Mental Clarity in the Age of Constant Digital Social Comparison
While society at large bases value on a monetary system, the digital social realm establishes self-worth on perceived popularity via the accumulation of likes, comments, shares and general engagement with content. In such an environment, it’s tough not to feel the pressures of conforming to social norms and activities that make an individual feel included and relevant. I’ve noticed an increasing emphasis on the comparative nature of social media largely due to the representation of only the best moments of an individual’s life in a sort of highlight reel. With seemingly ordinary people gaining fame through their social accounts, we begin to question ourselves and why we too don’t have glamourous lifestyles or perfect bodies. This constant comparison is damaging, especially to young, susceptive individuals, who, it seems, comprise the largest demographic utilizing and agonizing over digital social sites. When I first joined Facebook in 2010, the social media realm was drastically different than it is today. While there was an air of social comparison through social currency and the highlight reel, what I remember noticing most as a grade nine student was the stress of a fear of missing out along with an obvious loss of productivity as the platform allowed an easily accessible escape from my mind-numbing homework. In the years since this time, society’s use of digital social media has risen exponentially and with it, the amplification of presenting one’s life in the most attractive light and achieving popularity through social metrics. I’ve noticed myself placing more emphasis on my existence in the online world, comparing my life and body to what my friends and favourite bloggers post while trying to remember that they, like myself, post only their best content to present themselves as they wish to be seen. At least if I’m conscious of it I won’t fall victim to the unhealthy mental states that result from constant comparison, right?
One thing I appreciate about social media, and in particular, Instagram, is that it provides a platform for creating a personalized aesthetic board, however, because most of us use it as a means to represent ourselves rather than to present experiences or art for instance, the comparative and destructive nature of its utilization often translates to feelings of negative self-worth and grasping for validation based in social metrics. Although still potentially harmful to my mental wellbeing and ability to focus on one task for an extended period of time, my early Facebook and Instagram days were far less curated and held much less emphasis in the ultimate scheme of my life. It’s not much of a surprise that I’ve become more dependent on social media for validation and distraction considering its rising popularity and use, but I can’t help but feel saddened by the extent to which I’ve come to use and depend on it. Although conscious of it, I’ve fallen into the trap of vicious and unhealthy thought systems that have a way of diminishing self-worth and it’s trickier than you’d expect to pull yourself out of such a realm of social experience regardless of the noted negative effects. I wouldn’t say I’ve had any traumatic experiences pertaining to social media use, but I also don’t think that any of the positive benefits I’ve gained are worth enough to outweigh the adverse effects it can have on a personal mental health level.
Now, I understand that the development of our social systems into a largely digital environment has been an inevitable response to the progression of society at large and has produced many positive benefits in communication interconnectivity, marketing, and knowledge dissemination, but I find myself considering whether regulated use might pose a healthier mental environment for individual users. What I mean by this is that rather than entirely removing oneself from the digital social realm, we practice disciplined use. If I were to warn my grade nine self of the potential adverse effects and advise on how to avoid becoming consumed in the digital world, my top suggestions would be as follows;
1. Limit your daily online time
Stop checking your social apps just because you’re bored. When you feel the urge to grab your phone and scroll through a feed you saw 20 minutes ago, instead reach for your sketchbook or get up and go for a walk, sing a song, or spend a few minutes meditating.
2. Schedule regular social media cleanses
Juice cleanses are common and quite widely accepted so why aren’t social media hiatuses? I think we could all benefit from regular periods of complete social media darkness.
3. Try not to be too narcissistic
I like to think I’m not a huge narcissist like so many of the people I follow online, but in truth, majority of my social feed consists of images of myself and I often find myself scrolling through my own profile checking out how I appear to others. Rather than dedicate your social accounts to admiring yourself, tailor your online presence to presenting an account of cool and memorable experiences you’ve had.
All in all, I understand and even appreciate social media and its many uses, but I think that practicing more disciplined use could assist in decreasing the extent of mental stressors that excessive use of social media has come to cause.
