For many in this isolated world we live in, social media has become their only connection to the outside world. To stalk and pry into the lives of those they know, schoolmates, workmates, friends and family. They then take inventory of their own life compared to theirs.
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 you’re addicted to social media, as you pour hours of your time into its various platforms. You ignore or “like” every post. Every post makes you happy or upset.
There’s a smorgasbord of emotions you go through, as you scroll through your timeline.
If this is the case, then it might be time to take a step back, to learn how to cope better with the roller coaster of feelings 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 social media 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 live the life of someone else
• As difficult as it may be, deactivate your account for a while. Taking it permanently offline mentally disconnects you from it, as you can always reactivate it whenever you want
Live Your Own Life
What constant usage on the Internet, especially its evil stepchild social media, has is an effect on mental health.
What’s triggered are symptoms of extreme moodiness, feelings of envy.
What’s natural is comparing your life to the accomplishments of others, and if you don’t measure up, what it usually activates are negative feelings.
Realize in this world, 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.
Social Media Reveals
Well adjusted individuals, will use Facebook to primarily catch up, to connect with others, while never experiencing any of these negative feelings.
Instead of feeling envy, they’re genuinely happy for them and their success or accomplishments.
What’s known is 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,” to best project themselves, to make them look good, and never their imperfections.
Just Be You
To avoid social media induced moodiness, never use it as a vehicle for comparison sake. Realize everyone will present a biased, perfect version of themselves.
So if you feel down, inferior, upset, disillusioned, because of the impeccable lives that are shared, 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 and successful moments. The wins they experience in their lives.
Also realize they never do so, in the attempts to make you or anyone else feel jealous or inferior.
Imagine a world, if people just chose to share the negative aspects of their lives, their poor experiences.
Be grateful that what people share is love, humour 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 always someone who’ll always have more friends, online or in real life. So never get led down the seductive path of comparing yourself to others.
Regardless of how perfect they appear to be, rest assured they’re fighting their own personal demons, battling misery, struggling some how, just like you.
Life Of Illusion
For all the success they’ve experienced, what’s for certain is they’ve experienced equal life setbacks. They just show the happy.
What needs to be known is 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 some will always be better than you, might be a difficult pill to swallow, 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 anything is possible.
The first step is to stop tormenting yourself, by constantly comparing your life with others who appears better off 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 yours.