Social Media – the good and bad. It's a divisive subject but used judiciously, Social Media has many benefits.

March 16, 2025

Guidelines for managing social media so you can enjoy the benefits and avoid harmful effects.

There is a danger with social media that it can dominate your life and become overwhelming. The rise in mental health issues is often attributed to social media as we can feel isolated and the lives of others is portrayed as far more fulfilling than our own.

But used sensibly and social media can be a force for good and fulfilment. It can stimulate a feeling of belonging, a sharing of information and staying in touch with long-distance relatives and friends.

Here are some Do’s and Don’ts’ 

Posting 

Just be mindful of the fact that something you communicate can be taken the wrong way by the recipient. What you may have meant in jest may not be read that way and thus cause offense.

Sometimes use an Emoji because it can say more than words and the recipient will appreciate that you have read and responded to their posting.

It’s out there. How often do you hear of a posting being deleted because what was said was soon regretted? If you are an active participant, you are public.

Adults who post frequently on social media are at greater risk of developing mental health problems than those who passively view content, according to a recent study by researchers at UCL. Analysis of data from more than 15,000 British adults who answered questions on their use of social media and mental wellbeing revealed that those who posted daily on social media had more mental health problems than those who never posted.

Groups

Belonging to a group in Whats App, for example, is very rewarding because as with any instant messaging, you can have a rewarding conversation.

Be wary of how many groups you belong to, because it can get out of hand and you spend most of your time responding to notifications. Some groups can be dominated by one person who constantly posts, so if you have to leave a group don’t feel guilty about doing so. Just say you are involved in too many groups or just need a time-out and will rejoin later.

It’s also easy to feel left out or undermined by the comments of others. You can belong to too many groups and always feel obliged to contribute, so much of your time is dominated by constant interaction with your device.

Time Out

Have certain times of the day when you switch off your phone or leave it alone. Like emails, some notifications from social media are just irrelevant yet we feel compelled to respond.

Using different notification sounds does help to distinguish the source and whether you want to respond. The benefit of a regular time out is that you focus on something else without being distracted.

It’s also very easy to feel inadequate when reading the posts of others or how great their life is compared to ours. Remember we are far more likely to post a positive version of our life than a negative one. How often in conversation do we make a boastful comment or one that presents us in a good light and that is often how we like to reflect ourselves on social media.

If you are constantly reaching for your phone, especially before going to bed, break the habit.

Consider a break for longer than a couple of hours. Breaks that work best for people last for a couple of days or a week. Research shows that longer stretches of abstinence tend to be more effective than just cutting down for a couple of hours a day.

In-app limits on Instagram aren’t enough

You can set limits on Instagram so that a window pops up, notifying you that you’ve reached your maximum browsing time for that day — but it’s very easy to override with a quick click.

Instead try apps like Forest. When users spend time away from their phones, they grow virtual trees and earn coins, which can then be saved up to help plant real trees in five countries in Africa: Cameroon, Kenya, Senegal, Uganda and Tanzania. If they exit the Forest app before the timer expires (users can set this in advance) a virtual tree dies. 

An app called Freedom enables users to block specific apps and websites, schedule browsing sessions, and set time limits that can’t be easily undone. The app One Sec creates a pause before your chosen app opens, giving you the opportunity to decide whether you actually need to use it or not.

Be Mindful about Your Social Media Use

Being mindful about your social media use can help you to gain insight and acceptance into how it makes you feel and act accordingly.

Be specific with the questions you ask yourself. Why am I posting all these photos on Instagram? What’s the purpose? Does it make me feel good? What am I expecting to get out of it? Am I doing it for a reaction from a particular person or am I just doing it for myself? And then, how does it feel when I get no reaction, a negative reaction or a positive reaction?

Educate yourself about how to mute notifications or block users and so avoid the draw of opening their social media apps as frequently. You’re also less likely to run the risk of engaging with something emotionally distressing.

The University of British Columbia found in a recent study that using social media intentionally can improve wellbeing. Users were encouraged to actively engage with friends by commenting or sending direct messages rather than passively scrolling. They also muted or unfollowed accounts that “triggered envy or negative self-comparisons”.

Social media revolves around apps and we have recommendations for apps you may find useful.