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HP OPINION WHEN DOES SOCIAL MEDIA BECOME A PROBLEM? : HERE ARE SOME WAYS TO KEEP IT FROM DISRUPTING YOUR LIFE, WRITES MELANIE MCGREGOR MELANIE MCGREGOR Column Even before the ean demic, social media major way of communtcat- with in-person connections limited by, it has become one of the key ways we're staying in touch. ile there are many pluses to these plat- forms, there are also some s to watch out for when it comes to mental th. ea To be clear, using social media is not a problem. It be fun, entertaining, and interesting, and also a great distraction that we sometimes really need. It can also be informa- tive and help us learn skills to care for our health and wellness thro’ ugh things ont media use becomes a sing these Hen “s interfering with and disrupting your regu- lar a ities — such as not Oeaeetne work tasks be- cause you're scrolling your sites or not being able to cause you can't stop check- your phone — it could be aconcern. Also worth noting is how you feel after being on social media. If you regu- larly feel down, anxious, or distressed, it may mean something needs to what are some tips for moderating social me- Pexels photo Don't let social media consume your life, urges Melanie McGregor of the Canadian Mental Health Association. dia use and reducing tive Ampaets? Consider . Delete social media apps from your phone or turn off notifications to make it less likely that you will go on just because it's there or you hear the “pings" of updates you can't Teslst checking. imit the time you time soecne yee h use to next ‘to nothing ne away. Cut down gradually. breaks. Whether discon connections in other ways. And let others know about the break and why you're doing it. You talking about ing more time for yourself or spending more time on hobbies might en- courage others if they've been considering doing the same. + Carefully consider who and what to follow. Ifa social media contacts posts always bring down, you could either block their updates mae a Point of just scrol Ee 1OWEH - dell CUL | £7 et the ° positives. If: fyou & ouraging 01 spread the word an: at things about are the greé social ads eping - 5 tions is vital, oat odlaaty 3 as the pandemic continues, ¥ and as long as you can bal- ance your use of social me- dia with other parts of your life, follow, like, and click away. The magic word is ‘balance’ Melanie MeCregor is the communicatioi advancement specials at the Canadian Meni Health association | Hatton Region Branch, which provides mental health/ addiction community sup- port and education. Visit www.halton.cmha.ca for more information and follow @cmhahalton on Twitter. 10” Hanging Baskets 33-3802 12” Tropical Annuals (Reg. . $2.99) \\ Advertised items only available at Georgetown Canadian Tire. Items may not be exactly as shown. le reserve the right to limit quantities, Limited Quantity, No Rain Checks. 4’ Flowering [ie Mon. - Lo 2 NX Hawaiian Weekend Garden Sale, June 18th - 24th Fresh Shipment Tropical Palms Average Height 5’-6.5’ (Reg. ea. $69.99) 33-1642 All In-Stock 33-5313X Make the most of your backyard 8 eordyouy