In the course of learning to create a healthy and happy social life, we’ve gone over some of the dangers and the benefits of being on social media. In case you’ve forgotten, let’s recap-
Pro: Social media is a great way to connect and find a tribe when you have a targeted interest
Con: Social media can make it harder for you to be social…if you aren’t also engaging in real-world social activities.
So, social media can work for or against you. They key is balance and using social media as a tool, rather than social media using you.
The facts are, finding a tribe online can be a lifesaver when you feel isolated. If you feel alone or don’t have the social skills to be one-on-one with others, sometimes social media can really help. There are a lot of reasons why people feel isolated. Can you relate?
People suffer from an illness or disease – If you are living with symptoms of an illness or chronic disease it might be hard to find a tribe. Thankfully, connecting with people who have the same situation is very easy online.
People live in isolated areas – Now more than ever, having a wifi signal is all you need to close the geography gap. From Zoom video calls to playing video games online, there’s easy ways to connect with people no matter where you live on Earth.
People are shy or have social anxiety – Some mental health disorders make it painfully hard to connect socially. The buffer of being online helps people to communicate with greater ease and comfort.
People have felt wounded in the past – People who have been bullied or hurt socially may resist being social in person. Having the safety net of an online community can make it feel less risky to be social until they feel confident and comfortable to be social one-on-one.
While social media has its pros and cons, one thing’s for sure- there are a lot of ways to connect online. Finding a tribe is easier than ever when you feel isolated. Simply log on to your favorite social media platform and start making friends. Before you know it, your isolation will make way for a full social calendar from your smart phone, desktop or gaming console. Don’t let situational isolation keep you from getting the happy social life you deserve.
