Are we ready to seriously admit to ourselves how seriously social media is affecting our health? When I saw this article from The Verge this morning in my Flipboard app, I went through a rapid succession of thoughts: denial, acceptance, then I yelled "FINALLY, LET'S ADDRESS THE MADNESS IN THE METAVERSE!" And then I recorded a video for my LinkedIn post. And then I announced my new consulting practice and why this topic is one of the reasons I'm doing this work.
Because I know what it feels like to lie awake in bed at night, dreading what I'll read when I open my Facebook app. I've felt the stomach pains when reading negative comments on Instagram. I've felt the panic of having to hit "Post" on a controversial statement. I've felt the hopelessness of watching people react to misinformation and disinformation.
I've actually held my phone, trembling while refreshing a post, wondering how much engagement it will receive and how many people will need to be blocked/reported and whether that will cause more negative comments that will need to be managed.
Anyway, I'm in favor of a shift in mindset and frank discussion of how we support folks who are affected by their social networks, EVERY SINGLE DAY. I'd be happy to discuss it with you, too.