2020 Apr 2
How many times have you launched Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat apps within the past couple of weeks that you were at home? Since the curfew was imposed and we were confined to our homes as means of preventing the transmission of the COVID-19 virus, social media has done an excellent job at keeping us entertained and away from boredom, as we are exposed to so many different types of content shared by different people. Many people tend to share what they do while they’re at home; recipes, workout routines, books that they read, yoga poses, pieces they write and other different activities. Some people also encourage their followers to try out what they’re doing.
THE DARK SIDE OF SOCIAL MEDIA
While this is a good thing, the exposure to this content can have a negative effect on us as well. How many times have you seen someone exercise daily on social media and asked yourself why you can’t do the same? It is very easy for us to be influenced by things that other people do and we may unintentionally create negative belief systems about ourselves. This may have adverse effects on our mental health stability, especially for those of us who are struggling with depression, anxiety and other difficulties concerning mental health. When we’re getting carried away with thoughts that turn our own selves into punching bags, there are a few things that we must realise,
- Activities shared by people on social media are what makes them happy and keeps them satisfied
- It does not necessarily mean that it will have the same effect on their followers
- All of us are unique to one another, we all possess different talents, different interests, different strengths and different likes and dislikes.
Ask yourself this question, ‘Would you force your friend or family member to engage in something that they don’t like to do?’ You’re answer would definitely be a no. We don’t have to try everything that we see on social media, if it’s simply not our cup of tea. These times are difficult as it is, and it is okay to take things at your own pace. It’s okay to not be productive. It’s okay to give yourself a break, to take ample time to sleep and rest. You don’t have to force yourself to be more productive and keep yourself occupied. We often tend to compare ourselves to others that we come across on social media and think lesser of ourselves, without counting our blessings and engaging in things that makes us happy, satisfied and fulfilled.
So the next time you’re scrolling through social media and you see different people encouraging their followers to try engaging in different activities, merely take them as suggestions and refrain from adding them to the ‘must do’ list inside your brain. Let’s all practice to be kinder and empathetic towards ourselves during these trying times, because we all deserve it.
