How to feel good on social media

You can start to learn the signs that your scrolling has gone from feeling fun to stressful.

Try doing a quick body scan:

• Are your eyes feeling dry or tired?
• Are your shoulders hunched?
• Is your jaw clenched?
• Are you thirsty, hungry, or need the loo?

These could be signs you’ve got stuck scrolling.

Or maybe you’ve stopped really seeing what’s on the screen in front of you. If you notice yourself automatically flicking to the next photo or video, it’s a good idea to take a break.

Also, it’s worth thinking about how you feel after you’ve stopped scrolling. Are you numb? Or is your body feeling tired while your brain feels wired?

Loads of the time we use social media as a break or a reward, but it can end up leaving us more frazzled.

All of us get stuck scrolling sometimes. First up, don’t blame yourself – apps are literally designed to keep drawing us back in.

When you’re stuck in a scrolling loop, it’s not as simple as just ‘putting your phone down’. It can take a lot of willpower to stop.

The main thing to do is find a way to snap yourself out of it. Something as simple as getting up to grab a drink can be all it takes for you to stop scrolling and decide to do something else instead.

You could also make a list of other things you enjoy doing that aren’t scrolling, like:

• listening to music or a podcast
• playing a game
• getting outside
• doing some simple stretches exactly where you are.

Remember to mix it up!

You can help yourself with this by setting limits on how long you’ll spend on each app every day. That way, your phone can tell you when it’s time to take a break and stop you from scrolling the day away.

Have you ever thought about how scrolling affects your mood? For some of us, it can leave us feeling stressed, angry or upset – especially if you’re starting or ending your day seeing bad news or ragebait.

Do you:

• Scroll as soon as you wake up and last thing at night?
• Struggle to focus on one thing at a time – like scrolling while you watch TV?
• Find yourself automatically flicking to the next video or photo?
• Stay up too late because you’re scrolling?
• Feel low after comparing your life or appearance to people online?

If so, try thinking about your favourite parts of being online. Maybe you enjoy chatting to friends, learning new things, getting inspired or being part of an online community.

Whatever it is, prioritise the things you love and make sure that’s how you’re spending most of your time online.

Lots of online content is posted to get a reaction from us – whether it’s funny, shocking or enraging. But you can take back your timeline! By customising your feed, you can turn it into a place that calms you down rather than stressing you out.

Here’s how to do it:

• Block anybody who’s nasty to you online and unfollow accounts that make you feel bad.
• Follow accounts that make you feel good – whether it’s seeing friends’ updates, learning skateboarding tricks or finding new music.
• Turn on ‘focus mode’ when you need to get through your to-do list.
• Put your phone on ‘do not disturb’ if you’re getting sucked into online drama.
• Have screen-free time every day, whether it’s before breakfast, bedtime – or both!

Something that might get you down about social media is feeling like you’re constantly watching other people doing things that you’re not involved in.

Before you keep scrolling, stop and think about whether you want to engage. You could offer a new idea or add a supportive comment. It might feel scary at first, but your voice is important and deserves to be heard.  

Getting involved instead of passively scrolling can help you feel more invested with what you’re seeing online. It can also help ‘train’ your algorithm, so your feed becomes more full of the things you like. And it gives you a chance to connect with people.

It might take a while to get into the habit of sharing your own thoughts, and it might feel scary at first, but challenge yourself to do it! Your voice is important and deserves to be heard.

You could do things like:

• Sharing your own creations, whether it’s writing, photography, comedy skits, football tricks or even a podcast.
• Supporting other young people on Childline’s message boards.
• Reposting content you’ve enjoyed and sharing what you liked about it.
• Becoming an active part of an online community, whether it’s a TV fandom, a campaigning group, or a gaming team.