Social Media and Mental Health?

The only social media I've used is Facebook. That's locked down so only my friends see my posts and I hardly ever engage on public posts of the pages I follow. Those pages tend to reflect interests of mine - for example maps or fact verification. Other than that, I'm on a very few highly specialised groups. I spent 5 months off Facebook and have taught myself not to comment on a lot of friend's posts, when I know they won't welcome me pointing out flaws and falsities. As a result, I hardly get into any distressing arguments. On the other hand, it's boring, but that's easier to deal with than stress. My main activity these days is checking whether some claims in FB posts are true, mostly for my own amusement.

My own mental health has made me stop watching or listening to general news broadcasts. I can read articles that interest me on certain news websites instead. I don't care if I'm living in a comparitive bubble. I know the bad stuff is out there, but that doesn't mean I have to be in constant helpless anguish about it.

Hi Alexa,

I am perhaps luckier than you.  News sites like the BBC are useful for me to see what's happening in the world, whilst social media has a toxic way of interacting with news and facts.  There was a time quite recently when I would debate facts and figures.  But it's clear that so many are not interested at all in being factually correct, and no matter how one debates, there is no way to 'win' the argument with a closed mind.  So, the better-quality news sites are fine for me, but social media has become a no-go place, especially as my ability to keep silent is limited!

I haunt the BBC website. I'm also signed up to numerous news podcasts there, but I choose which episodes I listen to. I prefer to stick to consumer programmes, finance, history and the wonderful Tim Harford. 

I haunt the BBC website. I'm also signed up to numerous news podcasts there, but I choose which episodes I listen to. I prefer to stick to consumer programmes, finance, history and the wonderful Tim Harford. 

Tim Harford also has a brilliant podvast sereis on the BBC website called "Cautionary Tales". You might also appreciate Hannah Fry's podcast on data and discovery, although there are few (and brief!) episodes. 

The consumer programme I listen to regularly is the BBC podcasts "You and Yours", which is about the failures of firms and organisations to meet consumer expectations, along with frauds and scams. I'm not into programmes advocating consumer products as I regard them as little better than advertising.  Advertising doesn't work on me as I prefer to do my own research before buying something. I understand the basicis of advertising and PR from the professional, but it amazes me that so many people fall for it. Mind you, it explains why so many people fall for propaganda. Honestly, sometimes I think NT people need an autistic guardian to protect them from their gullibility. 

I'm a fan of 'More or Less'.  It's factual and humorous at the same time, and very well presented.    Consumer programmes are anathema to me, as I worked in an approvals laboratory for five years and learnt much about comparative testing, which consumer programmes often fail to do with any scientific rigour.  Their emphasis on comparative costs rather than comparative value seems wrong to me.  That said, I understand that I am in a minority in that view and would never want to persuade anyone that my view (in this arena) was the right one. 

Holding a minority view is very common for me; for instance, I am a republican and believe that royalty is something that should be abolished.  But the vast majority of British people disagree, which is something I do not understand at all, and therefore I choose not to engage in the argument, which tends to be made on emotional grounds rather than factual.