This article will discuss why social media makes you unhappy. The solution is simple.
Don’t use it. We all know that social media is a commodity and not a utility. What do I mean by that?
If you want to see people else’s lives then why do you bother getting on social media in the first place. Why should we care if Jennifer just got home from seeing her BFF, or if Adele just bought her first home?
Is Facebook really that useful or even healthy for your life? No.
You should get off social media
You need to get off social media. I know that sounds like a bad idea. It is actually the best thing that I have ever done for myself.
If you’re reading this, then that means that you already know that you’re a social media addict. If you are, then you know that social media makes you unhappy.
You know how it feels. You hate it because it’s giving you anxiety and depression.
Here’s the problem. You are hurting yourself because of social media.
You are an abuser
An abuser manipulates and controls another person. You are using social media to control how other people think of you.
You like how you look or how many likes you get on your posts. You tell yourself that those “friends” liked your post because they actually do care, but deep down, you know that’s not true.
You’re doing this for yourself. You are thinking that you can never truly be happy and that social media is the only way to get approval from others.
You are painfully lonely
There are many types of loneliness. If you’re not lonely, then you’re too busy.
If you’re too busy to make the time for yourself, then you’re still lonely. What if you could make yourself feel happy by reaching out to others?
Yes, reaching out to others is tricky because you never know if they’re too busy.
The point is, you should be out of the house more. You should be doing things that you enjoy and sharing them with others.
Why? People are happier and more connected when they are connected to others.
You are desperate
What do you do when you need something that you don’t have? You go to the store and buy it.
Social media is the same way. You think that getting that perfect picture or making the perfect comment will make you feel better, but it doesn’t.
You need to step away from social media and start building real relationships with other people.
I know you don’t want to leave your phone at home and miss out on all of the Instagram FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) or your Facebook status update about how much you hate your boss.
However, social media is not the way to go. It’s like going to the store and buying milk that’s expired.
That’s a waste of money and there is no way that you will ever have enough milk for a glass of it.
You’re not alone
You are not the only one that’s a social media addict. I know, you’re thinking “But I’m not that much of a social media addict.” You’re not that bad.
However, I have seen many people fall into the trap. You probably will too. A lot of my friends don’t know what to do when they break free from social media.
Their heads are spinning. They can’t believe that they are free from social media.
Here’s how you break free. You need to realize that social media is not a good thing.
Social media is making you more isolated, lonely, and sad. Make this your New Year’s resolution to get off of social media for good.
Social media makes you feel better, but it’s not inherently good
Don’t get me wrong, social media is helpful in many ways. It can be a great source of news and a useful tool for conducting conversations.
But it can also lead you down dangerous and miserable paths.
Where you are at in life is reflected in how you use social media, so it’s important to take a good look at the conditions that are most likely to trigger your unhappiness.
What are you expecting?
The problem with social media is that you are putting unreasonable expectations on it. You are expecting your social media use to provide you with a constant stream of joy and entertainment.
But there is a major difference between consuming news and discussing things with friends.
Sure, it’s good to know what’s happening in the world, but we don’t always need to know the details of every petty grievance that other people have.
It’s called empathy and it’s what we all need if we’re going to live in a world with people who aren’t exactly like us.
In fact, we might be better off without it.
Even if you don’t believe in the “global village” fallacy, most of us are living in small communities and struggling to find common ground.
We need to learn how to adapt to that, rather than clinging to a fantasy ideal that there is a world filled with people like us.
Social media does a good job at broadcasting whatever you want it to. It even turns off the judgements that you might have.
And sometimes, it helps you make friends who share your interests and values. But that’s not always a recipe for happiness.
By your own estimation, are you spending at least ten hours a week on social media? And if so, what does that do to your life? Do you really need social media to live a happy life?
If you’re looking for a serious answer, here it is. Social media makes you unhappy because it makes you buy into a fantasy world that may not actually exist.
You have nothing to lose by attempting to live a life that is free of social media.
