Top 3 Tips to Help You with Social Media Anxiety

We live in a world where internet, technology and social media are part of daily life, both socially and professionally. 

But how do platforms such as Facebook and Instagram affect your mental health and what are the top 3 tips to help you to deal with social media anxiety?

Social Media and Anxiety

As someone who has struggled with mental health since childhood, it's always been my experience that social media is a significant anxiety trigger. 

The very basis of these platforms is to get you to create a profile, where you're most likely to present a best snapshot of yourself and your life, or your company, group or organisation in an effort to attract more friends, followers, customers, attention, and so on. 

While social media platforms offer a great opportunity for small businesses to take off, or for people to find inspirational teachers, supportive groups and communities, they're also a breeding ground for social comparisons.

For example, 

• How often do you find that you’re comparing yourself to others on Facebook and Instagram while making assumptions about other people’s lives?

• How often do you analyse the number of your likes, friends, and followers compared to others?

• How long do you spend thinking about what you’re going to post or what your profile photo looks like, and who will see your posts and photos?

The key question now is, how do you feel when you do any of the above? Do you feel more or less anxious?

I’m guessing you feel more anxious because when most people compare themselves to others, they do so in a negative way, creating more suffering. 

It's for this reason that I'm very cautious about my use of social media, and the moment I catch myself comparing my life to those of others, I step away.

Can positive comparisons be helpful?

You might be thinking right now that some comparisons can be positive and motivational. 

I've learned that any kind of comparison to others only overloads an anxious prone mind. 

How you look, feel, or express yourself, as well as the experiences you’ve had or going to have is a perfect and unique blend that cannot be copied or acted out by anyone else other than YOU. So, to believe that comparisons can in any way help you move forward is an illusion.

The way someone achieves something, is going to be completely different to how you will achieve anything, even if it's the same or similar goal. You might begin by copying a person you admire but eventually life will present you with challenges to force you to let go and find your own way.  

That's why comparing yourself to others, no matter how positive, is not going to be in any way helpful.

Being present

Being perfectly present and aware of yourself, your body, mind and emotions is how you're going to ease anxiety, and suffering, while speed up progress and boost well-being.  

The more you practice presence, the sooner you'll realise that you are perfect in every moment and that without you the world is NOT complete.

So, the next time you start to compare yourself with others on social media and feel anxious, please try one of the top three tips below.

Top 3 tips to Help you with Social Media Anxiety 

1. Read or Listen to "The Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle

The top tip I can give you is to use your time away from social media to read or listen to empowering books that will help you realise just how amazing you are. 

I strongly recommend The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle, a book that transformed my mind, anxiety, and life. Eckhart is one of the most amazing spiritual teachers, and through his teachings you can come to some incredible realisations, including that you're perfect right now.

If you don't like to read, then you can listen to Eckhart on Audible. All of his books are available there too. I have listened to him daily for years, and his teachings are always close to my heart and inner work.  

2. Watch "How to Stop Comparing Yourself to Others"

As social comparisons are the biggest trigger for social media anxiety, to help you let go of the life of others, you can keep referring to the short video below. 

3. Go for a Walk 

The easiest way to apply Eckhart's teachings is to take regular walks and spend time in nature. Walking can be a beautiful mindfulness exercise that clears the mind and brings you back to the present moment.

Every time you go for a walk, use the opportunity to be present with every step. Observe your surroundings, trees, birds, sky, sun, clouds, flowers, leaves, and anything else you can be present with. Nature is always perfectly present in being and it can teach you so much, if you choose to become aware of it and learn from it.

If you're feeling anxious, your mind is somewhere in the future. Depression, is when the mind is stuck in the past. But presence is where you'll find bliss. So, start walking, listening to Eckhart Tolle's teachings, and practicing presence.

Final note

It's perfectly fine to use social media to connect with amazing teachers, groups and communities. But what we must do at the same time is to continually practice presence. It's only in the present moment that you can feel at peace and experience a state of no anxiety. 

You also need to know, my dear heart, that there’s a bright light shining within you, and  that no-one can maintain it's brightness other than you. So, please, please begin to turn inwards, and realise your own beauty.