{"id":317840,"date":"2026-03-13T15:27:20","date_gmt":"2026-03-13T20:27:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/girlslife.com\/?p=317840"},"modified":"2026-03-13T15:29:48","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T20:29:48","slug":"is-your-feed-messing-with-your-mental-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/girlslife.com\/wellness\/317840\/is-your-feed-messing-with-your-mental-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Your Feed Messing With Your Mental Health? Try These Fixes"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-318221 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/girlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/social-media-boundaries.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1000\" height=\"1176\" srcset=\"https:\/\/girlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/social-media-boundaries.png 1000w, https:\/\/girlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/social-media-boundaries-255x300.png 255w, https:\/\/girlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/social-media-boundaries-871x1024.png 871w, https:\/\/girlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/social-media-boundaries-768x903.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"298\" data-end=\"608\">Are you always finding yourself checking social media? Let\u2019s be real\u2014it\u2019s *so* tempting to refresh your feed, see what your friends are up to or check how many likes your latest post got. But between endless scrolling, comparison traps and major FOMO, your online world can start to feel, well, a little overwhelming.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"610\" data-end=\"867\">If you\u2019re stuck in that mental loop, don\u2019t stress. Social media can still be fun and inspiring\u2014you just need a few smart habits to keep it from taking over your good vibe. Here are a few simple tips for building a healthier relationship with your feed&#8230;<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff3399;\">1. Set your screen time<\/span><\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"903\" data-end=\"1179\">We\u2019ve all been there: You open TikTok for \u201cjust a minute\u201d\u2026and suddenly two hours have flown by. Spending too much time online can increase feelings of anxiety, comparison and low self-esteem, which is why setting a few boundaries with your screen time can make a big difference.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1181\" data-end=\"1453\">If you have an iPhone, you can do this by going into <strong data-start=\"1234\" data-end=\"1260\">Settings &gt; Screen Time<\/strong>, where you can set daily limits for apps like TikTok and Instagram. You can also try apps like <a href=\"https:\/\/screenzen.co\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ScreenZen<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.opal.so\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Opal<\/a> to help you stay mindful of how much time you are spending online.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff3399;\">2. Try a social media reset<\/span><\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"1636\" data-end=\"1835\">If social media ever starts to feel overwhelming, it might be time for a little reset. Challenge yourself to step away from your apps for a weekend\u2014or even just a full afternoon\u2014and see how it feels.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1837\" data-end=\"2208\">Instead of scrolling, make plans with your besties\/siblings\/cousins and live in the moment. Hit the mall, plan a DIY spa day, go for a walk, or grab iced lattes. Sometimes a quick break is all it takes to come back to your feed feeling refreshed instead of drained.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff3399;\">3. Train your algorithm<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-317883 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/girlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/screentime.jpg\" alt=\"A woman in floral pajamas sits on a bed with pink pillows, holding a tablet showing a grid of images\u2014perhaps browsing mental health tips. Only her lower face is visible, and she appears relaxed in this cozy, calming setting.\" width=\"750\" height=\"1000\" srcset=\"https:\/\/girlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/screentime.jpg 750w, https:\/\/girlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/screentime-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2244\" data-end=\"2398\">Your FYP isn\u2019t random\u2014it\u2019s based on the content you interact with the most. That means you actually have more control over your feed than you might think.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2400\" data-end=\"2701\">If certain posts leave you feeling stressed, insecure or just plain annoyed, don\u2019t be afraid to tap \u201cNot Interested,\u201d unfollow or mute those accounts. Instead, engage with content that genuinely makes you smile\u2014whether it\u2019s funny videos, cute kittens, creative DIYs or clips from your favorite shows.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2703\" data-end=\"2889\">The more you interact with positive, uplifting content, the more of it the algorithm will send your way. And trust us\u2014your future scrolling sessions will feel way\u00a0better because of it.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff3399;\">4. Level up your digital skills<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If you want to feel more confident navigating social media, you might want to check out the <a href=\"https:\/\/socialmediadriverslicense.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Social Media Driver&#8217;s License Course<\/a>. This program is designed to help you understand how social media *really* works&#8230;and how to handle any tricky sitch that pops up online.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"746\" data-end=\"1106\">Across a series of video lessons, you\u2019ll learn how to handle things like comparison spirals, awk DM drama, strangers in your follow requests and posts that just don&#8217;t sit right. The course also breaks down how apps are designed to keep you scrolling\u2014and how to build healthier habits so social media stays fun instead of stressful.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff3399;\">5. Turn off the nonstop notifications<\/span><\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"300\" data-end=\"558\">If your phone is constantly buzzing with notifications from TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat, it can make it way harder to focus on what you\u2019re doing IRL. Those little pings are designed to pull you back into the app\u2014even when you weren\u2019t planning to check it.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"560\" data-end=\"796\">Try turning off non-essential notifications for your social media apps in your phone\u2019s settings. That way, you can still open them when you want\u00a0to scroll, but you won\u2019t feel like you have to check every time your phone lights up.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"798\" data-end=\"983\">You might be surprised how much calmer your day feels when your phone isn\u2019t constantly calling your attention. And bonus: When you do log on, it\u2019ll feel way more fun and less like a reflex.<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\">Follow <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/girlslifemag\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@girlslifemag<\/a> on IG for more advice! \ud83d\udc96<\/h4>\n<h4>Looking for more advice on mental health? You will def heart these:<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/girlslife.com\/life\/213232\/how-therapy-helped-me-overcome-my-battle-with-dpression-anxiety-and-ocd\/\">\ud83d\udc93 &#8220;How Therapy Helped Me Overcome My Battle With Depression, Anxiety And OCD&#8221; One GL Girl&#8217;s Story<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/girlslife.com\/life\/242321\/this-web-series-is-raising-awareness-for-teen-mental-health-struggles\/\">\ud83d\udc93 This Web Series Is Raising Awareness For Teen Mental Health Struggles<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/girlslife.com\/uncategorized\/281904\/mental-health-advice-tiktok\/\">\ud83d\udc93 Is TikTok Good Or Bad For Teen Mental Health?<\/a><\/h4>\n<p>Image Credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DPBwNAhCNzd\/?igsh=MTU0bXFtbHR3YTRscg%3D%3D\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@sincerelyjft<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Are you always finding yourself checking social media? Let\u2019s be real\u2014it\u2019s *so* tempting to refresh your feed, see what your friends are up to or check how many likes your latest post got. But between endless scrolling, comparison traps and major FOMO, your online world can start to feel, well, a little overwhelming. If you\u2019re [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3033,"featured_media":318221,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[61297,305,277,283],"tags":[48,59903,156,8017,18862,903,62539,1258,341],"class_list":["post-317840","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wellness","category-get-inspired","category-health","category-life","tag-advice","tag-limiting-screen-time","tag-mental-health","tag-phones","tag-screen-time","tag-social-media","tag-social-media-reset","tag-teen-advice","tag-teens"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/girlslife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/317840","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/girlslife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/girlslife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/girlslife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3033"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/girlslife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=317840"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/girlslife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/317840\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/girlslife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/318221"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/girlslife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=317840"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/girlslife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=317840"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/girlslife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=317840"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}