Social media and mental health: My five top tips for the school holidays

From teen to teen, we asked Amelia if she’d share her top tips for managing social media and your mental health over the school holidays. Amelia has previously been supported by Kids Inspire. Because of this she is passionate about giving back, sharing her personal experience, and helping young people with their mental health.

We’ll hand it over to Amelia to take it from here.

Hi everyone! Firstly, a bit of background on the link between social media and mental health. Quite often this can be heightened during the school holidays and make life more challenging.

Why? Well, during the school holidays your routine changes, you have more time to do what you want where using social media for longer can become tempting. Increased amounts of time spent on social media may lead to feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and low self-esteem. It can lead us to feel trapped, we start comparing ourselves to others, and have FOMO (that fear of missing out).

But there are things that you can do to help change this poor relationship with social media. It has the power to be incredibly positive. It can be a great way to connect with others, to learn and to be inspired, but you need to find the right balance.

These five tips are ones I hope will help you find your way through the world of social media, making your mental health the priority during the school holidays. They are my hacks to make the most out of time online, all while protecting your mental health.

1.     Set limits & step away

So, having told you all about how these are tips about social media my first tip to is to tell you to step away! It is the most important, yet often the hardest thing to do. I know from experience that non-stop scrolling and seeing what everyone is up to during the school holidays can result in a lot of comparing your life to other people’s. You can end up in some dark places, so it’s important to put your phone down and take time to focus on yourself or those around you.

Why not try setting a timer and monitoring how much time you spend on social media? Make sure when you put your phone down and are stepping away you switch off those notifications too. 

2.     Find distractions

Social media can be incredibly addictive, and it can be hard to cope with not being on your phone. But the more you do this, the easier it will get.

Find distractions that will keep you preoccupied and not feel the need to grab your phone. Tap into the things that you enjoy. One of my favourite distractions from social media was to play video games. A little bit of escapism every now and then is amazing. For me games like Animal Crossing, Minecraft, and City Skylines meant I could control my own environment and shape it how I liked.

3.     Keep your feed positive

Why not freshen up your feed? Ask yourself: How is the content you’re seeing making you feel? Is this content bad for my mental health?

As a teenager, it's important to keep your social media feed positive and uplifting. How about:

●      following accounts that spread positivity and inspire you.

●      unfollow or mute people who bring negativity to your timeline.

●      find accounts that share inspirational quotes, helpful tips, or stuff related to your hobbies and passions.

Surrounding yourself with positive content can boost your mood. Remember, you're in control of what you see on social media. Fill up your feed with things that make you happy and lift you up!

4.     Have fun with it

Find the joy, the laughter, and the fun of social media. When you wipe away the negatives, you open the door to endless content which is completely harmless. There’s a silly video or meme out there for everyone’s sense of humour! These are perfect things to share with friends or family. Maybe you could share one with a friend who may be struggling with their own mental health?

Social media allows you to keep connecting with friends who might have moved to a different school, town or even country. It allows you to build friendships with people you may have never had the chance to meet otherwise. Of course, remember to do this with caution and safely. I made a few friends online who I spoke to for years and still keep in touch with today!

5.     Don’t forget real connections!

The previous tip leads me on to my final tip. Do not forget about connecting with people in real life. It can be easy to think you know everything about someone by seeing what they’re up to on social media. But social media can cause a separation from reality, we all know what a quick filter or an edit does!

Arrange to hang out with a friend, or have a video or voice call with them over apps like Discord, or spend some time with your family. This point also circles back nicely to my first tip - step away from your phone or computer over the holidays. Don’t be that person who scrolls whilst someone is having a conversation with you – be present.

I hope these five tips are useful for you and help you to make some small changes over the holidays. It's great to enjoy the positive connections of social media but remember to take breaks when necessary. Don’t scroll the day away. A digital detox every now and then can be so beneficial. Believe me, it will leave you feeling refreshed and more present for the real-world experiences that matter most.