Anxiety: unfollowing on social media can improve – 01/09/2024 – Balance

With people posting their lives with makeup on social media, it’s easy to think that the grass is always greener on the other side. Every minute there are videos and photos of trips, expensive cars, success at work, in fitness life and in love.

Comparing your life and achievements with those of others can lead to low self-esteem, feelings of inadequacy and anxiety about image and social status. This is what psychologist Vanessa Gebrim says, with a postgraduate degree in psychology from PUC-SP (Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo).

That’s what film student Hadassa Maciel, 22, felt, who decided to eliminate those who didn’t influence her in a positive way because of her anxiety. She says her condition got much worse during the pandemic. “When I looked at social media, both Instagram and TikTok, and I saw the people who made it seem like they had a perfect life, everyone who was skinny, who went to the gym every day, who had a healthy diet and perfect skin, I I was very moved.”

A 2017 study by the Royal Society for Public Health called #StatusofMind — something like status of the mind — examined the positive and negative effects of social networks on young people’s health. Research has shown that YouTube is the platform that has the best impact and Instagram is the most harmful to mental health. At that time, TikTok was not yet as popular as it is today, which could make the results different. “I even uninstalled TikTok and Instagram because I was demanding too much,” says Hadassa.

Gebrim, the psychologist, states that social networks can, indeed, generate some type of trigger or frustration, especially with this wave of people showing off a lifestyle dreamed of by many, such as a slender body, incredible trips, stunning houses, cars new and full-time joy. “This is something that is very unlikely to happen all the time and ends up affecting people a lot. The ideal is to stop following what is bad for you and just stick to what is good for you”, he says

Hadassa says that she felt bad seeing those people have an apparently perfect life. “Nowadays I have discernment and I know it’s not a perfect life, but it really messes with people’s heads,” he says. “I like following normal people, who show that life isn’t all that.”

The turn of the year is a good time to review goals and rethink attitudes. To start the year with a healthier relationship with social media, Gebrim, the psychologist, gives some tips. She states that exchanging what is toxic for positive emotions and behaviors contributes to mental health.

1 – Be aware of the use of technology

Psychologist Vanessa Gebrim advises using the internet in moderation. “Try to limit your use of social media to just a few minutes of your day, preferably after completing your tasks, this way you avoid procrastination,” she says.

2 – Clean up those who accompany you

It seems easier said than done. The psychologist recommends observing the list of people you follow and what good things these people have in life. “Unfollow all those that just trigger anxiety in you or that the content no longer interests you,” she says.

These triggers, as stated at the beginning of the text, generate comparison and dissatisfaction. They can be related to appearance, feelings that other people convey in their profiles, and even material goods.

3 – Prioritize in-person contacts

“Social networks have a huge impact on our real lives, so meet up more with friends, turn off your cell phone at mealtimes, and enjoy more time with family and friends,” says Gebrim.

4 – Detox from social media

This step may seem the most difficult, and not everyone is prepared. But you can start slowly. Try to spend a few days away from social media and you will quickly be able to see the benefits that this practice will bring to your life and the improvement in anxiety levels, according to the expert.

5 – Know how to deal with frustration

“To deal with frustration, one tip is to develop emotional intelligence”, says the psychologist. “Therapy is very effective in this process, as it helps the person to know and control their emotions and feelings.”

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