Online Habits for Improving Mental Health
By Genevieve Cunningham
Mental health problems have seen a rise in recent years. While no one really knows the exact reason why, many suspect that our addiction with the online world may at least play a part. After all, the online world is not real life, and yet many of us spend the majority of our time there. If you enjoy being online, but you want to stay mentally healthy and strong, take a look at these tips for finding balance.
Don’t Give In to Gossip
Online gossip is rampant. But if you want to stay mentally well, it’s imperative that you ignore the online gossip completely. Don’t give in. Don’t resort to bashing your best friend on someone’s Facebook post or subtweeting to get your point across. Instead, look for positive information to share online. The more you stay away from the negative and opt for positive instead, the healthier you’ll feel as a whole.
Limit Online Friends
It doesn’t really matter if you have hundreds or even thousands of online friends. How many real life friends do you have? If you’re feeling mentally drained, try cutting back on the online friends and ramping up the friends you see in person. We all need that face-to-face interaction that you just can’t get online. This will also cut back on stress levels, as you won’t have to deal with the drama of so many people on a daily basis.
Cut Back on Screen Time
While this might be the most difficult, it’s also the most effective. Try cutting back on the time spent online. Instead of browsing social media, get up and go outside. Participate in a hobby or go meet up with some friends. Sometimes eliminating or severely cutting back may be the only way to let go of the addiction and recharge your batteries in order to preserve mental health.
The online world is great for a lot of reasons. It’s fun and entertaining and brings a whole new world right into our homes that would otherwise be inaccessible. But if we’re not careful, living too much in the online world can also damage our mental health. Use these tips to protect your mind from the pitfalls of being online. With the right precautions, you can keep yourself feeling your best while still enjoying all that modern technology has to offer.
To learn more about your health and wellness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic.