I'm taking a major break from social media and I want to talk a little about why I think this is great for mental health. I won't even try to do a literature review of research studies here but we know that social media is associated with things like unhappiness with appearance/body image, loneliness, and decreased mindfulness. What I've noticed is that when I say "I don't have time" about a health behavior (e.g., exercising, spending more time with friends, meal planning), the truth is that I would have time if I weren't taking 2-3 minutes here and there (and 20-30 minutes here and there) all throughout my day on social media.
I have enjoyed using social media as a way to promote knowledge of mental health and best practices in therapy, but I don't feel that my pages have been reaching my intended audiences lately. I would love for that to be true in the future.
I am going to continue creating content on TikTok, which is showing some promise. I'll also be expanding my new business, which teaches about the application process for doctoral degrees in clinical psychology. I plan to write this blog more regularly.
Of course, my #1 priority remains my therapy work, helping toddlers through young adults with anxiety and OCD-spectrum disorders at Atlanta CBT! This is my passion and what fuels me.
Have you taken a break from social media? What were the benefits? Comment below!
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