Detoxifying Social Media

Here are some ideas that may lessen the toxicity that keeps on spreading online.

Don't confirm friend requests just because you want to feel popular. Chances are, most of the people who are currently in your friend list are those whom you added but do not even know personally. By giving in to this need to increase your friend list, you are in fact opening yourself up to possible dummy accounts of those who wish to stalk you, cyberbully you or worse.

If you can't help but add friends then don't read everything people post. There's too much negativity and people post anything and everything. Mental hygiene is promoted when we lessen our exposure to things that may stress us. If you observe that someone keeps on posting negative things and you don't wish to unfriend that individual then simply click unfollow. It may be that person's right to post what he wishes but it's also equally your right not to be exposed to his toxicity.

If you can't help but read everything, then don't believe everything you read. When the internet was first conceived, it was meant as the ultimate means for the free sharing of information. But now it has become the major source of disinformation or fake news, which is why we now have companies that do fact checking. Before believing blindly what you have read, try googling it first to see whether or not it's true.

Mental health issues and even suicides were not that pronounced over a decade ago. The one thing that is different between then and now is unbridled social media usage.

If you are going to post something, don't add to the toxic nature of the social media environment. Add to the humor and the inspiration instead. Share a story that encourages others to hope, to persevere, to succeed and to love.