by Marquetta Smith | Mar 21, 2025 | Featured Post, Mental health
The Growth of Social Media
- Over the past two decades, social media has rapidly transformed the world. What was non-existent just decades ago is now deeply intertwined in our society. Although it is still a somewhat new concept in human history, we are starting to see its lasting effects and how it can affect us in the long run.
- When examining the impact of social media, it’s essential to consider various factors and how they affect our interactions and perceptions. A report from 2023 by the U.S. Surgeon General found that in a pool of kids between the ages of 13-17, 95% of them use some form of social media. A third of them reported to be almost constantly using social media (U.S. Surgeon General). In other words, social media is here to stay for the foreseeable future. The amount of youth who find themselves almost constantly using social media could be seen as a cause for concern. If someone is spending all their free time scrolling on the internet, what could they be missing out on? What would they be doing instead?
The Impacts
- Social media, like any other thing, has both pros and cons. Some positives include the ability to connect with old friends, discover new topics and ideas, and interact with new people. The same article points out that “These relationships can afford opportunities to have positive interactions with more diverse peer groups than are available to them offline and can provide important social support to youth” (U.S. Surgeon General).
- During the pandemic when the ability to interact with people in person was severely limited, social media helped bridge that gap. It allowed people to not feel so alone and helped provide some stress relief for many in such an uncertain time (Zsila & Reyes).
- Despite these pros, however, it’s impossible to not see how social media has negatively impacted people. When used excessively, it has been found to correlate with an increase in poor mental health. In the study The Impact of Social Media Use Interventions on Mental Well-Being: Systematic Review, a study was done that had participants limit their social media usage. One of the biggest outcomes they found from this study was a decrease in depression from 70% of participants (Plackett, Ruth, et al).
The Content
- Social media itself may not be the root cause of these results, but rather the content that is shared. The article tells us “Concerns have been raised that social media may lead to body image dissatisfaction [6], increase the risk of addiction and cyberbullying involvement [5], and contribute to phubbing behaviors” (Plackett, Ruth, et al). Those on social media need to be mindful of who and what they follow, that they expose themselves to. You could curate your timeline to bring you tidbits of joy through the day, or tidbits of distress.
- From what we have found from research, it is hard to pretend that social media has no negative consequences. Excessive use has been proven to hurt our mental health, and a large amount of people are using it excessively. We should all self-reflect on our screen time and honestly determine if our usage needs to be cut back. After all, our mental health is far more important than our online presence.
Written by Emily Churchill, intern at Safe Harbor House. For more articles, visit www.safeharborim.com/articles.
All images in article were generated using Canva AI.
Sources:
U.S. Surgeon General. “Social Media and Youth Mental Health.”
HHS.Gov, 2023, urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/reports-and-publications/youth-mental-health/social-media/index.html__;!!PrVBqlTvcBbYrqSF!HnPN5eIBbujXO457Pj9-3TmEJO-fz6yEuFxBG9UO29XD08a2aMNuuZEgaWS5FyoS5AoCVjUteDW6odQI7iunNZkBxFA$
Plackett, Ruth, et al. “The Impact of Social Media Use Interventions on Mental Well-Being: Systematic Review.”
Journal of Medical Internet Research, JMIR Publications Inc., Toronto, Canada, urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.jmir.org/2023/1/e44922/__;!!PrVBqlTvcBbYrqSF!HnPN5eIBbujXO457Pj9-3TmEJO-fz6yEuFxBG9UO29XD08a2aMNuuZEgaWS5FyoS5AoCVjUteDW6odQI7iunt__V3X4$.
Zsila, Ágnes, and Marc Eric S. Reyes. “Pros & Cons: Impacts of Social Media on Mental Health – BMC Psychology.”
BioMed Central, BioMed Central, 6 July 2023, urldefense.com/v3/__https://bmcpsychology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40359-023-01243-x__;!!PrVBqlTvcBbYrqSF!HnPN5eIBbujXO457Pj9-3TmEJO-fz6yEuFxBG9UO29XD08a2aMNuuZEgaWS5FyoS5AoCVjUteDW6odQI7iunloi5qro$.
by Marquetta Smith | Mar 13, 2025 | Featured Post, Wellness
What is Minimalism?
Why Minimalism?
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There are many benefits to living a minimalist lifestyle. Buying less means spending less money. This allows you to put that money that you may have spent on something you really don’t need towards something more important (i.e. bills, savings for the future) or something more meaningful (i.e. vacation, concert). This can create a domino effect that leads to better financial wellness, which down the road leads to less stress.
