Social media use?

[aufrechtm7]

Wanted to make a post to see how many others engage with "normal" social media (Instagram, X/Twitter, Facebook, Discord, etc.)

How do you think using it is influencing your decision to ctb in either direction if at all? Does it help control your emotions better? Gives you more of a drive to ctb?

 

[misanthropist]

The only social media I'm regularly on is tiktok, the conspiracies and updates in the news have been driving me insane. I'll show a news post to my partner and half-jokingly say "you can't blame me for not wanting to live in this" because how bad it's been in the US- I've always said "we're too far gone" as a whole society though

 

[Houraisan_Kaguya]

I use it to post obvious calls for help and watch as I'm ignored as a form of self-harm.

 

[Always-in-trouble]

Youtube easily though it is technically not a full social media platform

 

[OnMyLast Legs]

I get manic, use social media badly, delete accounts in shame, and sink into depression. The cycle has happened a few times.

 

[Forveleth]

I deleted all of my social media years ago. It was so bad for my mental health. This forum is all I have now.

 

[darksouls]

sasu is the only place where I feel safe

 

[Spite]

I've never been one to use social media. At least not the main ones (Facebook/Instagram/TikTok). I know that using any of those would make me even more suicidal, so it's good that I avoid them.

I'm on practically nothing. The only apps I use regularly are YouTube and Discord, and I don't even think they entirely count as social media.

 

[Riu]

I like to doom scroll tiktok to pass the time. I play games sometimes if my friend is on, playing solo is pretty boring. I don't use social media that much because I don't have anyone to talk to.

 

[msds]

The only social media I have is this and email. Algorithmic ones just make me feel even worse.

 

[Kamaainakupua]

I tried it, but it hasn't killed me yet. Too slow, and, ugh... the pain...

 

[BradGuy123]

I'm on Facebook way too much. I also spend time on X but not as much.

 

[neverexistedd]

I use twitter, but it's bad and I shouldn't be on it

 

[walliwalli]

instagram: i had a normal account for the majority of my life, but i recently deleted it. it was okay. good in making me stay connected with friends, but bad in recent months when all i was doing was seeing how much better other people's lives were. linkedin is a similar situation; all i see nowadays are other people's successes.

tiktok: fine. no strong effect. this is mainly for my own entertainment / killing time, which i appreciate for what it is. though i am pretty frustrated with how tiktok has fried my attention span.

twitter: also mainly for entertainment, but it has helped me control my emotions a little. tweeting into the void is such a great way to vent without me needing to bother my friends. recently i have not been using it to vent anymore because most of my thoughts are, y'know, related to suicide and instead find their way here.

overall, none have been detrimental to my mental health. they're mostly used as distractions.

 

[aufrechtm7]

I've been using Twitter as a distraction as well, but I find the behavior of other people so frustrating at times it seems like I spend more time defending people than anything else.

Used to have Facebook but I deactivated it, and I had an Instagram account…but even when I was using it actively I didn't care about it much at all. Pretty much stopped using it entirely when I cut out the group of losers I was stuck associating with.

Sometimes I wish chatting here was more "fluid" but I 100% understand why a mass group chat or anything can't work.

 

[Forever Sleep]

I deleted/ disabled mine a while back. I'm happier without comparing myself to others. There's so many parts of my life I'd rather forget too. Not that all the people were necessarily the problem but, they remind me of that time.

 

[Malfunction]

I've tried some of them, I didn't really care for it. It just showed me how ignorant people can be.

I do use Reddit (which is by no means any better than the rest), because I can limit what I want to see. Yet crap still makes its way in there. I like animal pics, home projects and stuff of that nature. But I tend to use it under an hour a day because the comments get toxic. Even with a cute picture of a cat, Redditors still manage to find something to argue about.

Social media is a cesspool of toxicity. While there are plenty of good people participating, they get drowned out by the loudest and most ignorant. I can certainly see how it could contribute to negative outcomes.

That said, it doesn't personally affect me because I don't use it much. If you find yourself feeling negative after social media use, consider using it less.

 

[itsgone2]

I used to be active on fb and instagram. But i cant go on them now. Everyone posting their happiness. They deserve it. They worked for it. I didn't. People know I'm depressed because it's obvious and some have noticed I've disappeared from social media. It'll be a surprise when I CTb but there are signs.
Also doomscroll on X. The horrors of the world are expanding. Joblessness everywhere. Crime. Division. It's an awful time to be alive. Who cares about modern medicine and other things when you can't afford them anyway

 

[walliwalli]

I've been using Twitter as a distraction as well, but I find the behavior of other people so frustrating at times it seems like I spend more time defending people than anything else.

fair, i think what helps is that i only have a private account (i used to have a public account but it was suspended over literally nothing). only my friends follow my private account. so i don't interact with other users outside that. i do agree that many people on twitter are frustrating though lol.