John Bowlby’s Attachment Theory Attachment Theory is a well-known and widely accepted concept in human development and psychotherapy. British psychiatrist John Bowlby developed it in the 1950s. The crux of attachment theory is that the early emotional bonds between...
John Bowlby’s Attachment Theory
The Helpful Ideas of Donald Winnicott
The Helpful Ideas of Donald Winnicott Continuing my series on the founders of psychoanalysis I'm exploring Donald Winnicott this month. Donald Winnicott (1896-1971) was a paediatrician who then trained as a psychoanalyst, first to adults and later to...
The Importance of Melanie Klein
The Importance of Melanie Klein Melanie Klein was a groundbreaking and highly creative psychoanalyst. She was born in 1882 in Vienna but spent most of her life in UK, dying in London in 1960. Her life was fascinating, with many losses and tragedies but...
Carl Jung – Is He Relevant Today?
Carl Jung – Is He Relevant Today? Carl Gustav Jung was born into a religious family in Switzerland and studied to be a doctor. During these studies he became fascinated with current philosophy, anthropology and psychological theories and work in...
How Freud Is Still Relevant Today
How Freud Is Still Relevant Today Prompted by last month’s blog on Narcissism, this is the first in a series on some of the founding members in psychoanalysis and some of their ideas, many of which, I believe, are still useful for us today. Widely...
Narcissism
Narcissism The term 'narcissism' is banded around a lot. But what does being a narcissist actually mean? And how do we work out if we are in a relationship with one, or even if we might be one ourselves? Origins of Narcissism The term narcissism comes from...
The Art of Self-soothing 4: Using Our Senses
Using Our Senses This final post in my series is about using our bodily senses to self-soothe. There are lots of ways that we can self-sooth by looking. Sight Natural Vistas As I’ve already mentioned in a previous post, nature and landscapes are very calming. For...
The Art of Self-soothing 3: Creativity
Creativity is a sure way to self-soothe. People have lost themselves in creative pursuits since time began. Getting in touch with our creativity is a way of reaching something within ourselves. By allowing this to develop we can usually make something bigger than...
The Art of Self-Soothing 2: Nature
This month’s way to self soothe is by being in nature. It’s long been known and proven that being outside and preferably in nature can improve our mental health. Take a Short Walk The simplest ways are often the most effective. Such as going for a short walk from your...
The Art of Self Soothing
There is so much going on in the world now. It’s hard watching the news, in fact I am more likely to just quickly check a news ap than I am to watch the news in real time. Many people I speak to are unable to watch the news at all because they struggle to think of the...
Social media can be a fantastic way of keeping in touch with people and a source of inspiration, support, and connection to wider conversations online. It can also link us to people we would otherwise not have access to, for example, brides and grooms who’ve invited celebrities to play at their wedding or getting involved in high-profile discussions on Twitter.
Social Media Overwhelm
But as we know, there are downsides: navigating the daily avalanche of emails, apps, and notifications alongside expected participation on platforms, may lead us to feel totally overwhelmed.
The Immediacy of Social Media
The pressure or obligation we feel to react quickly can also lead to ill-thought-out reactions we later regret. But a considered response takes time. Stepping back to see how things pan out in a wider debate before we jump in, for example, takes a conscious effort on our part. In our fast-paced world, this can seem a luxury. The immediacy of social media, and the burden on us to ‘get it right’ can be distressing, leading to anxiety, stress, or even depression.
Social Influencers who endorse particular products or ways of life have chosen to earn a living that way. They need their likes and views. But for many of us, the constant pressure to engage in online feedback and affirmation, the upset we feel when we don’t get the expected positive feedback ourselves, can lead to feelings of rejection and insecurity. Taken to its extreme, our very sense of who we are might feel ‘cancelled’, we do not exist and are in danger of isolating ourselves completely.
How To Reduce Social Media Anxiety
So, what can we do to stop our use of social media causing more problems than benefits?
Taking back control of your time is a good start, seeing social media in perspective as just one aspect of a life well lived.
Put up boundaries – consciously limit the amount of time on social media. If you’ve got into the habit of tuning in whenever you feel the need, it will take time to develop this habit. Keeping phones, laptops, ipads, etc in another room when we are eating and sleeping can help.
Use Apps creatively – There are apps to close off other apps so we avoid distraction and overwhelm and concentrate on the one piece of work or the meeting we are involved in.
Do something new – Distracting ourselves from our technology is another technique. Take up a new hobby or sport, something in real-time, not an online version of it. This will get you out of the house, out of your cybersphere, and into a new environment that will expand your real world and possibly world view.
Meet up in person – As we found out in the pandemic, online meetings are brilliant for keeping in touch, but there’s no substitute for face-to-face interactions. Make a concerted effort to organise dates with friends and places to meet up.
Using social media to enhance our lives rather than waste our precious time is possible with some conscious effort and organisation. It’s easier to nip bad habits in the bud before they get too unwieldy.
However, if the above feels like an enormous undertaking not achievable, take stock. If you feel social media has really got hold of you to the extent addiction is creeping in, if you feel your mental health has deteriorated because of it, you might consider getting help from trusted friends or if that doesn’t feel possible, some professional support to help you get your life back under control.