It is just depressing.
If you spent any time reading through your social media feeds lately you would be forgiven for thinking that we are the cast of some end-of-the-world film and there is no Superman-Batman-Chuck Norris hero to save the day. From the war in Israel and Gaza, to planes being shot out of the sky, to thousands being slaughtered in Syria, to the Royal air force having to escort Qatar Airways jet to Manchester airport over reports of possible device on board. Even as I type this post, more ridiculous world-event Tweet events come in.
Its Official – its Depressing
We know already that spending too much time in Social networks can lead to feelings of anxiety, envy and the feeling of “wasting my life away whilst everyone else is going on holidays and buying new cars”. Christina Sagioglou and Tobias Greitemeye, two Austrian behavioural scientists, have proven scientifically that when you spend time on Facebook you feel depressed. This study was conducted before the Syrian’s massacre started and before Israel/ Gaza was trending. Add all of that into the regular Facebook activities and its a recipe for deep depression that gnaws at your mind.
When we look at the horrific images spreading like wildfire around the world, we cant help but be effected. No civilised person wants to see these images let alone thrive on death and destruction. And yet, by sharing these images we think we will convince the world that “we” are right and “they” are wrong. But in reality all that happens is that the trolls comes out and words are exchanged and soon it is dragged into more uncivilised-swearing-shouting-matches eating away at our timelines.
Laughter and Pranks have been replaced by War and Tears.
Funny clips of cats have been replaced by sirens.
Misinformation is everywhere, propaganda is all around and even reputable main news channels are caught in this vicious cycle. Yet, we eat all this up and internalise it all. And more depression sets in.
Before you ditch the Social Network all together, here are some ways to control the clutter and get rid of the negativity to get your sanity back.
How to get your sanity back on Facebook:
How to get remove posts from Facebook ?
When someone posts an item you don’t want to see; don’t put up with it and let it burrow into your mind. Simply click on the “down arrow” next to the post and you will see these options:
If you click on “I don’t want to see see this” then only that specific post will be removed but you still remain friends and you will see future post.
If you click on “Hide all from xxxxx” then all the posts from this friend will be removed.
If you click on “Unfollow xxxxx” then this friend will no longer appear on your timeline.
If you click on “Get Notifications” then this post will be hidden but only when someone comments on the story you will be notified.
How to remove yourself from a Facebook Group ?
Facebook Groups are a great way to keep in touch with a community that is interested in the same topic such as Cyclist of Joburg or Needlework Ninjas. The Group owner usually keeps the members in check and ensures that everyone stays on topic with their posts. However, if a group you joined has now swayed off topic and is polluting your mind here is how you remove yourself from it:
Click on the Group name when you see it in your timeline and click on the Gear icon from the Group’s main page. Then select Leave Group
You will no longer see posts from the group.
How to get your sanity back on Twitter:
When you start to see followers losing the plot and Re-Tweeting other people’s tweet that have nothing to do with the reason you follow them in the first place, you have options.
To clean up your Twitter Timeline, you can click on …More at the end of the Tweet and either click on Mute @xxxx which will remove those Tweets from your timeline. or you can click on Block
If the same offender keeps reoffending and reposting garbage, then simply Unfollow that user or Block them so they don’t appear again.
How to get your sanity back on Google Plus:
How to remove offensive post from your Stream in Google Plus ?
Your Google Plus circles should offer you vital information, funny animation and even the odd weather pic. If there are mind numbing offenders who keep pushing offensive material to you, you can clean up the Stream.
Simply click on the “drown arrow” next to the post and select Mute Post. It will remove it from your timeline.
If the same poster keeps posting the same offensive material, you can then choose to Remove from Circles and not see their pollution again.
How to Remove Whats Hot and Recommended in Google Plus ?
Google Plus has an algorithm that kicks in whenever a topic receives many comment or many shares. This puts the topic into the Hot and Recommended category and it might appear in your life. However the topics might not always be favourable to your sensitive eyes as you can not control which topics will appear.
You can either click on the “down arrow” next to the post and select on Mute Post:
Alternatively, you can click on What’s Hot and Recommended, then select the Gear icon and either un-tick the option to Show post in Home Steam so you will not see the recommended posts again, or you can select Fewer post so that they aren’t cluttering your stream.
headline image from Shutterstock.com
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