Is Social Medial Making You Feel Bad?
I try to diversify my feed by watching and clicking on the type of content that just makes me happy - mindlessly enjoyable content like watching beautiful and fanciful espresso drinks being created and I curate who I follow - I am a dietitian who follows other inclusive, HAES-aligned, intuitive eating dietitians.
I am also a woman and a mom. The “woman” and “mom” identities dominate my feed. The content I am exposed to makes me tired. I’m concerned that what I’m seeing is a diluted and dialed down version of what so many new and new-ish moms are constantly exposed to. Even though I know how bonkers some of the advice is and know the impacts of being exposed to “what I eat in a day” content (although research in this area is lacking), it still makes me feel bad. The line between “motivating” and “feeling like I’m not enough” is incredibly blurry and ill-defined. I think we have to cater to the most vulnerable which means we should be cautious about sharing anything that might walk that line.
Bottom line: What might be fine for some, could be harmful for others.
AND that line can blur quickly and sometimes without notice.
Now, in addition to “what I eat in a day” videos, I have to ignore videos like “what my 8-month old eats in a day”. This is really wild to me. I’m sure the intention is to provide a snapshot into the realities of feeding a learning-to-eat baby, maybe give someone some ideas and also (depending on the credentials of the creator) some education related to what an 8 month old needs or could be offered safely. The tendency to compare is human so, whether we want to or not, just watching these things can be detrimental to our mental health even if we’re confident in what we’re doing with our own bodies, families, babies. It can be added to the ever-growing list of uncertainties - am I doing enough, should I feel bad for feeding my baby x, y or z or not feeding them a, b or c.
That being said, I see some good things out there. I see some things that are the best that social media has to offer. Supportive creators who work to cultivate a non-judgmental community and provide evidence-based information based on their scope and credentials. This is refreshing but it does not give me hope. I know we’ll continue to see all kinds of things on social media because that is its nature - there is a space for everyone and everything, a true diversity.
Here are some tips to assess your relationship with social media and some recommendations if you, like me, want to make it a healthier place for you to be when you’re there.
Assess your relationship with social media:
Pay attention to your emotions. After spending time on social media, how do you feel? Name some things you notice physically and emotionally (ex: tired, sad, irritable, frozen…)
Evaluate your why. Why are you scrolling? Are you bored, lonely, looking for a surge of dopamine? Understanding your ‘why’ helps you find alternative ways of meeting your needs.
Evaluate your content. How much of your feed includes images of thin or “socially acceptable” bodies, recipes or advice that promises some type of health claim or “fat-loss”, “weight-loss” or other wellness claim or hack? Are the images/videos you are seeing overly curated to show fancy and pristine homes/living spaces?
Tips:
Tailor your experience to be uplifting. Be intentional about what you click on. Choose uplifting content. Follow accounts with diversity in size, shape, content.
Become a critical viewer of social and media messages. Pay attention to images, trends, or attitudes that make you feel bad about yourself or your body. Feel free to let the app know you want to “see less of” this content or see less of certain creators.
Limit time on social media. Try limiting your exposure to a certain window of time, like during a lunch break or only after dinner. You can also set limits on your phone for being on certain apps.
Look for healthy replacements. There are other things to do on your phone during down time than browse social media. Looking for recipes? Find recipe websites, research an interesting topic, listen to a podcast, etc.
Feel like going further? Implement a social media detox. Decide on an amount of time (1 day or 1 week for example) and delete the app from your phone so you won’t be tempted. Set intentional boundaries when you bring the app back.
Looking for content to follow? Here are some diverse creators to get started:
@mynameisjessamyn
@bodyhonornutrition
@themirnavator
@ragenchastain
@yrfatfriend
@decolonizingfitness
@fierce.fatty
Sources:
Strategies for Healthy Social Media Use | Psychology Today