Are you guilty of hate following someone on social media? It might be effecting your mental health & HuffPost explained how & what to do instead.
If you don't know, "hate following" is when you can't help but follow someone on social media even though don't like them or things they do/believe in. Denise Dudley, a behavioral psychologist, explained to HuffPost:
“Schadenfreude: It’s a fancy German word that means getting a kick out of someone else’s misfortune. When we hate-follow, we’re secretly hoping for a politically incorrect slipup or a bad hair day to make us feel a bit better about our own lives."
Basically you enjoy watching the drama. But, hate following can have the opposite effect. Dudley said, quote:
“Constantly exposing yourself to stuff that irks you can crank up your stress and anxiety. It’s also a self-esteem downer. When we keep comparing ourselves to others, especially those Instagram-perfect people, our self-esteem takes a nosedive. It also gives you a negative mental set. Engaging in hate-following keeps you stuck in a loop of negative thinking.”
So what can you do instead? Replace the accounts you hate follow with ones that make you actually feel good or inspire you.
Source: HuffPost