How to Deal with Negativity Online
Not all negativity experienced online can happen to you directly. While some of it can be, what with trolling and cyber bullying, it could be something as simply as a triggering post or seeing content that makes you feel depressed or sad. Negativity online comes in spades, unfortunately, whether directly or indirectly, so how should you deal with it when you come across it? Let me tell you what I do.
Minimise your time spent online
The internet is a weird and wonderful place, but it can also be incredibly negative. Whether it's posting about something that's happened in the news or spreading false information to scare people, and everything in between, negativity online is everywhere. This is why you need to limit the amount of time you spend online. Take regular breaks and make a conscious effort not to scroll online first thing in the morning or last thing at night.
Disable your notifications
If it's not at the forefront of your mind, it won't bother you. Disable notifications on your devices, whether it be from news apps or messages on Facebook or Instagram, for example. If you don't have reminders of the negativity you've been experiencing recently, then you'll be far less likely to give it a second thought during your everyday life.
Block or mute accounts
If accounts or individual people are causing you to feel negative, or if they're talking to you directly, then the simple thing to do is to either mute them or block them completely. It might be that an account or a person has triggered you and you want to put them on mute for a while rather than block them or unfollow them.
The great thing about advancements in social media is the various features available to protect people from negativity online, and the ability to block or mute them are just two of those features that are simple-yet-effective.
Don't respond impulsively
It's all too easy to respond to someone who has been negative directly to you. Whether they've said something nasty or something you don't agree with, the best thing to do is not respond, at least not straightaway. This is because your response will be emotionally charged. Think things over, at least over night, and think carefully about your reply especially if it's going to be open for the general public to see. My advice? Ignore it completely.
Put your focus onto positive posts & people
Instead of putting your time and energy into trying to avoid negativity, shift your focus onto people online who are making you feel positive and happy. The accounts I follow that make me feel happy will usually involve some sort of animal, mostly dogs, but a few rabbits and guinea pigs as well. They just make me smile. There's nothing negative about a cute little animal just living their happy little furry lives.
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I hope you enjoyed this blog post and found it somewhat useful in your battle against negativity online? Let me know in the comments below how you like to deal with negativity online and I'll see you all again soon with some brand new content for you!
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