Social media is the greatest invention of the 21st century that changed the world. It has brought the world closer and has made the entire world one big community. It has made us more connected but it has also added to the chaos of the world. Unfortunately, every coin has two sides. Similarly, this coin has a lot of upsides to it but it has many downsides to it as well.
Social media provides a potent voice to every citizen of the world, but that is not always a great thing for the world. Every destructive voice gets heard too nowadays. Cyber-bullying and shaming has become a big problem. And every opinion, regardless of it being good or bad, has a power to create a snowball effect online. People are becoming more and more self-obsessed. Superficial validation has replaced genuine compliments in today’s world. And people are becoming increasingly dependent on validation from others and losing out on their individuality. Social media lays a lot of pitfalls for people to fall into. These psychological pitfalls can cause a grave harm to us if not avoided or dealt with smartly. Thus, there are a few times when we need to avoid social media in order to preserve our psychological balance. Few of those instances have been listed below.
1. When In Self-Doubt
We are only humans and self-doubt is a part of being a human. There are days when we will feel like the most accomplished person in the world and there are days when we will feel completely down and out. We should avoid social media in our bad times as social media is a superficial platform where people want to document their best photo-shopped and often exaggeratedly accomplished versions of themselves. And when we are weak, we often fall right into the trap of ‘comparison’ while going through our social media profiles. We start comparing ourselves with others and start feeling bad for ourselves. And self-pity is the worst place to dwell in during our bad times.
2. Having Body Issues
We all have faced weight issues and felt unattractive about ourselves at times. These are the times when we have low self-esteem and feel vulnerable about it. Under these circumstances, avoiding social media is the best thing to do. Social media is a digital place where everyone puts their best digital foot forward. So, the amazing photos of people that we see are by-products of multiple filters and digital tools. And we are bound to feel worse about ourselves when we see such great photos of others. So, the best thing to do is to continue with our lives without being influenced by the social media during our bad times.
3. When You Are Expected To Be Working
Social media can be a huge time killer. We often feel bored and then instantly open social media to entertain us. This is a very harmful habit. There are times when we feel the impulse to go to social media when are supposed to be working. And when we do, we end up wasting hours of our time without achieving anything productive. Looking at other’s achievements will not help us to accomplish our tasks. So, prioritize your life before your digital vices.
4. While Getting Over A Rejection
If you are dealing with a recent rejection, then the best thing to do is to avoid social media at all cost. Professional and personal rejections both can be difficult to deal with. So, you should refrain from social media and all your friend’s success stories until you get a hold of yourself and your emotions.
5. When You Miss A Night Out
If you have missed out on a night out with your friends, then you should give your social media a skip. The photos of their great time will not be helpful to your fear of missing out or FOMO.
Social media provides us with a great platform to express, but knowing when to avoid it is just as important for our mental balance.
