When you stop and think about it, the amount of knowledge each of us is carrying around in our pockets is astonishing. If you have a smartphone and an internet connection, you can call up information about just about anything.
Want to know what you have seen that actor in before? Wondering when Beethoven lived and how he managed to compose beloved music while deaf? Hoping to learn more about the Library of Alexandria or the Library of Congress or your local library? Interested in the history of bowling or jumping rope or bobsledding?
A few taps and swipes on your phone—or your tablet or your laptop—and you can find a world of information about all of those things as well as seemingly endless other topics, too. It is undeniably amazing.
But it can also be problematic for your mental health.
Let’s consider the ways in which our screens can sometimes do more harm than good.
Your Screens Might Keep You Awake
Many of us are in the habit of scrolling through our phones in the evening—while we watch TV, before we go to bed, and even after we are under the covers. But research shows that the light from your phone’s screen can disrupt your sleep.
As a result, it is a good idea to get in the habit of setting your various screens aside an hour or two before you plan to go to bed. Doing so—especially as part of a larger sleep routine—can help ensure you get the rest you need each night.
Restful sleep is absolutely essential to your physical health, your mental health, and your ongoing recovery. So turn off your notification sounds and give yourself permission not to check your email right before bed (anything you would find in there can certainly wait until morning). And behave likewise with all the other things your phone can do—with one possible exception.
Some people find white noise, sleep stories, or soft music to be helpful when they are trying to fall asleep. You can, of course, access all of those things through your device. Just remember that at bedtime, listening to your phone can be beneficial, but staring at your phone is not.
Your Screens Might Damage Your Self-Esteem
Social media can be a nice way to stay in touch with people and to share moments from your life. And if that were all there was to it, it might actually be more of a boon than a hazard to your mental health.
Unfortunately, however, social media can undermine your self-esteem if you find yourself comparing yourself to your various connections. It is important to remember that people post personal highlights to their social media—which means it is not a full picture of anyone’s life (including yours). Still, limiting your time on social media can be a good strategy for protecting your mental health.
We should also note that social media is also populated by many, many bots—that is, non-humans that post content to try to influence you, sell you something, or even anger you. Keeping a sharp eye out for content that seems intended to have a negative impact is an important way to protect yourself—and your mental health—when you use social media.
Your Screens Might Overwhelm You With News
These days, it seems impossible to escape from the news. You can tune into newscasts 24 hours a day on your television. You can hop from news site to news site on your computer. You can have breaking news delivered straight to your phone all day and all night.
Keeping up with the latest news about your community, state, country, and even the world is important, of course. But “keeping up” and being constantly bombarded are two very different things.
To protect your mental health, we recommend creating a media diet and schedule for yourself. By “diet,” we mean selecting a few informative and unbiased outlets from which to get your news. And by “schedule,” we mean limiting the times of day when you will engage with the news. You might check out the morning paper, a website’s midday update, and the evening news, for example. The key is to find the sources and timetable that work best for you to stay informed but not overwhelmed.
We Are Here to Help You with Your Mental Health
At Peak View Behavioral Health—located in Colorado Springs, Colorado—we help individuals who are struggling with a variety of mental health challenges. Our work is grounded in evidence-based practices supported by our extensive training, years of experience, and spirit of empathy. You can always count on being treated with respect and kindness at Peak View.
Many people put off seeking mental health treatment because they are embarrassed or are unconvinced they really have a problem, or are sure they can battle through any issue on their own. That would not be your approach to your physical health, however, and it shouldn’t be your approach to your mental health, either.
The staff at Peak View Behavioral Health can help you achieve improvements in your mental well-being and maintain those improvements over time. We are ready to get started when you are.
