Compulsive Social Media Use

[ladysquid]

As I'm sure a lot of you can relate, post election, my compulsive use of social media has gotten even more distressing than usual.I was debating whether to ask this question in the addictions section but I'm not sure if it's severe enough, at least for me, to really be considered an addiction. I can't really blame this entirely on the political climate because I've always been a frequent Twitter and Facebook user but I think it's making me consider more carefully why I constantly go back to this thing that more times than not, makes me upset.

My social anxiety makes communication difficult. I often feel like a bother to people and a lot of times feel like I'm misunderstood because my actions can come off as cold or distant. As a ~millenial~ I grew up on Livejournal and really felt a connection being able to type out my thoughts and feelings and relate to other weird kids but now...I just don't feel the same way about connecting online. I like keeping up with news and social issues but I often fall into a hole of reading Twitter fights on hot topics. I make myself sick with anxiety pouring over issues I have little to no control over in my life.

I also live far away from my family so Facebook is a main source of keeping up with friends from home. Since I'm not making many new connections where I am it's a lot easier to turn to my phone for a sense of socialization.

I've heard a lot of people say "just take a break" or "delete the apps from your phone." I've tried both of these things multiple times but whether its loneliness or boredom I always come back somehow. Has anyone else struggled with this? What do you do instead when you're feeling alone?

[Beany Boo]

Boredom and loneliness are not things you want to feed. But, also they're not situations to escape.

If you do two things in the whole of life to make it easier, one is find an activity to pass the time while you're bored and, another for when you're lonely.

The mistakes people make are 1) they overreact to boredom and loneliness and b) they spend their hours trying to avoid, get rid of and just attempt to do away with them once and for all. As long as you're alive you're going to go through regular moments of boredom and loneliness. Anyone who says different is in advertising.

What I'm talking about is self regulation. Accept them and find something to do while they're happening. If it's something you can share with others while they're bored and lonely (without you taking responsibility for their self regulation), even better.

Activity that requires keeping balance, navigating or developing good deeds work well and don't seem to over-feed the feelings.

Skateboarding, dancing, learning to play music or speak languages, volunteering, cooking, cooking for others... Etc.

They're generally the type of activity you can pursue while the world continues to collapse around you