As a journalist working in digital media, I spend a good amount of time scouring the internet for story inspiration, finding out what’s going on in the world or simply checking my Instagram as a way to keep up with my friends and interests.
If you make a living being an Instagram Influencer or you’re a millennial who's obsessed with sharing snaps of your travels and what’s new in your life, you too, are familiar with how normal it’s become for the majority of us to spend a significant amount of time on the popular app.
However, regardless of the reason why we spend so much time scrolling our timelines and checking our “likes,” doing so can lead to a somewhat dangerous place for our mental health.
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We live in a world where digital media reigns supreme, especially thanks to its convenience and the opportunities it creates for users to potentially transform their account into a full-time job, but what do you do when scrolling through Instagram sometimes leads to hours of unhealthy constant comparison, fear of missing out and self-doubt?
I’ve had my own experience of anxiety while obsessively checking my Instagram account to see how many “likes” I’d get after posting a photo, and once I became aware of this issue, I decided it was time for me to take some time to heal to move past this.
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If you’re currently experiencing feelings of anxiety while checking your timeline, here are three simple and necessary steps to take to help you navigate through it and reclaim your love of self. After all, your mental health is extremely important, and social media, especially Instagram, doesn’t appear to be going anywhere anytime soon.
Know Your Self Worth
Although it’s nice to receive compliments from others, it’s more rewarding to validate yourself. Scrolling through Instagram can have you feeling on top of the world when you receive a lot of love on your photos, but, the moment you receive a negative comment, it can potentially become your sole focus and dig at you for the rest of the day.
While there will be people who follow you because they love you and your content, there will be those who stay around to lurk and spew negativity in your comments. This is one of the reasons why it’s beneficial to own who you are and know your self-worth. Others’ opinions of you, whether good or bad, will never be as important as how you feel about yourself.
When you love yourself, no one else’s words, especially strangers behind a screen, will have power over your feelings of self. Also, it’s important to remember we only post what we want our followers to see. So keep in mind that Instagram is an app where people usually post highlights and rarely share the journey.
Be Mindful of Who You’re Following
If you’re following people who may contribute to your feelings of anxiety, it may be time to clean up your account. Go through your list of who you’re following and unfollow people whose content isn’t adding any value to your life or who may make you feel like you’re not good enough, friends included. At the same time, try not to take it personally if you realize you’ve been unfollowed by a friend, as they may be experiencing similar feelings.
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Scroll Less or Disconnect
Social media has its benefits, but no social media app is worth the sacrifice of your mental health. Delete the app if you develop strong feelings of anxiety. If it’s not beneficial for you to get rid of the app depending on how you use your Instagram account, scrolling less and taking an Instagram detox for maybe at least a week or so can help with healing yourself.
During your break, take time out to make real connections, in real life with real people. Spend time reading books and getting to know yourself more.
No matter how you use Instagram or other forms of social media, remember that it’s not your job to make everyone like you, however, it’s your job to make sure you’re being true to yourself and stepping away from your phone when you need to.
Shawna Davis is a wellness journalist and the founder and creator of the wellness lifestyle blog, Froing and Flowing. Beyond the blog, she is a certified yoga instructor, wife, dog mama and is a natural hair enthusiast that’s passionate about health, wellness, and natural beauty. You can follow her on Instagram @itsshawnadavis.
