Is Social Media Fuelling Your Anxiety?
From Instagram reels to TikTok trends, social media is everywhere. It's how we stay connected with our friends and how we express ourselves, but have you ever considered how it can impact anxiety? Let's talk about it.
You might open Instagram for your routine nightly scroll, only to find yourself feeling overwhelmed or not good enough. What started as a way to decompress soon turned into a spiral of self-comparison, information overload, and a racing mind that's hard to calm down.
Why Does Social Media Feel Hard To Escape?
Personally, when I feel overwhelmed by social media, I've had multiple people tell me to delete the app or log off… if you've also been in this position, you probably know that it's not that simple… but why?
Social media is addictive - triggers your brain's reward system (likes, comments and shares are a form of psychological reward)
Overloads your brain - never-ending stream of information.
Disrupts sleep - keeps your mind active and can delay sleep.
Creates FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) - constantly seeing what others are doing.
Affect Self-esteem - can create the idea that your self-worth is tied to likes, comments, or how you appear online.
Fun Fact: Social media platforms are built using the same psychological tricks as slot machines.
Platforms such as Instagram track your behaviour and use algorithms to feed you content that is tailored to your desires.
This creates a cycle of unpredictable rewards that can keep you scrolling aimlessly for hours.
Finding Balance: Mindful Tools For Managing Social Media Anxiety
This blog isn't about rules or the "right way" to use social media, and is also not about shaming your habits and telling yourself to delete every single social media app you have downloaded.
Because let's be real, speaking from personal experience, deleting social media is easier said than done.
Instead, it's about offering gentle, flexible tools that can help you approach social media with more intention and self-compassion. Sometimes, making just a few minor adjustments in how you engage with it can make a significant difference.
Here are a few tools I use when I find myself feeling anxious when using social media…
Create a safe, tech-free space - what activities do you enjoy that don't involve a screen? (reading, hanging out with friends, exercising).
Journal how you feel - Helps give you a chance to respond and reflect - what might you need at this moment?
Curate your feed with intention - are there any accounts that you find soothe and ground you? (cooking, crafts, affirmations, dog videos)
Identify your triggers - reflecting on what triggers you can help you set boundaries and use social media on your own terms.
Give yourself a time limit - great way to set boundaries (use an an app to set time limits)
If social media has been fuelling your anxiety or leaving you stuck in a doom-scrolling loop - you are not alone. Research has shown that 1 in 8 users reported feeling anxious or depressed about social media.
Social media has many positive aspects (source of connection, creativity, comfort)…. but it can also create feelings of
anxiousness,
isolation, and
leaving you more emotionally drained
Whether you're looking for cognitive behavioral therapy near me, exploring different options for counselling in the Comox Valley or hoping to connect with a therapist in Courtenay - Riley Brown Counselling is available for support.
