How to Know When It’s Time to Cut Down Or Cull Your Social Media

Is your social media becoming a toxic place?

Social media is an amazing, insightful tool that many of us use on a daily basis to connect with friends, family or even to get some work done.

The problem is, social media is now a huge part of everyday life, so much so that it can affect your mental health if what you’re seeing on the daily isn’t very positive, or you’re online too much.

While the media and everyone’s boomer dad reckons social media is ruining teenagers' brains, most of us know how to keep things in check.

But, just in case you need help you avoid getting in a bad relationship with your social media, here is our list of signs that it’s probably time to take a break from socials or say goodbye for good.

Your screen time is through the roof.

When it comes to screen time, all of us are on our phones way too much as is, so adding in hours in the morning and before you go to sleep every day just to scroll TikTok, really add up.

In today’s world, most of us are on screens all day. Whether you’re studying at school, uni, TAFE, or even if you work in an office, shop or café, there’s a high chance you’ll have to work with some kind of laptop, computer or smart register for hours on end.

If you aren’t using your phone for work or class and you notice that your screen time is upwards of four or five hours a day, you might need to change some habits.

Of course, gauge what you think is ‘too much’ or a ‘good' amount of screen time on what you think is suitable based on the type of screen usage that you’re doing. If you’re just scrollin’ the socials, you may need to set curfews for yourself, or even have designated zero-screen times every now and then.

Everything on your feed makes you feel bad about yourself.

While your social media feeds are supposed to be curated to show you exactly what you want to see, sometimes the algorithm can get something wrong or it can show you things that make you feel bad about yourself.

Whether it’s not-so-body-positive content, sad, graphic or depressing posts, or even political sides of the internet that constantly leave you feeling frustrated, you may need to switch some things up.

You can of course decide to take a break from social media, or if you want a fresh slate, you can go through your account and unfollow, unfriend or disconnect with anyone or any pages that are showing you content that makes you feel crappy.

And yes, that does include any celebrities, brands, models or influencers that may be pushing an unrealistic beauty standard.

Here is a list of some body-positive influences you can follow instead.

You’re experiencing bullying.

This one’s kinda obvious but it needs to be said. If you’re experiencing bullying online from strangers, school mates or trolls, it’s best to take a break from the ‘gram, create a brand-new account, or delete those apps altogether.

It’s obviously not your fault if you’re dealing with a bully or nasty people online, but it’s very unlikely that they’re going to stop their mean behaviour even if you ask, so the most proactive thing you can do is tell a trusted adult or teacher, and take a break from social media.

Your online life is bigger than your real life.

Sometimes social media can be a bit like a comfort blanket. If you don’t have a lot of friends, or the people around you don’t really share some of your interests, it can be really easy to find an online community of people just like you.

It’s great to have balance in all aspects of life, so if you feel like too much of your life is online, try to set time limits for yourself and reach out to friends and family that may be missing you.

It’s affecting your mental health.

Last but certainly not least, if you’re noticing that you’re often feeling down, anxious or stressed and social media is either not helping or making things worse, it might be time to reach out for some help.

It’s okay to not be okay, but it’s always important to acknowledge when something is making you feel unhealthy. So, if social media is starting to negatively impact your mental health, it’s the best time to reach out to a trusted adult, mental health professional, or mental health service.

And of course, put that phone away for a little while. Trust us, it’ll do you some good.

You can also call Lifeline, Kids Helpline, headspace, Beyond Blue or the Suicide Call Back Service if you need extra support.

In tough times and uncertainty about the future, it’s normal to feel isolated, worried or sometimes a little stressed. It’s important to always acknowledge when you’re struggling and reach out when you can.

Are you experiencing suicidal thoughts, sexual assault or domestic and family violence? Seeking to support someone who is? Call Lifeline on 131 114 or Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800.

Visit ReachOut to get support to help you with everything from everyday issues through to tough times.

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