Use Social Media Healthily

The use of social networks is already part of people’s lives. There are many who have profiles on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram…

They are, without a doubt, a wonderful mechanism for sharing experiences and thoughts. And, thanks to the current environment, it is also possible to follow news and subjects that make us learn.

It’s as if the whole world is at our fingertips in just one click. And they are the social networks that help us the most in this very basic characteristic of human beings: communication and interaction.

But, like everything in life, each object, space or mechanism will perform the function that each one of us will give according to our needs, personality and motivation.

Psychologists explain to us that social networks act as defense mechanisms for many of our needs, our needs, of which we are often not aware and that we project into these spaces that go far beyond a simple social interaction.

How many people do you know in your social circle who are used to posting their humor or their romantic relationships on Facebook or Twitter all the time?

Today we will talk about the psychological processes masked in these customs.

The healthy profile of social networks

There is a very popular comment used on social media: “The world is full of the walking dead and most of them hide on Facebook”.

What does that mean? The internet is a tool for many people who want to show off a life they don’t really have. 

However, we can say that most of these people who use social networks do it in a healthy way. That’s because they have some features:

• Social media is not an essential and necessary part of their lives. They are a complement and a form of communication. There, they share experiences with people they see every day, or with whom they have a frequent and real relationship.
• The behavior and personality of people who use social networks in a healthy way do not change from environment to environment. That is, they maintain the same attitudes, regardless of the environment in which they find themselves. Therefore, they are centered people who adequately control their emotions and know how to express them in the proper ways.
• An example? When we are upset with a co-worker, the best way to communicate is not through social media. Not even sending a private message or even less posting on your wall so that everyone knows the situation. The correct thing is to be direct and talk in person. Thus, there is no need for the knowledge or involvement of other people.

• Healthy people know when to “disconnect”. Thus, they are not hostages to their cell phones and what happens on social networks. Real life is much more exciting.

• They publish the good news on social media just for the pleasure of sharing these positive emotions with their friends. Furthermore, they have no desire to “great themselves” and do not seek to be boastful or appear.

• Nor do they feel the need for all their contacts (known or not) to know each day what they do or don’t do, what they think or feel. Thus, people who use social networks in a healthy way have the concept of “intimacy” very well defined.

Unhealthy behaviors on social media

However, there are people who, without being offensive, do not use social networks correctly.

We invite you to know some interesting aspects.

In search of psychological support

There are people who post states or photographs on their social networks because of the natural need to find support. Thus, these “likes” are much more than an option on Facebook or a favorite on Twitter:

• Serve to get a bonus.
• For someone to say “they like” a posted photograph, where the person appears with a new dress or hairstyle. This increases self-esteem and, in turn, shows others “how attractive this person is compared to others”.

• Get immediate and fast support. Not having to wait out on the street for other people to see her and say something. Thus, in a few seconds, a multitude of psychological support is obtained .

Social networks are protective shields

• The internet can show me just how I would like to be. I can be more daring, I can establish emotional relationships on social networks, because I feel safer there than in real life.
• Social networks even allow us to create a new personality and even use a false profile picture. All of these are actually behaviors as dangerous to other people as they are destructive to ourselves.

To think that if we are not on social media “we do not exist”

Certainly this has happened to you once before: you meet someone and ask, with an ironic tone, “But who is this (and) in your life? You don’t post anything on Facebook anymore!” .

So, on the face of it, we usually look at the person who asked this question and calmly say, “I have a life beyond social media.”

In other words, there are those who believe that if you do not publish what you are doing or what you are experiencing, it is as if, in reality, nothing was happening.

Every experience only makes sense when it appears on Facebook and likes and comments appear. That’s the only way you feel relieved, recognized and peaceful.

Let’s avoid these kinds of things.

Life is much more charming if we go out to live it, if we keep things to ourselves without the need to expose everything to others.

In short, let’s practice intimately and personally that of “they were so happy that they didn’t publish on social media”.