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Category: Mental Health Tips

The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health and How to Find Balance

Posted on by Colony Care Behavioral Health in ,

In today’s always-connected world, social media plays a huge role in how we communicate, relax, and express ourselves. From TikTok trends to Instagram stories, we scroll through hundreds of moments every day — but not all of them leave us feeling good.

If you’ve ever noticed your mood drop or felt badly about yourself after spending time online, you’re not alone. Studies continue to show a strong link between social media use and mental health challenges, especially anxiety, depression, and self-esteem issues among young adults (Muacevic, Adler, 2023).

At Colony Care, we understand how overwhelming modern life can feel. Our team of independently licensed psychologists, therapists, psychiatrists, and psychiatric nurse practitioners has been providing mental health care in Massachusetts since 1994 — helping children, adolescents, and adults build healthier relationships with themselves and the world around them.

How Social Media Can Affect Your Mental Health

Social media can be a positive space for connection and creativity — but constant exposure can also make it harder to manage emotions and stress.

Some common effects of excessive social media use include:

  • Increased anxiety and depression: Constant comparison and negative content can elevate worry and sadness.
  • Low self-esteem: Seeing curated “highlight reels” can distort reality and impact confidence.
  • FOMO (fear of missing out): Feeling left out online can create pressure to stay constantly connected.
  • Sleep issues: Late-night scrolling disrupts rest, which can worsen mood and focus.
  • Information overload: A nonstop stream of posts and news can make it difficult to relax or think clearly.

If you find yourself feeling drained, anxious, or disconnected after using social media, it may be time to reset your habits — or to talk with a licensed professional about ways to manage these feelings.

Tips for Managing Social Media Anxiety

Building healthier digital habits can reduce stress and help you regain control over your time and emotions. Try these small but meaningful changes:

  1. Set time limits: Use app timers to manage your daily screen time.
  2. Curate your feed: Follow accounts that make you feel inspired and unfollow or mute those that cause stress.
  3. Be intentional: Ask yourself why you’re opening an app — connection, entertainment, or distraction?
  4. Unplug regularly: Spend part of each day offline and focus on in-person moments.
  5. Notice your feelings: Pay attention to how different platforms affect your mood.If setting boundaries doesn’t feel like enough, a therapist can help you identify deeper triggers and teach coping strategies to build emotional resilience.

Professional Support for Anxiety and Depression in Massachusetts

At Colony Care, we’ve supported Massachusetts residents for over 30 years with individual therapy and psychiatric care, including medication management, for:

  • Anxiety disorders and panic attacks
  • Depression and mood changes
  • Social anxiety and self-esteem concerns
  • Stress and burnout
  • Substance use and co-occurring mental health issues

Our clinician partners offer anxiety treatment near Boston and throughout the state, with offices in:

  • Wellesley, MA
  • Weymouth, MA
  • Yarmouth Port, MA
  • Arlington, MA

Our clinician partners provide both in-person and telehealth therapy, making it easier to find the care that fits your lifestyle.

Find Balance with Support from Colony Care

Social media doesn’t have to control how you feel. With the right support, you can create healthy boundaries, strengthen confidence, and reconnect with what truly matters.

Whether you’re struggling with social media anxiety, depression, or stress management, Colony Care’s team of experienced mental health professionals can help you find clarity and calm.

📍 Get started today:
Visit colonycare.com to learn more about our clinicians and schedule an appointment at one of our Massachusetts locations or via telehealth.

Sources:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10476631/

How to Cope When Your Best Isn’t Good Enough

Posted on by Colony Care Behavioral Health in

Have you ever poured your heart and soul into something, only to feel like it still isn’t enough? It’s an all-too-common experience that can leave you feeling defeated, inadequate, and stuck. But these feelings don’t have to define you.

A mental health specialist, including many types of therapists and psychiatric clinicians with Colony Care, can help you understand and navigate the emotions tied to this belief while offering strategies to foster a healthier perspective. Below, we’ll explore why you might feel this way and how to cope when your “best” doesn’t seem good enough.

Unrealistic Expectations: The Perfectionism Trap

Often, feeling like your best isn’t good enough stems from setting unrealistic expectations for yourself. Perfectionism can create a moving target that’s impossible to hit. You might think, “I should be able to do this perfectly,” or “Everyone else can handle this, so why can’t I?” These thoughts aren’t reflective of reality but rather an internal standard that’s overly harsh and unachievable.

How to Address It:

  • Recognize Unrealistic Standards: Write down your expectations for yourself and ask, “Would I expect this from someone I care about?” Often, we’re much harder on ourselves than others.
  • Focus on Progress Over Perfection: Celebrate small wins and acknowledge incremental improvements, which are often more sustainable and meaningful.

The Power of Self-Compassion

When you’re caught in the cycle of “not good enough,” it’s easy to spiral into self-criticism. But research shows that self-compassion—being kind and understanding to yourself—can significantly improve mental well-being and resilience.

How to Practice Self-Compassion:

  • Treat yourself as you would a friend facing a similar struggle. What supportive words would you offer them? Can you offer those same words to yourself?
  • Remind yourself that struggling is part of the shared human experience. You’re not alone in feeling this way.

Set Achievable Goals

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when goals are too ambitious or vague. Breaking them down into smaller, specific steps can make them more attainable and reduce the pressure of trying to accomplish too much at once.

Steps to Take:

  1. Identify one realistic goal at a time.
  2. Break it into smaller tasks.
  3. Celebrate each milestone, no matter how small.

Acknowledge Your Accomplishments

Our brains are wired to focus on what’s wrong or what we haven’t done, rather than what we’ve achieved. Taking time to reflect on your successes can help combat feelings of inadequacy.

Ideas to Try:

  • Keep a journal of daily accomplishments, no matter how small.
  • Ask a trusted friend or family member to remind you of your strengths when you’re feeling low.

Challenge Negative Self-Talk

The inner critic can be relentless, feeding thoughts like “I’ll never be good enough” or “I’m a failure.” These beliefs are not facts, and they can be challenged.

Techniques to Use:

  • Catch the Thought: Pay attention to moments when negative self-talk arises.
  • Reframe It: Replace it with a more balanced, realistic statement. For example, “I’m failing” becomes “I’m learning and improving.”

Exploring Root Causes

Feeling like your best isn’t good enough often ties back to past experiences. Perhaps you grew up in an environment where achievements were heavily emphasized, or you’ve internalized messages from society or work about what success looks like. Therapy can help you uncover and address these root causes, providing clarity and healing.

Seeking Support

Coping with these feelings doesn’t have to be a solo journey. Colony Care clinicians can guide you through the process of understanding your emotions, reshaping unhelpful thought patterns, and developing healthier self-evaluation practices. Most importantly, clinicians are trained to support individuals to apply these techniques in day-to-day life.

Counseling Services in Massachusetts.

When you feel like your best isn’t good enough, remember: those feelings are not a reflection of your worth. They’re a signal to pause, reassess, and practice kindness toward yourself.

With the right strategies and support, you can embrace your imperfections, celebrate your efforts, and recognize the value of who you are—not just what you achieve!

Contact Colony Care today to schedule an appointment with a licensed clinician. We have offices in Wellesley, Yarmouth Port, Arlington, and Weymouth and offer telemedicine for patients throughout Massachusetts. To get started, request an appointment today through our secure online form.

Sources: 

https://www.unk.com/blog/how-to-help-a-client-who-feels-they-are-not-good-enough/ 

https://www.thehappinessdoctor.com/blog/not-good-enough 

https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/how-be-friend-friend-whos-sick/201302/when-your-best-isnt-good-enough 

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