Social media, we’ve all heard of it and used it at some point. Well, let’s be honest sometimes social media is really unavoidable since it is always in our phones, laptops, and computers nowadays, and it is always used in school and work almost every time. And the very thing that makes us attracted to it is because of the words “Social” and “Media”. If we like being with people or interacting with people the social part will always attract us like Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. If we like other stuff like music, movies, and art, then the media part will attract us like YouTube, Netflix, or Spotify. Either way, both sounds fun and interesting, and social media really puts us with other people.
Social media has two sides. There is a bad side and a good side. Bad, in terms of how there are many destructive contents out in the internet that can harm our thinking, and sometimes, jealousy and envy from other people in social media that makes us feel bad about our lack of success. But there is another side that we can look unto. A side that we can all relax and be satisfied with. The good side, the social side. If we look to the bright side and actively choose our content in social media, we can experience many things that can lift us up, such as friendships, connections, emotional support, and satisfaction. And some of these are:
No Social-distancing online
Don’t get me wrong, during this time of pandemic, we should always be PHYSICALLY distancing other people. But my point is that, social isolation is already a myth since we are connected digitally. We can always be with people whenever we want to. We may be alone in our homes, but can always connect with our friends and families virtually. At this point we are really not alone because social media can bring us together even when our homes are far away.
Self-Expression
In social media we can express ourselves freely. We can share and view art whenever, be part of forums that talk about our likes and dislikes, and we can even post our feelings, blessings, and struggles online for that “shouting out our problems” feeling to make us feel good. And social media allows us to have a new way to express ourselves.
Support
There are many communities in social media. People who experienced traumas and people who would like to support and be with them. There are communities that lift each other up one way or another through storytelling, advices, and laughter. And again, friends and family will be available to support you. And in social media there are many organisations that can offer us support whenever we need and want it. And that’s honestly a very wholesome look at social media since there will always be communities that are there for us.
And that is the other side of social media, which is I think the best and proper way to use it. There is positivity in social media and we must always be aware of bad side as well, and because of that we should always use social media in moderation. And given that, we can enjoy our time in social media online by joining group chats to talk about your favorite stuff, watching cat or dog videos online if that makes you all fuzzy from all the cuteness, and simple video calls with friends and loved ones to catch up and feel the love.
– Joshua Hernandez, Virtual Psychologist
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