The post below targets teens in the UK, but I think the strategies apply to all of us. So much of our life is spent online these days, and we are part of specific online communities, whether we mean to be or not. Whether it’s the people we follow on social media, the sites we read, the chat groups we are part of, etc., we interact online, which can have negative and positive impacts on our mental health.
While the media focuses on the risks of online communities, and they exist, it’s equally important to understand how much good an online community can do for our mental health. The key is finding the community that helps us feel heard, offers acceptance and a supportive culture, and doesn’t overstep.
It’s also essential to be the kind of person who can contribute to that community in a positive way, while maintaining proper boundaries.
For example, I’ve been at this for a long time. I love writing and sharing information to help people learn more about mental health, care for themselves, etc. However, I also have boundaries around this work. I don’t make myself available for phone calls or to be a replacement for therapy because I wouldn’t be very good at it. I don’t have the time available to offer that level of support to my readers. That is not a reflection on whether I care about you all; it’s a reflection that I care enough not to pretend to be more than I am in the online space.
Navigating the online world takes some skill, but getting it right can provide significant benefits to our sense of belonging, community, and act as a decent accessory to our offline relationships.
Just be careful not to get into communities that do the opposite, and leave them quickly when that becomes clear.