If you begin to feel a tad moody while on social media, know that you’re not alone. According to those who are constantly on Facebook, most report that they feel sad and inadequate, as they fail to measure up to all those beautiful or successful people, parading on their Facebook Newsfeeds.
If you’re a chronic user and social media has become a habit, where you plunk yourself down as it consumes the majority of your time online, you can become affected. This particularly for those who struggles with self-esteem, not feeling that great about themselves. Seeing how happy your friends are online, makes you upset.
The blood boils with anger or becomes green with jealousy, as you see all the pretty people with their perfect lives, kissing puppies and hugging babies. You then feel a little sad, that your life doesn’t measure up. Those who especially has a negative outlook on life, become affected.
Cheer Up Sunshine
You realize that you’re addicted to social media, as you pour hours of your time into Facebook. You ignore or “like” every post. Every post makes you happy or upset. There’s a smorgasbord of emotions that you go through.
If this is the case, then it might be time to take a step back, this to learn how to cope better with the roller coaster of feelings that you’re experiencing. Try the following.
• Choose to unfollow those friends who seemingly appears to be too happy, perfect, or are fake, as it’s usually just a front, even if you know that person
• Keep reminding yourself that Facebook isn’t a true representation of reality. People just post what they want you to see
• Turn off the computer and get outside to enjoy your own happy moments, and not constantly living the life of someone else
• As difficult as it may be, deactivate your Facebook account for a while. Take it permanently offline which mentally disconnects you from it, as you can always reactivate it whenever you want
Live Your Own Life
There’s a variety of studies that show heavy usage on the Internet, especially its evil stepchild social media, has an effect on mental health. What’s triggered are symptoms of extreme moodiness, feelings of envy.
What’s natural is comparing ones life to the accomplishments of others, and if they don’t measure up, what it usually activates are negative feelings. Realize that there will always be someone who’s better than you.
What you see is a former schoolmate or coworker, who appears to be doing better financially than you are. They seem happy, or never appears to age. What that instantly activates is jealousy, and at times depression.
Better adjusted individuals, will use Facebook to primarily catch up, to feel connected with others, while never experiencing any of these negative feelings. Instead of feeling envy, they’re genuinely happy for them.
What’s known is that the majority of social media users, will post their most attractive pictures, or make posts on how perfect their lives are, and never their flaws. They put on their best “face,” this to best project themselves.
Just Be You
To avoid Facebook induced moodiness, never use social media as a vehicle for comparison sake. Realize that almost everyone will present a biased, flawless version of themselves.
So if you feel down, inferior, upset, disillusioned, this because of the perfect lives that are shared on Facebook, then ask yourself why you feel that way.
Unless you’ve suffered a recent life setback, is it really that bad to see an acquaintance being successful, enjoying life, and why should it affect your life.
Don’t Look So Sad
With all of the suffering and the pain in the world, the real tragedy is if others stopped sharing their happy moments. The wins that they experience in their lives. Also realize that they never do so, in the attempts to make you jealous.
Imagine a world, if people just chose to share the negative aspects of their lives, their poor experiences. Especially because of the current political climate, what people share is safety and companionship.
Accept Who You Are
There will always be someone who’s taller than you, prettier and thinner than you, richer and more successful than you. There’s someone who’ll always have more friends, virtual or in real life. So never get led down the seductive path of comparing yourself to others.
Regardless of how perfect others appear to be, rest assured that they’re fighting their own personal demons, battling misery, struggling some how. For all the success they’ve experienced, what’s for certain is they’ve experienced equal life setbacks.
What needs to be known is that for every person who appears better than you, there’s always someone who’s less fortunate than you are. For every quality that you covet, there’s someone who wishes they had what you have.
If you can’t change your circumstances, at the very least try to change your perspective. Always be grateful for what you have. Learn to celebrate the success of others. Sharing in the happiness of others, should lift up your own spirits.
It Is What It Is
Accepting that some will always be better than you are might be difficult, this especially if you’re struggling with low self-esteem issues.
If that’s the case, then limit your social media exposure, as you’ll just feel worse. Learn to practice gratitude, and realize that anything is possible.
The first step is to stop tormenting yourself, this by constantly comparing your life with others who appear better than you. This however is a human condition, as the ego needs to be fed.
Find ways to realistically improve your own life somehow. Choose to feed off the positives of others, while improving yourself.