Author: Rhea Lewandoski R.D.
Social media can be tricky to navigate in recovery. It is always best to work with your treatment team and supports to figure out what strategies work best for you and your recovery. If you decide to continue using social media, we have come up with a few common recovery actions that can help support social media use.
Unfollow and mute any accounts that do not feel recovery focused or aligned with your recovery actions at this time.
Due to social media algorithms, you may see unhelpful information on your feed even after you have worked to remove these accounts. When you come across unhelpful posts, you can exit, use a grounding technique, and/or report any unsafe and unhelpful content when/if you have the capacity.
Even some eating disorder recovery accounts can feel uncomfortable and unhelpful at times. It's okay to unfollow them too.
This can be completed in sessions with your treatment team if that feels supportive.
Set boundaries. Whether it be for the use of social media or the time you spend on it.
There are apps that provide reminders or set timers to provide limits as you practice this boundary.
Some individuals may even find it helpful to create a new “recovery account” and start fresh, while logging out of their old account to come back to.
You can also take a break by removing social media apps from your phone or logging out.
Ask your supports to help you with accountability as needed.
By choosing to follow accounts that are helpful and promote your recovery you can use social media to your advantage. Follow recovery focused (if helpful) and body diverse accounts. Even following accounts that are unrelated to recovery, but bring you joy, and spark creativity or acknowledge your value-based activities can be helpful - think art, baby animals, comedy etc.
Take some time to reflect on how and why you use social media. Is your current use helpful or unhelpful to your recovery? Do you want to take a break? Do you want to create boundaries? Do you want to create a social media community that nourishes your recovery? Chat with your treatment team to explore.
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