It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when consuming digital media. Our smartphones and laptops give us instant access and constant updates 24/7. “Doom-scrolling” can happen on apps like Facebook, Tiktok, or Instagram and before you know it, hours have gone by. Even sites with articles have open, and unwatched comment sections where people can start fights or share distressing information.
It’s important to find the balance between avoiding the news and consuming so much that it harms our mental health. Here’s some tips to help you balance your mental health and your media consumption.
Schedule Your Media Consumption
Pick an amount of time you’re okay to look at social media each day. You can schedule time in your calendar, set alarms to help yourself stop, or even use your phone settings to kick you out of apps after you’ve spent a few hours on them.
If you find that looking at social media is preventing you from sleeping, try giving yourself a cut-off time. Stop looking at your phone 2 hours before your bedtime.
Do a Self-Check In
How you feel before you look at social media can impact how you react to it. Did you get into a fight with your partner? Did you have a stressful day at work or school? Are you feeling sick? If you are already stressed or upset, looking at social media can make you feel worse. Try and save your scrolling for a day where you feel more grounded or calm.
Ask the 5 W’s
There are no minimum requirements to be someone who posts on these sites. You can ask a few questions to better understand the creators behind the media you see:
- Who is making this content?
- Is this person an expert, or are they sharing their opinion?
- What are they posting about, and what do they want?
- Does this creator often speak about this topic?
- Where is this content being shared?
- Is this creator on a site where they get paid for making frequent posts?
- Is there an algorithm that helps to funnel the media you see?
- When are they posting this information?
- Did they find information from multiple sources, or are they sharing their opinions?
- Why are they sharing this media?
- Is this a news source?
- Is this someone who shares alarming content to try and make money or get a lot of views?
Seek Community Support
While it might be faster to get news updates online, that won’t help you work through your emotions and process what you’re feeling. Find friends, family members, or even a therapist who can be there for you to talk through current news and events and offer support.
Looking for more wellness tips and safe content? Follow us on social media!
0 Comments