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Sharing – Taking Compassionate Care of Yourself During Difficult Times
I think what Margarita writes here is something we can all identify with. Many of us struggle with self-care, and when we finally do form some habits that are all about taking care of ourselves in small ways, they get blown to bits. “The self-care rituals and rhythms you regularly rely on to boost your…
Sharing – Illinois Schools Allowing Students 5 Mental Health Days From School
The thing I want to support with this is not students being lazy or getting a free pass for skipping school, but just the simple fact that someone, somewhere, is normalizing the idea that sometimes, we just need a freaking break. That taking a breath for our own mental health is perfectly acceptable.
Link – The January blues are just a way for brands to monetise your mental health
I actually think this is a really important message. Because here’s the thing – you very well might be feeling absolutely awful right now. But that’s not because it’s Blue Monday, or you ate too much turkey at Christmas, or you haven’t signed up to a gym yet. Seasonal affective disorder is a very real,…
New Research on Social Media and Teen Mental Health
I think that second quote is really the key. We’ve seen studies that are reported as showing that kids who use social media get more depression and anxiety, but those studies do not address the question of whether there’s any proof that the causality is in that direction and not the other. In other words, do teens who use social media a lot develop depression, or do depressed teens use social media more. This study seems to indicate it’s the latter. As we continue with a lot of social distancing, and activities being canceled and in person gatherings are very limited, we know everyone will be relying more on social media to stay connected, so this is an important question, and I think what this study, and others, really shows us is that there are ways to use social media as a positive influence on our mental health, and a way to use it that will not be a positive influence on our mental health.
In the physical world, we have these same choices. Do we interact with people who are toxic? Do we spend all of our time comparing ourselves to others? Do we isolate? Or do we find out tribe, our group of supportive friends/family that can interact socially in ways that help our mental health?
We all make those same choices on social media, but the key difference here is that if we simply don’t choose, and make no effort to make conscious decisions about who we follow and interact with, social network algorithms will make the decision for us. Anyone already struggling with mental health is maybe more likely to not spent much time thinking about these things, and just let the app show them what it wants to show them, and that is not necessarily going to be good for our anxiety. Especially right now.
So, if you find yourself feeling more anxious, angry, irritated, etc. every time you hop on Twitter or Instagram, maybe instead of just being that way, spend some time thinking about who you follow, and what they are bringing in to your life?
For any of my social media using readers, can you share some of your favorite positive accounts that you interact with to HELP your mental health?
Shared Links (weekly)
Should You Ditch Your Therapist for an App to Treat Depress Finding Sanity in Social Media While Battling Depression Know your limits, i.e. when I start feeling angry at tweets, it’s time to walk away Cyber groomers on pro Holiday Blues? Here’s How 7 Cups Digitized the Comfort of Strangers Mental health at Christmas The…
RT @SurvivorNetwork: This Week’s Links (weekly): Now Accepting Submissions For The November And December 2014 Blog Against Child Abuse… …
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