Feeling good on social media

Ways to feel good on social media

If you don’t feel good when you’re using social media platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, TikTok or Tumblr, we’ve got advice to help:

Get help if you see something upsetting

Sometimes people might post things online that you find upsetting or disturbing. If you’ve seen something you’re worried about, you don’t have to cope alone. It can help to:

Report it to the platform or website, especially if it involves violence or abuse
Avoid sharing or commenting on it, even if you want to say you disagree
Talk about what you’ve seen with an adult you trust

Remember, not everything you see online will be real. But if you’re not sure, it’s always okay to ask for support.

Follow someone new

Some accounts can put pressure on you to reach impossible standards, or are paid to advertise things to you.

Try unfollowing or muting accounts that make you feel bad about yourself. Or search for accounts with content that will make you smile or feel good without feeling like you have to change.

Remember that what you see isn’t always real

People don’t always show what their lives are really like on social media. Photos can be staged, airbrushed or filtered. And people only show the parts they want others to see.

Feel like everyone else is doing something fun except you? Try using our Boost Your Mood game to get ideas on something new you could try out.

It can feel important to know how many people have liked or commented on something you’ve posted. But focusing on it can leave you feeling like you’re not good enough. Remember that likes aren’t everything, and there are always other ways to build your confidence.

Be nice to other people

Try posting positive comments to others and not responding to negative comments. Blocking and reporting bullying or abuse when you see it can help you to feel better.

Decide when you want notifications

Checking for comments or messages can be stressful sometimes, or you might feel pressure to keep up with what’s happening online. If you’re in bed or want to focus on something else, try turning off notifications or setting your phone on mute or do not disturb.

Stop scrolling and do something else for a while

When looking at social media isn’t making you feel good, taking a break and doing something to keep yourself busy can really help. You could try listening to music or a podcast, going for a walk, or playing a game.

Tips for using social media

Think about what you should and shouldn’t share.
Not everything you see on social media is real or what it seems.
If something goes wrong, you can get support.

Feeling alone online?

Social media connects people, but it can also make you feel lonely or isolated. We are here to help.

Coping with your mental health on social media

Lots of people use social media or online tools to help them cope with how they feel. Some young people find it easier talking online to people they’ve not met in person. Or they might meet someone online who’s going through the same thing as them.

But it’s important to think about whether the people you’re talking to are helping you to feel better. If you’re not sure, ask yourself whether talking to them:

makes you feel like things will never change
stops you getting support or talking to other people
only gives you one point of view, and stop other people from sharing theirs
pushes you to do things that might hurt you
makes you feel competitive about what’s happening
leaves you feeling worse after talking.

If you’re not sure whether talking online is making things in your life better, there are lots of other ways to get support as well.

Feeling sad or angry about something you've seen online?
Try breathing in and out slowly with the calming animation.

Asking for help?

Want help but don't know how to ask? We have advice about how to ask an adult for help.

Talk to us

Whatever is worrying you, Childline counsellors are always here to listen either over the phone or online.

More advice

Find out tips and advice from other young people on the message boards.

Being bullied on social media

Anyone can be bullied or trolled online. If it’s happening to you, there are ways to cope and get support:

Bullying on social media

Being bullied online is just as scary as in real life. We have advice about how to report bullying or sexting on social media.

Watch: Building Confidence After Online Bullying

Bullying and cyberbullying

Whether it's in person or online, if you or someone you know is being bullied we’re here to help.

Problems sleeping

If you’re struggling to get to sleep because of what’s happening on social media, we’ve got advice to help:

Move your phone or device away from where you sleep
Keeping your phone somewhere that’s further away from you when you’re trying to sleep can make it easier to stop checking messages or notifications that make you feel stressed.

Use a blue light filter
Blue light filters can help stop your device from keeping you awake if you’re using it in the evening by lowering your screen’s blue light. Lots of devices have blue light filters built in – but if yours doesn’t you can download one as an app.

Talk about what’s happening
Telling someone you trust what’s happening can help you to feel better and more able to cope.

Read our advice on getting to sleep
We’ve got lots of advice on how to have a better night’s sleep.

Watch: Sleep Problems | Voice Box

Thinking about what you share

A big part of social media is sharing things about your life. But it’s also important to think carefully about what you let other people see – especially if your account on YouTube, Instagram or any social media site is public (here’s how to change your settings).

We’ve got advice to make sure you feel good about what you’re sharing:

Ask before you share photos of other people

When you share a photo of someone else on social media, you lose control of how other people might share it and who else could see it.

There are lots of reasons someone might not want a photo of themselves online. They might feel self-conscious or embarrassed, or worry about how other people will react.

Asking someone's permission to share a photo of them before you do it gives them the chance to say no. And it can stop them getting upset or angry at you if they don't want their photo shared.

If someone is sharing photos of you without your permission, there are things you can do to help.

Think about how other people might react

Lots of people say things online that they wouldn’t say in person. And the things you say can have a big effect.

Before you share things online, think about how other people might react and feel. Even when you’re joking, people can take what you’ve said seriously.

The BBC Own It app can help you decide whether you should share something online, and how you want to respond to other people.

Remember, when you share something on social media, you lose control of it. Even if your account is private or you’re using an app like Snapchat, people can screenshot or repost what you’ve shared.

If you’ve shared something online you’re unhappy with and you’re not sure what to do, we’ve got advice to help.

Sharing nudes and sexting

Sexting is when you send a sexual message, photo or video to someone else. It could be a picture of you, but sometimes people send pictures and videos of other people.

Some young people feel a lot of pressure to send nudes. There are times that you might feel like you want to share them - if you’re in a relationship or because someone you like has asked you to. However you feel at the time, it’s still important to think carefully about what might go wrong if you did.

When you’re under 18, sharing nudes or asking for them is against the law. Nobody has the right to make you feel like you have to.

We’ve got lots of advice and information on sexting and what to do if something goes wrong.

Privacy and your digital footprint

Learn more about your digital footprint and how you can protect your privacy and information.

BEING A GOOD FRIEND

Watch: The Group Chat

It can be hard to tell what's real and what's a joke online. Watch our video to find out how you can be there for your friends.

Helping a friend

If someone you know is going through a tough time it can be hard to know what to say. We can help.