How Social Media Improved my Mental Health in a Pandemic Written by Marilyn Bolderman Designed by Autumn Bell In the time of isolation and self-reflection during 2020, many began to realize that social media was toxic. I began to realize that too, until I found its silver lining: a community of Instagram accounts and artists dedicated to self-love and self-improvement. We’re Not Really Strangers @werenotreallystrangers takes to the streets and turns everyday sights like doors, signs, and cars, and turns them into billboards toting statements that make you stop to think. To think about the way you treat others, about letting go, about being emotionally available, and above all, about loving yourself and only doing things that are going to improve yourself and the way you see others. Good Humans Only @goodhumansonly was created with the goals of making a “world of people who feel good & give a f**k.”. Their feed is full of gentle reminders like “you are enough as you are right now,” “judge yourself less for having feelings,” and “being a good human does not = you can take advantage of me.” Sometimes it only takes one sentence to sum up a world of feelings.
@werenotreallystrangers 24 | Photo FlairviaMagazine
Photo via @goodhumansonly
We the Urban @wetheurban is also dedicated to sharing the tough things you need to hear while also “celebrating inclusivity, self-love, & marginalized voices.” My all-time favorite post from the account states “focus on what you can control” which was certainly the biggest lesson I had to learn last year. The Unsent Project @theunsentproject is my favorite Instagram account of all time. The Unsent Project is a collection of unsent text messages to first loves. Each post is a small glimpse into stories of love, heartbreak, and everything in-between. The archive of submissions is a work of art, categorized by what colors people see love in. This account is not like the others, but still can teach a lot in its own way. Showing that feelings are made to be felt, heartbreak is a universal experience, and healing is not linear.
When I was struggling to find that silver lining in every day, these accounts became a place where I could find a small reminder that the world is still full of good people, even though it doesn’t always feel that way. Art is meant to be shared, art can help heal and art can make you uncomfortable, and I think that’s the beauty of it all. It sounds crazy, but without seeing the positive messages or striking advice I wouldn’t have been exposed to the things I needed to in order to grow. Social media is powerful and can have a positive impact on your life if you let it. When you start seeing what is worthy of your time and attention on your feed, you’ll never go back to wasting time and energy on those who don’t (I’ve found this applies for real life too). Someone is always going to unfollow you or not like what you post or think you’re not pretty or cool enough—there’s always going to be someone who doesn’t see your worth, but that doesn’t decrease your own value.. I encourage you to check out these accounts, you might just read something you’ve been needing to hear.
