Social Media and COVID-19

“Special Report: Coronavirus…” This is the way most news broadcasts begin these days. Social media is inundated with memes, articles and personal posts about the COVID-19 pandemic that has our world at a standstill. The only way to avoid hearing about it is to turn off all media and our phones and never leave our house.

All of this constant bombarding about the virus is overwhelming at best. For people who already suffer from forms of mental illness, it can be crippling. Anxiety and depression are typical reactions for almost all of us with the state of our world. If these were already present in a person, they are likely reaching dangerous levels by now.

Experts strongly encourage us to wash our hands for a longer period than we are used to. They also recommend gloves and masks as personal protective equipment when we leave the safety of our homes. People with OCD, especially those who are obsessed with cleanliness and germs, are close to washing off their very skin right now.

Both A Blessing And A Curse

Social media has been both a blessing and a curse since the emergence of COVID-19. On one hand, we have found solidarity and support from others all over who are in the same boat we are. We can instantly receive updates from people everywhere on the situation in their area.

With “Safer-at-home” and “Shelter-in-place” orders and lockdowns, social media is our method for socializing. I’m sure a poll of people who don’t leave their homes would show that social media use has increased significantly.

On social media, we can share recipes and ideas to keep the kids occupied. Educational posts are also passed around. New groups to help others have popped up overnight. (I have one myself for support.  You can find it here.

Keyboard Courage

But, social media has a dark side through this as well. Due to an increase in anxiety and worries, patience levels are significantly less. Posts are inflammatory and drama-filled simply because it’s a way to express our feelings and fears. This brings out those with keyboard courage who feel a need to counter each opinion with an opposing one of their own.

With more people having extra time on their hands, there are many more posts from people with opinions. It is a way to express what they think and share it with the world. So there are more posts to comment on and agree or disagree with.

True Or False?

Social media is also a good way to share posts about the pandemic. However, not all of the information shared is correct. Many times it is sprinkled with the author’s opinions or interpretations which are presented as facts. And not all news sources are the same. Two people will never find common ground when they follow opposing news sources to base their arguments on.

One observation I’ve made about social media right now is that the emotions are contagious. I’m not alone in saying that scrolling through my feed leaves me feeling edgy and uncomfortable. As others post their feelings and fears, we pick up on those emotions. Social media is getting us down instead of building us up.

Survival Tips

How do we survive COVID-19 on social media? Can we just turn it off and unplug from society in general? Or is there a way to balance out our social media use and keep our sanity?

Limit social media time. Set a couple of times throughout the day when you check-in and then put it away until the next check-in. Don’t be tempted to scroll through in between chores.

It’s OK to unfollow those friends who only post about their fears and worries. Unfollowing them does not unfriend them. When things settle down you can follow them again. If you want to, you can still see their posts if you go to their individual page.

What Are You Posting?

Watch your own posts. Don’t be the one everyone else is unfollowing. If all of your posts are complaining about how much you hate being stuck in your house, your friends are going to hate seeing your posts cross their feed. They feel it too, but they don’t want to read about it every time they check their social media.

Find something good about every day or the situation and post about it. Make it a point to find something good every day and share it with others. Help them find something good to take away from this situation.

If you find that one of your posts has unintentionally become a hotbed of drama or arguing, take it down. There’s no shame in deleting a post if you realize later that it caused unnecessary drama.

Before posting something, run it past a friend or two and see if they think it’s OK to post. Sometimes we get passionate about something that happened and go off on a rant, then later feel silly for coming unglued. Words said cannot be taken back.

Social media doesn’t have to be an enemy. During this COVID-19 situation, it can be a dear friend. It’s all in how we use it and let it use us.