Online spaces, especially social media, gaming arenas, and forums, can sometimes pose threats to our mental health. The competitive nature of these spaces, though important for developing skills, having fun, building a community, and even generating income, also presents some psychological risks. These risks include exposure to burnout, performance anxiety, stress, identity crises, harassment, and loneliness, all of which are unhealthy for maintaining balanced mental health. While it may be challenging to completely rid online spaces of behaviors that trigger or accentuate these mental health risks, the following tips show what you can do personally to protect yourself.
1. Embrace self-help tools
Online spaces provide a high level of freedom and even anonymity in some instances. The freedom of expression in these online spaces also means users are exposed to comments and content that may negatively impact their mental health. One of the ways the Government regulates online spaces to ensure they’re safe for users is by requiring the platforms to provide self-help tools. These self-help tools come in a variety of ways, starting with screen time reminders that help users avoid burnout from spending too much time online. Many competitive online games have a “session timer” that users can set up to prevent overdoing it.
Social media platforms like Facebook integrate helplines to redirect users to helpful resources and channels when they search for terms like “depression” or “suicide.” These self-help tools are not limited to social media apps alone; the online casino space also provides several tools to help bettors protect their mental well-being. Casino review platforms like AskGamblers IN feature casinos that have self-exclusion tools that allow users to set limits on how much they can gamble within a duration of time. All these tools allow users to actively prevent themselves from extreme habits that may endanger their well-being.
2. Actively deal with negative behavior
When faced with scenarios that present psychological risks, such as seeing disturbing or inappropriate photos or getting harassed or abused, use the mute, block, restrict, or report options to remove yourself from that interaction. Reporting such experiences also helps protect other users from facing such harmful interactions. Notably, many online spaces have automatic moderation systems that prevent users from using banned words. It’s possible for users to get around the system by manipulating the letters used to make up such prohibited words. So, more often than not, the responsibility still falls back to the users to actively deal with toxic and aggressive behaviors.
3. Set your own rules
Many online games are highly competitive, compelling players to play for several hours to meet daily objectives and leaderboard rewards. Some online games, especially those with communities or team goals, lay down rules that members must adhere to in order to avoid being booted out. These rules and objectives can very quickly become the source of stress that affects hormones. It’s important to reassess how you play online games. It’s okay to be competitive and strive to nail big wins, but ensure you’re not being constantly pressured to show up at the expense of what should be your rest time.
Aside from the energy and time demand, many competitive online games spur users to make several in-game purchases. If you like spending on games, you can avoid overspending and maintain good money habits by setting a budget for games, just like you should with other entertainment subscriptions. Overall, be in charge of how you play without letting external influences pressure you into a gaming lifestyle that doesn’t support good well-being.
4. Have a support system
Competitive online spaces can sometimes lead to a host of mental health issues. Constantly checking stats, like how many likes you got, how your follower count compares to someone else’s, or whether your gaming rank has dropped, can take a toll on your mental health. It’s okay to aim to grow as an influencer or build an online brand or be a pro at gaming, but when you’re constantly anxious about your online performance, it may be time to do things a little differently.
Having a support system can sound like obvious advice, but that’s because it actually works. Your support system can be a friend, family member, or even your online community—people you can talk to about how you’re feeling, whether it’s frustration after losing a match or stress over low engagement, without receiving toxic feedback. In some cases, people may also look into structured forms of remote mental health support, such as Modern Recovery’s online program, particularly when ongoing stress or burnout becomes harder to manage on their own.Many people sometimes vent on social media as a way to process their experiences. Sharing openly can provide relief, but if you plan on doing this, it’s important to be mindful of what you share and choose spaces that feel supportive and safe.
5. Balance online and offline activities
When you’re engrossed with online activities, you might find yourself doomscrolling through social media. Mindlessly scrolling through news articles and social media can increase the chances of viewing content that is hard to watch and sad, and that can lead to depression. Doomscrolling can also shape how you view the world, especially if you keep seeing the same opinions over and over again. It’s important to always think critically about what you see and hear online. Look out for different opinions on a subject matter rather than viewing different content pushing the same narrative. And when staying online starts to feel overwhelming, take a break and embrace the physical world. Take random strolls around your block, join a club in town, or sign up for a physical meetup—anything to get off your screens from time to time and experience real-life activities.