecting a person’s sense of worth,” therapist and founder of She is Strong and Mindful, Lorena Ramos, MA, LCSW, tells Bustle.

If you feel like you’re constantly refreshing your feed just so you can stay up-to-date with what everyone else is up to, it may be a sign you have a case of FOMO. Staying present in the moment, and setting aside time for “grounding” techniques could help tackle some of the negative feelings that you’re missing out.

2. You’re Following Accounts That Hurt Your Self-Esteem

Alanna Harvey, the Chief Marketing Officer and Co-Founder at Flipd, a digital wellness company, tells Bustle, “Following accounts of people who make you feel bad about yourself is not a good habit. For example, accounts of people who travel to luxurious places might make you wish you could afford traveling there too, or a body-builder might make you envious of their figure.” Instead, seek out accounts that don’t showcase people, but instead show ‘grammable food or travel destinations, says Harvey…

…keep reading the full & original article HERE