Well-Being Beyond Measure: Navigating Social Media [Session 7]

The seventh session of the Well-Being Beyond Measure series focuses on the implications of social media and technology. Whitney explores the effects of social media burnout, mental health impacts, addiction to the constant infusion of content, 'Influencer Creep', and the subconscious challenge of always striving to do more. Drawing from published articles and studies, she emphasizes the strategic psychological designs of these platforms and their potential to incite polarity and unrest. The importance of understanding the platforms, setting solid boundaries, and diligent introspection of one's behavior while using social media is advised. Whitney advocates for personal authenticity and selective attention to elements that bring individual joy and meaning, prolonging wellbeing beyond numerical measures or social media validations.

Resources mentioned:

• Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now: https://amzn.to/4336fs4
• Your Guide to Creating a Healthier Relationship with Social Media: https://www.healthline.com/health/social-media-and-mental-health?cmid=23304fe5-b3ae-4884-931a-0902fa32188d
• The social media diet: A scoping review to investigate the association between social media, body image and eating disorders amongst young people: https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0001091
• Social media polarized America by making a big mistake: It introduced us to each other: https://www.businessinsider.com/social-media-twitter-facebook-political-polarization-mechanism-2022-10
• Influencer Creep: https://reallifemag.com/influencer-creep/

04:23 The Magic and Loss of Digital World

05:15 Whitney's Personal Journey with Social Media

07:00 Understanding the Mechanism of Social Media

09:08 The Dark Side

09:47 The Influence on Body Image

11:14 Social Media Addiction

15:50 The Polarizing Effect of Social Media

17:38 The Impact on Career and Self-Esteem

19:52 The Decision to Step Away

30:59 The Power of Selective Attention