Modern Anxiety: How Technology and Social Media Influence Mental Health
How Sleep Affects Your Mental Health
March 22, 2022
Technology plays a significant role in modern living, especially in the digital age. Your phone is your ever-present and loyal assistant. It serves as your alarm clock, your grocery list, and your entertainment. Your memories are preserved within its photo storage. With its help, you can keep in touch with far-away family and friends.
Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X (Twitter), and other social media apps take up minimal space, yet they help you stay connected and relevant with likes, comments, and posts.
Technology can serve as both a stressor and a stress reliever. In this article, we’ll examine the positive and negative impacts of technology on mental health. Let’s dive in!
The Role Social Media Platforms Play in Anxiety
The Positive Side of Social Media
Technology and social media were created to allow us to stay connected with the people we love and appreciate. These tools help us feel supported. When challenging situations come, it’s natural to turn toward a phone call or a messenger chat. Connecting with others is vital. And, in the digital age, we can stay linked with family and friends who are near and far.
The Negative Side of Social Media
While technology, and specifically social media usage, can be helpful tools, they can also harm our mental health. Access to social media can lead to various mental health issues, such as impulse control problems, constant alerts affecting concentration, and feelings of inadequacy or loneliness. Excessive social media usage can lead to poor mental health, including anxiety and depression.
The technology habits we build determine whether social media plays a positive or negative role in our lives and mental health.
Social Media Habits to Avoid for Good Mental Health:
- Avoid Comparison: Social media tends to showcase the best in people’s lives. Social media platforms make it easy to compare someone’s best to your worst, which can exacerbate social anxiety. Don’t play the comparison game. If you notice feelings of inadequacy and sadness when scrolling, simply put your phone down, take a break, and do something you enjoy.
- Avoid Constant Screen Time: Connection is essential, but our phones give us the illusion that constant connection is the norm. It’s okay and healthy to put your phone down and enjoy time alone or with new people in real time. Technology is no substitute for a real-life conversation, hug, or meal.
- Avoid Your Phone Before Bed: Technology influences your sleep habits. Scrolling social media before bed can make it more difficult for you to sleep and lower the quality of your rest. Sleep plays a huge role in mental health and wellbeing. Putting your phone on the charger 30 minutes to an hour before bed can make all the difference.
- Avoid Information Overload: Social media and other technology give us access to the latest information and news. Constantly looking at breaking news headlines about wars and other worldwide conflicts can harm your mental health. If staying up to date is important to you, consider giving yourself an allotted amount of time to look at the news instead of letting it dampen your mood throughout the day.
Managing Technology-Related Anxiety
Technology-related anxiety is a real thing. If you are experiencing feelings of anxiousness or depressive symptoms when you turn on your phone, you aren't alone. There are a few things you can do to combat these feelings. From taking the time to know yourself to setting boundaries, here are a couple of ways to manage and combat social media and technology-related anxiety without completely disconnecting from your phone:
- Understand Yourself: Are there certain people or types of posts that trigger your anxiety? Eliminate these influences from your social media use. Knowing and paying attention to what triggers your anxiety symptoms can give you the power to choose to watch and look at different things.
- Set Boundaries: Limit your time on social media platforms and other apps. This will allow you the freedom to pursue other activities that bring you joy rather than spending hours scrolling TikTok or Instagram. This kind of boundary leads to mindful and purposeful social media use.
- Take Care of Yourself First: Before hopping on your phone, assess your needs. Are you tired, thirsty, hungry, or needing time away from your phone? Self-care is critical in maintaining mental health.
- Enjoy Time Away From a Screen: Whether stepping outside for fresh air or cooking something for dinner, leaving your phone in another room can give you the space to breathe and think more clearly. Social media notifications, phone calls, text messages, and emails can wait while you take the time you need away from your phone.
These straightforward practices can help you manage your social media anxiety.
There may be times when taking a break from social media platforms is helpful for your mental health. Deleting Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok is hard, but allowing yourself to distance yourself from these social media platforms might give you confidence and a new perspective.
How Integrated Counseling and Wellness Can Help with Mental Health
If you are struggling with technology-related anxiety disorders or depression, reach out to Integrated Counseling and Wellness. Our team specializes in treating various mental health conditions. Mental health professionals play a crucial role in diagnosing and treating anxiety and depression, especially in the context of digitalization.
You don’t have to live with this type of modern anxiety. Your mental health is incredibly important, and that’s why, at Integrated Counseling and Wellness, our priority is you. Contact us today to book a free 15-minute consultation.
