As the vast majority of people self-isolate in their homes to curb the spread of the coronavirus, many have resorted to social media for comfort. Screen time has skyrocketed as people invest most of their time online -- "doom surfing" -- to entertain themselves and get the latest information.
On Instagram alone, the hashtag #mentalhealth has been used over 16 million times, and that figure continues to rise every day. There's always going to be posts about meditation, quarantine diet, indoor workout routines, and tips on how to cope with the health crisis.
Facebook has its fair share of mental health posts as well. Mark Zuckerberg at one point expressed his concern about the looming mental health crisis as people are forced to distance from family and friends.
"I'm personally quite worried that the isolation from people being at home could potentially lead to more depression or mental health issues," Zuckerberg told The Verge. "We want to make sure that we are ahead of that in supporting our community by having more people during this time work on things that are on suicide and self-injury prevention, not less."
Quarantine, social isolation, and social distancing can leave us feeling helpless, unimportant, worthless, neglected, undervalued, and disconnected. While in the past people pointed their fingers toward social media as contributing factors to anxiety and depression, today's consumption of social media is a coping mechanism many people turn to. If people can use social media positively and more actively, it can be an empowering experience in an anxious time.
It goes without saying that social media allows us to connect with family and friends, and even strangers across the globe. It brings a sense of belonging and mass connection, which in turn will reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness.
It may seem impossible not to be consumed with COVID-19 news found on social media, but you can turn it into a more positive note by celebrating yours and other people's achievements. This is what positive engagement is all about.
Share the things that helped you feel well, as well as those that didn't work out for you. Focus on things that can help alleviate the situation, like decluttering your house, raising money for charity, some DIY projects you have been neglecting for years, and some hobbies to keep yourself occupied while staying home.
Positively engaging in social media with topics that can increase feelings of self-worth and self-confidence is what the whole world needs today. You have the voice to do that.
