When considering addressing substance use, disordered eating, or any other mental health disorders that may be getting in the way of achieving your maximum potential, Recovery Frameworks encourages looking at your values, your strengths, and your goals to come up with an action plan that helps you grow towards a brighter future. The ultimate goal is self-actualization, helping you to be the best you possible. To achieve this, we must live a well-rounded life. We must practice habits and skills that encourage wellness. To assist with these goals, we have developed a series of blog posts highlighting a skill or habit that you can try for yourself! This week we want to look at social media's impact on our wellness.
The first thing we want to note is that this is not a post about how evil social media is and how you need to delete it to feel good. Social media has many positive aspects. If it didn't, it wouldn't have become as popular as it is today. Social media can provide us with a sense of community and connection. It allows us to stay in touch with loved ones who may be far away, and it can provide us with a platform to connect with like-minded individuals who share our interests and values. This is particularly important for individuals trying to recover from substance use disorder, mental health disorders, and disordered eating. There are many communities and influencers who can help provide inspiration and motivation when you are feeling like you have no one to lean on.
However, on the negative side, social media can also contribute to feelings of anxiety, depression, and loneliness. Studies have shown that excessive social media use can lead to feelings of inadequacy, envy, and even addiction.
So how can we set up personal boundaries and engage with social media in a healthy way?
The first step is to be aware of the impact that social media is having on our mental health. We need to be mindful of the amount of time we spend on social media, and how it makes us feel. If we notice that we are feeling anxious or depressed after spending time on social media, it may be time to reevaluate our use.
The second step is to set boundaries around our social media use. This can include limiting the amount of time we spend on social media, setting specific times of day when we check our accounts, and even taking regular breaks from social media altogether.
It's also important to curate our social media feeds in a way that promotes positivity and mental wellness. This may mean unfollowing accounts that make us feel inadequate or insecure, and instead following accounts that inspire and uplift us.
Finally, it's important to remember that changing our relationship with social media is a process, and that we are all works in progress. It's okay to make mistakes and slip up from time to time. What's important is that we acknowledge when we need to take a step back and make changes in our social media use to prioritize our mental health.
In conclusion, social media can have a significant impact on our mental health. By being aware of this impact and setting up personal boundaries, we can engage with social media in a healthy way that promotes positivity and mental wellness. Remember, recovery is a process, and it's never too late to make changes that prioritize your well-being.
If you have tried everything and can not seem to move forward on your own, a recovery coach or companion may be able to provide the motivation and accountability to help you achieve what you previously thought was impossible. Reach out and we will help you understand the resources that are available to you and guide you through the difficult process of recovering from substance use, disordered eating, and other mental health disorders.
Disclaimer: Recovery Frameworks offers a non-clinical support service. The services and programs provided by Recovery Frameworks do not include medical advice, including diagnoses, medical care, or clinical treatment. Services should only be used in conjunction with the guidance and care of your doctors, therapists, consultants, and/or providers in part of your treatment team.