How to Prevent Depressive Symptoms From Social Media Use

How to shape your social media usage so you don't develop depressive symptoms

Step 1: Limit Your Time Spent on Social Media to 2 Hours or Less Per Day

Limiting your time spent on social media will cut down exposure to negative influences and cause you to interact more with people in real life you have a legitimate connection with and add real benefit to your life.

Step 2: Evaluate Your "Friends" on Social Media

Determine who are celebrities, distant acquaintances, sponsored, excessively wealthy, ect... Basically any account that you don't have a personal connection with, creates a sense of jealousy in you, and doesn't make you happy or supported viewing.

Look at this Instagram for help on determining these types of people: @famousrichhotstuff

https://www.instagram.com/famousrichhotstuff/?hl=en

Step 3: DELETE These People

You don't have to delete all of them but getting rid of most is in your mental well-beings best interest.

Seeing an amazing life lived by someone else begins to make your life seem dull in comparison and causes you to become unsatisfied with your life.
By removing these people from your daily social media check will help you focus less on what these other "perfect" lives have going on and more on what is amazing in your life.
- Comparing your beach day to Kylies latest post of her trip in Fiji will make you feel blazé in comparison.

Step 4: Use Your Social Network Site for SOCIAL NETWORKING

Make sure you are interacting with your friends and family

messaging
commenting
liking
posting
sharing
tagging

Interacting will help you stay connected with your real life and allow you to feel important and valued to the people in your life.

Step 5: Use Your Support System

If you need help or are feeling low, make sure you are using social media as a support system.

Message friends and family you can't get help from in person for advice and emotional support
Post that you need someone to talk to
Look on friends and families profiles for reassurance in your life
Always remember that you have this amazing platform to instantly connect with people when you need help. You are never alone even if you are physically. Someone is just a click away willing to talk, give advice, and just be there for when you ask!

Step 6: Use Social Media to Make Connections

There are times in almost everyone's life where you don't have many people to lean on. Maybe you've just moved, come from a small family, recently experienced a loss, or have always kept to yourself but now are wishing you had someone to talk to you can use social media to create connections!

Even if you don't already have a support team, you can create one
- Find people who share your interests by searching hashtags and looking on posts you've like and see who else has
- Reach out to an acquaintance you felt a connection with and saw the potential of a friendship
- Sign up on social networking sites that are for meeting new people and looking to create new friendships
Remember that even if you feel most people evil and don't want to talk to you people generally want to help others
- If you reach out and seek companionship they will most likely embrace your attempt
- Most people would like to have another friend to confide, someone can never have enough support

Step 7: Keep These Things in Mind

Peoples lives online generally show only the positives so don't think everyone else is living perfectly when you're not
You don't have to unfollow every and all celebrity but understand that constant exposure to a lifestyle you desire and don't have can cause you to become depressed about the life you do have
It's about balance, the time spent online should be concise and helpful not prolonged and upsetting