It is not required reading

One of the Anxiety/Depression Awareness memes currently making the rounds starts with the line: “Social media only shows the good, the happy, and the positive things happening in our lives.”

From there an appeal is made to keep one’s perspective, to remember that Social Media is a highlight reel, not a representation of reality.

I need to tell you guys, that’s half nonsense.

If you have ANY diversity in your Friends List you’re going to see the Beautiful People™ doing their photogenic thing. But you’re also going to see the Miserable Alcoholic posting misspelled, incoherent self-pity on the Flying Poop Emoji background. There will be the Dog Whistle Bigot who wants to remind the world they have a comprehensive collection of grievances that all amount to “White Genocide.” The grandmother who advertises her naiveite by re-posting every glowing rose and chloroform-card warning she sees. The high school classmate who regularly shares photos from a relationship 25 years dead and gone. And the people who reply to anything and everything with “So” “Bullshit” and “Who cares.”

Yes, there are people showing their best side. And there are people who THINK they’re showing their best, but who are so toxic it seeps through their carefully constructed façade.

And there is a tsunami of naked negativity and stupidity.

So anxious and depressed people hear me out: Your anxiety and depression may have less to do with Ken & Barbie’s Weekend in Wine Country and more to do with all the unhappiness and ignorance tucked in around it. The toxic stream of consciousness is not your fault. And it is not required reading.

Use your Unfollow and Mute buttons. Take the apps off your phone. Block people who actively abuse you. Limit your use of social media to a few minutes a day to check for messages.

Depression and Anxiety go WAY deeper than social media triggers, and I hope you’ll pursue help managing those issues. But you can start by controlling the flow of external unpleasantness.