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Owning less can definitely help with finding things. A lot of times we sometimes go out and buy multiples of something unintentionally because we may have lost that item, or even forgot we already had that item. Sometimes we intentionally buy multiples so we can always find one of said item when needed. This can be considered wasteful spending if it is not necessary for you to have a duplicate of that item. When you have less clutter in the way, you also are less likely to be scrambling to find something important throughout all the clutter.
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A benefit to some may be the visual appeal. A space that is more maximalist can be overwhelming for some. Minimalism can help create a more visually clear space for a more peaceful state of mind.
How to practice minimalism?
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Decluttering can be a great first step. Evaluate the things you own. Have you used this in the past year? Does this still fit? Is it comfortable? Does this item bring me any joy? It’s also important to discern when you are keeping things for good reasons VS making excuses to keep said item. One common thing that many minimalists do is create a capsule wardrobe. This is a small collection of clothes that usually have more simple, maybe even timeless pieces that mix and match very well. This allows you to keep from spending money on clothes and can help save time when getting ready or when doing laundry.
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Now that you have decluttered, it’s important that you do not just refill your space with more items that you also do not need. The same questions can be asked when shopping as you do while decluttering. Currently there is a challenge called Project Pan that can be very useful for this. The idea is to completely use up one item before buying a second. For hygienic products, makeup, and similar items, that can mean using every drop so long as it is not expired or a hazard to your health or well being. For something like technology, it can mean not upgrading your phone until you actually need a new phone or attempting to repair an appliance before going out to replace it.
Minimalism is not always everyone’s cup of tea, but for many it can be a useful change in lifestyle. It can save money, time, and effort, which in the end creates more space for what really matters to you in life.
by Marquetta Smith | Feb 13, 2025 | Featured Post
As Valentine’s Day approaches, constant reminders of the holiday are everywhere. For some, this can be a sweet time to appreciate the love in their lives—whether romantic or platonic. However, for many, it can also bring up negative feelings, with loneliness being one of the most prevalent emotions.
It’s not uncommon to feel lonely. According to the article “Loneliness Matters: A Theoretical and Empirical Review of Consequences and Mechanisms,” up to 80% of individuals under 18 and 40% of adults over 65 report feeling lonely at least sometimes (Hawkley and Cacioppo). Furthermore, 15% to 30% of the general population experiences chronic loneliness.
While it can be disheartening to recognize how widespread loneliness is, it’s comforting to know that you’re not alone in feeling this way. Loneliness can impact more than just mental health; it has been linked to physical health problems such as heart disease, lung disease, cardiovascular issues, hypertension, atherosclerosis, stroke, and metabolic disorders (Yanguas, Javier,).
How to Approach Loneliness
Often, the first response to loneliness is to seek the company of others. For some, this strategy may work. However, research indicates that this is not always effective. The study mentioned earlier found that sometimes the most effective way to address loneliness is to challenge our negative thoughts and investigate the root causes of our feelings (Hawkley and Cacioppo). Occasionally, the problem may indeed be a lack of social interaction, but other underlying issues could be at play.
How can we tackle this?
Here are some suggestions:
- Counseling or therapy
- Journaling
- Prayer or meditation
You can also find counseling services through Safe Harbor. The study “What Works in Interventions Targeting Loneliness: A Systematic Review of Intervention Characteristics” emphasizes that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to loneliness.
However, it notes that “learned practices and behaviors should be integrated into one’s lifestyle to achieve long-term reductions in loneliness” (Morrish, N., et al.).
Remember, you are never completely alone. There are people in your life who care about you. We hope that you can feel the love around you this Valentine’s Day.
Written by Emily Churchill, intern at Safe Harbor House. For more articles, visit www.safeharborim.com/articles.
All images in article were generated using Canva AI.
Sources
Hawkley, Louise C, and John T Cacioppo. “Loneliness Matters: A Theoretical and Empirical Review of Consequences and Mechanisms.” Annals of Behavioral Medicine : A Publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Oct. 2010, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3874845/.
Morrish, N., et al. “What Works in Interventions Targeting Loneliness: A Systematic Review of Intervention Characteristics – BMC Public Health.” BioMed Central, BioMed Central, 9 Nov. 2023, bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-023-17097-2.
Yanguas, Javier, et al. “The Complexity of Loneliness.” Acta Bio-Medica : Atenei Parmensis, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 7 June 2018, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6179015/.
by Marquetta Smith | Jan 20, 2023 | Counseling, Empowerment, Featured Post
I don’t know about you, but I am relieved when trash day comes around for my neighborhood every week. This is the day we gather up all the trash around the house, check every trash can, making sure we remember all waste and place it in the big trash can for pickup on Thursdays. We also say that this is the day we remove the clutter in our homes.
