Anxiety and Social Media
Anxiety can be managed by avoiding things that cause us to feel anxious. There can be some situations where this may not be effective such as the case of specific phobias. In which case, debility facing anxiety provokers may be the most helpful. However, with general anxiety it can be helpful to avoid triggers for anxiety.
Common triggered for anxiety can include media, unhealthy interactions, certain places dates/anniversaries of trauma or etc. I would like to focus on media. When we experience anxiety we try to control what we are unable to while allowing while ignoring what we are able to control. For instance, we can control our behavior and we can change our thoughts. Recently, Ebola outbreaks have been a reoccurring headline on media outlets. Many people are starting to feel anxious about the possibility of Ebola spreading. However, we continue to watch the news about the thing that is triggering anxiety. In that situation you can better manage your behavior by not focusing on the Ebola news.
Sometimes social media can exacerbate anxiety that is underlying. When browsing Facebook or Instagram it's easy to look at all the things that appear to going well with others and to compare those things to your life; doing can lead to you feeling more anxious about your life. Setting boundaries with anxiety provokers can be helpful such as limiting the amount of time spent on social media. Being mindful about what we watch and participate in with the media can be one way that we can manage anxiety.
Nedra Tawwab, LCSW
904 E. 8th St. Charlotte, NC 28204
P: 980-237-7732
mail@kaleidoscopecounselingpllc.com