Social Media
5 Reasons to Start Deleting your Facebook
This article sparked thoughts and feelings that I already have been having. When Facebook first began, I was in middle school. It was the main communication method for my friends and I since I did not have a phone yet. I vividly remember going home after school and going straight to my Facebook feed. Those innocent memories on Facebook are long gone. Now, when I login to Facebook I am seeing content and life updates from people I haven't seen or spoken to in YEARS. This article stated that research says we can handle no more than 150 real-life friendships. What is the point of staying Facebook friends with my more than 1,000 Facebook friends? I tell myself it is to stay connected although we are physically apart. But in reality, I think it is a way to nosily keep tabs on high school or college friends. I think we unintentionally compare our own lives to those friends lives. We internally judge their career, family, friends, vacations, and more. I connect with the articles third reason to delete your Facebook and that is to maintain more privacy. As I get older I am unsure if I want all of these people to see information about my family and - one day - future kids lives. I wonder how my mental health would be if I had one less app to scroll mindlessly through? Overall, I don't think I will delete my Facebook, but rather delete friends on the app. I think if I cleaned up my friends to around that 150 person number I would be happier. I would feel less irritated around election time at least...
Do Not Disturb: How I Ditched my Phone and Unbroke my Brain
This article explored one mans journey through "Phone Rehab". He found himself completely absorbed by his phone. One aspect of his journey I connected with was the inability to focus on a full length movie. Although I have ADHD, I have always been interested in movies. Now, I find myself bored watching most movies. I am not sure when exactly this switched for me, but I can't seem to shake it. Furthermore he discussed how he filled random spurts of time by looking at emails or social media when in the past you would be in silence. I have discussed with my therapist how I never feel I am in silence. At school I am surrounded by noise. When I drive home, I am listening to music, podcasts, or talking on the phone. When I get home, I watch TV, listen to music, listen to podcasts, or talk on the phone. It has been a habit of mine to constantly be listening to something while actively engaging in tasks like cooking, homework, schoolwork, or cleaning. It bothers me that I don't take time to be alone with my thoughts. My therapist has challenged me to practice sitting in silence for pre-determined amounts of time. Shamefully, I have not engaged in this activity often.
I wonder if my anxiety would lessen if I learned to feel peace while being alone in silence?
Overall
Although I chose this topic to explore, I am not a social media hater. I know the benefits and connectedness it gives myself and others. After years of being online, I think I am in need of a friend purge on all of my social medias. I do not think I need to be observing random peoples lives who I am not still connected with in real life. Furthermore, I think I could cleanse and limit the types of accounts I follow and see on my explore page. I think the types of accounts I see impact how I view my physical appearance and the life I live. I love my career and life in Chicago. However, after a long day at school, when I see random teachers online post about their 15 student classrooms I think that makes me rethink my choice to work in a school with 30 student class sizes. If I didn't see those alternative experiences on a daily basis I wouldn't compare myself as much. I understand others do not overtly feel the impact social media has on them, but I think I need to make some changes.
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