Prioritizing Mental Health in a Digital World
January 9, 2025By: Trevin Lambert
Categories: Spiritual Wellness
In today’s fast-paced, digitally dependent world, mental health often takes a backseat to the constant demands of technology, social media and online interactions. However, mental health plays a crucial role in shaping your overall quality of life. Your mental state impacts how you think, feel and behave.
Prioritizing mental health in today’s world can be challenging, but it’s essential to protect your well-being. By embracing healthy digital habits, you can navigate the online world without compromising your mental health.
Create a Healthier Relationship with Technology
Start by unplugging from technology. A digital detox means a break from your devices and is shown to reduce stress and improve mental health. Disconnect from the endless stream of notifications, emails and social media updates, so you can reassess your relationship with technology and reengage with the world around you. Here are some tips for how to start a digital detox:
- Set Boundaries: Establish specific times to disconnect from your devices, such as during meals, before bedtime or during family time.
- Plan Your Detox: Choose a reasonable timeframe to disconnect. Consider a few hours each day, a full day each week or even a weekend getaway without screens.
- Engage in Offline Activities: Participate in activities that don't involve screens. Read a book, go for a walk, volunteer in the community, practice a hobby or spend quality time with loved ones.
- Ease Back in: Rejoin the digital world slowly to avoid feeling overwhelmed by information overload.
Embrace Technology the Right Way
While a digital detox is beneficial, it's also important to learn how to use technology in a way that supports your mental health. With the average screen time for adults at over six hours per day, responsible technology use is just as important as boundaries. Consider these strategies to create digitally healthy habits:
- Curate Your Online Environment: Unfollow accounts that contribute to negative feelings, and actively seek content that inspires, educates and uplifts.
- Use Technology for Good: Download apps for meditation and exercise or learn new skills to support your well-being.
- Practice Mindfulness: Be mindful of how and when you use technology, as well as the content you consume.
- Turn Off Notifications: Disable non-essential notifications to help you stay focused and reduce anxiety. Constant notifications can be distracting and stressful.
Maintaining Digital Wellness
Balancing your mental health with the demands of a digital world is possible and essential. Foster a healthier relationship with technology by setting boundaries, engaging in offline activities and mindfully curating your online environment. Utilize your devices in a manner to enhance your well-being and remember to take regular breaks to reconnect with the world around you. Prioritizing your mental health will lead to a more fulfilling and balanced life. If mental health symptoms are affecting your daily life, support is available at North Kansas City Hospital and Meritas Health.
If you need emotional support, reach out to the national mental health hotline. You can call, text or chat by dialing 988.
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline offers free and confidential emotional support to individuals experiencing suicidal crises, emotional distress, substance abuse issues or just someone to talk to. This service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Visit our Community Resources for more information.
