This article was written by a Kooth mental health writer and counsellor, Gemma. It contains the following themes: social media, anxiety, worry, and overwhelm.

While scrolling through social media, we encourage you to keep the following questions in mind:

• How does this content make me feel?
• How does this content affect those I care about?
• Is there a counter argument, or challenge to what I’ve just viewed/engaged with?

Here are some five tips you can try if your news feed is overwhelming you.

1. Look at your settings.

Depending on the platform, there are different ways you can alter what you view. For example, you might be able to hide certain content, mute certain words, and even unfollow certain people. This can help give you a little more control of your feed, and make sure it’s a place you feel safe to be.

2. Take a break.

If things feel overwhelming, taking a break from social media can be a good idea. Not only is it a way to have a bit more control, but it can also help you re-evaluate what’s important, and how certain things affect you. Asking yourself, “How does this content make me feel?” can be a helpful way to assess whether it’s time to take a break. If it doesn’t feel possible to completely step away, thinking about setting some healthier boundaries might be a good middle ground. For example, not going on certain platforms in the evening, or limiting yourself to a certain amount of time per day.

3. Tell someone what you’re concerned about.

If your news feed is causing difficult feelings, it can be useful to share them with others. This could be friends, family, or someone at school or college. Not only is this a good way to express what’s on your mind, but it can also be a useful way to figure out what to do next. If you’re concerned about what someone you know is engaging with on social media, telling a trusted adult might also be a good way to get some help.

Don’t forget, if you’re concerned about anything you’ve seen on social media, you can always report it to the platform directly. All platforms are different, so it might be best (and quicker) to Google “how to” if you’re unsure.

4. Think twice about what you share.

It might be tempting to share what you see on social media, but sometimes it’s not that helpful – especially if the content is harmful, or potentially upsetting for others. It’s useful to also bear in mind that not everything we see on social media is true.

5. Ask questions.

• Does this information sound/look right? For example: does the story or image feel accurate to you?

• Where has this information come from? For example: is the source trustworthy? A reliable news source is one you have heard of before, that has a good reputation and that people generally trust. That’s not to say that all unfamiliar sources are fake, but it’s helpful to be cautious and to get your information from reliable sources.

Check out our article on fake news for more information on this topic.

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