How to Use Social Media for Your Health

We all know that social media isn’t always the best for our mental health, yet we continue to use it anyway. It’s almost impossible in this day and age to stay off of all forms of social media entirely. We use Facebook to post pictures for our families, Instagram to showcase the fun parts of our lives, Twitter to keep up with political affairs, Snapchat to post relatable pictures and videos, VSCO for our most creative, scandalous pictures...and that’s just to name a few!

I’m here to give you a few ideas on how you can use social media to actually benefit yourself. No more spiraling down the drain of comparison and self-doubt at the hands of social media!

If you love Instagram, find some accounts that motivate and make you feel happy, rather than ones that lead you to make unrealistic comparisons of yourself to others. Besides, who doesn’t love a good inspirational quote in the morning to start the day? Here are some accounts that will help you focus on yourself and not the bikini photos of girls with seemingly perfect bodies. 

@_hi_anxiety 

@vybesource

@recoverysayings

@thegoodquote.co 

@cleawade 

If VSCO is more your thing, try taking a look at the explore page. People all around the world are creating amazing artistic content, much of which is shown off on VSCO. It's a great way to bridge cultures and seek out inspiration. On VSCO,  likes and comments don’t matter...you can post as much as you want without a lingering fear of judgment. Try it out!

From obsessing over how long someone left you on open to constantly checking someone’s location, Snapchat can lead to toxic tendencies. One recent development on Snap is 24/7 access to different news sources. I know it sounds weird, but stick with me here. In college, we aren’t always lucky enough to have cable TV, so it can be hard to keep up. Luckily, Snapchat has added some new features recently that allow you to subscribe to sources of your choice. Some of the news features on Snap are Daily News and Stay Tuned, both of which provide an overview of big events happening around the world.  

Our generation has become obsessed with social media and fitting into certain norms because of what social media seems to communicate. Social media should be a place where we can learn, grow and connect with people all around the world. I encourage you to make the most out of your social media experiences by tailoring your feed to fit your personal needs. You’ll find yourself much happier in the long run.