Social media can be a plus during coronavirus pandemic if used carefully

With physical distancing requirements still in place to help slow the spread of coronavirus, many people homebound lacking the social activities that once kept them occupied, have relied more on social media for news, entertainment and connection.

But managing social media use in a way that helps mental well-being can be difficult, according to Dr Sarah Lowe, who is both a clinical psychologist and a professor in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Yale School of Public Health.

“Repeated exposure to aversive details and imagery through the media and social media exacerbates mental health risks,” she said. “Social media can be a blessing and a curse because people post really inspiring content and enrichment activities…but they also often…post terrible stories.”

Stephanie Civetelli, of Middletown, said she removed the Facebook app from her phone’s home screen because she found herself opening it as a reflex and it would inadvertently cause stress.

“All it takes is one sad story or video to really upset me and make me panic,” she said in an email. “I am now trying to be more deliberate with my usage of social media. With that said I also find comfort in seeing friend’s posts and knowing we are all going through this together.”

Civetelli said her reactions can depend on her mood at the moment, so if she’s feeling anxious, she won’t open any social media apps.

At our fingertips

“The nature of social media makes it difficult to separate the positive aspects from the negativity or stress, but people should remember they are the agents of their account,” said Mary Dunn, assistant teaching professor of advertising and integrated communications at Quinnipiac.

“Social media can be power tools to help us not feel so alone while social distancing, share problem solving solutions to new challenges we are all facing, and enable us to chronicle our experiences during this unique time,” she said.

Linda Fiore, of North Haven, said she’s keeping up with news, friends, entertainment and the arts through Facebook and Instagram. And even though her small business is temporarily closed because of the coronavirus emergency, she’s able to continue communicating with customers.

Looking for a silver lining in the crisis, Fiore wondered how isolated people would really be without social media and the communication technology society has now that allows people to stay informed, amused, consoled and more.

“I love that the world is at our fingertips,” Fiore said in an email. “It certainly helps me to keep my spirits up.”

Dunn said being self aware while using social media is always one of the most effective ways to manage your use and people should consider whether their mood improves or degrades when they’re using it.

Users can set timers or notifications within apps to tell them how long they’ve been on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram if they’re trying to limit themselves, she said.

As for absorbing the news, Lowe recommended getting the facts you need from a trusted source and then taking some distance. And it turns out that’s also just what people have started doing.

Change in habits

Rich Hanley, associate professor of journalism at Quinnipiac University, said the pandemic has led people back to local and established news sites, rather than turning to the misinformation spread on social media.

“Partisan stuff has given way to the more tangible material that mainstream news sells,” he said. “Credibility now matters on social media, to a point.”

While false news sharing still exists on social media, Hanley said the companies have also started policing that content more diligently.

“It (misinformation) is causing damage, but it’s not as pronounced as it was early in the crisis,” he said. “Social media companies aren’t taking it lightly. They’re eliminating accounts that participate in the spread of Covid-19 misinformation. It shows how high the stakes are. The companies are realising they can help prevent people from dying.”

Hanley said this change has influenced people’s behaviour on social media, particularly Facebook, as people begin to realise how the spread of misinformation can hurt people.

“There’s less impulse and more deliberation to what they’re reading, because people understand there are consequences now, and those are felt more personally rather than politically,” Hanley said.

He said users are becoming more thoughtful and less impulsive with their posts and shares because compassion has become more prominent as the crisis deepens.

“Social media will always be a place for airing grievances, but I think the harsher edges of it will be sanded down by the users themselves experiencing the crisis,” he said. “There’s now a personalisation of the crisis that’s been absent.”

However, if the crisis drags on for too long, with people continuing to be out of work and kids out of school, “social media could turn into a hotbed of impulses that are anything but kind,” he said.

Dunn said during this time in which many things are out of our control, people should “be empowered by consciously curating your social media environments and being purposeful with your social media usage”.

New uses

Helen Barajas, of Hamden, wasn’t one for social media before the coronavirus crisis, but since everyone has been told to stay home, she said it’s been a lifeline for her to stay informed and connected.

Now she’s been calling her mother overseas through Facebook Messenger, watches her church livestream their services on Sundays and her mayor’s weekly Facebook Live updates.

More public officials are taking advantage of social media live streaming — including State Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn. — and posting coronavirus related information to Facebook and other platforms encouraging residents to stay home and practice health guidelines.

Many public meetings are being held through video conferencing platforms and shared to social media because boards and commissions can’t meet in person and more news is being shared through Facebook and other online platforms.

Because of that, Barajas is concerned about elderly people, including a friend of hers, who don’t like using computers or social media, who might now be totally cut off because they’re not connected to the live streams and food distribution notices that are only seen online now.

Experiences reported here were gathered by sharing a post on Hearst Media managed Facebook pages. — The New Haven Register/Tribune News Service

Source: TheStar