I remember one week when the sanitary workers didn’t come, boy; you could see all of the built-up stuff and trash people had. All the trash accumulated over two weeks, and our neighborhood looked like a dumping ground. Waste fell out of the piled-up trash cans where cats had gotten into them the night before, and of course, the wind blew several trash cans down during that week due to a storm we encountered. You get the picture.
How to Remove The Clutter In Your Life
You may ask yourself, why is this writer talking about trash? Today I had a spiritual trash day. Yep, you heard me right… “a spiritual trash day,” a day of spiritual releasing of soul issues. I sat with God, my daddy, and dumped out all my feelings of pain, disappointment, discouragement, sadness, anger, bitterness, jealousy, envy, hatred, and so on.
Wow! I had a lot of stuff to get rid of that was eating me up inside. It was all trash that needed to be discarded. It was literally weighing me down to the point that I could not think, sleep or function normally.
Psalm 34:18 encourages us to go to God if we have a broken heart, suffer disappointment, give up hope, lose all hope, and are crushed in spirit. One version of the Bible, CSB (Christian Standard Bible), says, The Lord is near the brokenhearted, he saves those crushed in spirit. The Contemporary English Version says The Lord is there to rescue all who are discouraged and have given up hope.
During this prayer time, I heard the words “Trash Day.” The Holy Spirit began to minister to me about Trash Day and how I allowed all of this trash inside of me to compile over time without discarding it. The trash of people’s words, negative things I have said about myself, what people thought of me, bad situations, trauma from past hurts, disappointments, and even dealing with year after year not seeing promises fulfilled in my life.
Getting Rid of the “Soul Trash”
He began to remind me about our Thursday trash day and how if we don’t get rid of our “soul” trash every week, it will build up and begin to smell, mold, decay, and much more.
Our souls are our minds, emotions, will, and how we think and feel. It is who we are as human beings. Our souls are not designed to carry a lot of stuff in them. Yet over time, we continue to allow ourselves to get bogged down in souls with “Trash.”
So today, I sat with my Heavenly Father and had what I like to call “Trash Day.” I gave God everything that bothered me, weighed me down, made me sad, and discouraged me. After releasing all that stuff, I felt lighter, encouraged, and ready to take on my day.
Everyone Needs a “Trash Day”
I want to encourage you today to remember to always take time to talk to the Father and have regular “Trash Days.” God never designed us to carry all of this stuff around. To the caregivers, the front lines, counselors, and Pastors, and all of the ones who give to others week after week, remember that you, too, need a “Trash Day.”
Sometimes we may even need someone to help us release past pain, trauma, and disappointment, like a therapist. It is no shame to release what hurts you with another trained individual. Go ahead and have a “Trash Day.”
Image by Ralph from Pixabay
Written by Marquetta Smith, CCC, MSSW and ED at Safe Harbor International Ministries. For more articles, check out our blog page: https://safeharborim.com/articles/.
by Marquetta Smith | Dec 18, 2022 | Family Life, Holidays, Mental health
The holidays are a stressful time for everyone. Adding to this stress is the fact that seasonal depression, family difficulties, and reminders of loss are also common around this time. Because of this, it can be especially important to maintain your mental health. Whether you need something as simple as a two-minute meditation, or a reminder to go back to therapy (seriously, everyone should go to therapy), below are ten great ways to stay mentally happy and healthy during the holiday season.
1. Go to Therapy:
The holidays are a time of increased business. There’s always shopping to do, parties to attend, and preparations to plan. It can be tempting to skip out on a therapy session or two, but, if possible, prioritize therapy sessions. If you aren’t able to get out for therapy during this busy season, online therapy is an option for those who want to attend counseling sessions from the comfort of their own homes. The holidays can be a stressful time for all of us, and a little extra therapy can be exactly what you need to keep the stress down. Click here to schedule your free consultation
2. Prayer and Meditation on the Word of God:
Whether you struggle with stress, depression, or grief around the holidays, paying and meditation on the word of God can be the key to healing and coping. According to recent statistics, the top reason people don’t meditate is that they don’t know how, they don’t believe it’s beneficial, or they don’t have enough time. [1] Among many other benefits, prayer and meditation has been proven to reduce stress, control anxiety, and to promote emotional health. If you can spend five minutes scrolling on your phone or watching T.V., you can spend those five minutes listening to prayers and scriptures on YouTube. The benefits are amazing!
3. Get some sun/warmth:
It’s common for seasonal depression to settle in around this time. Studies show that sunlight can boost serotonin levels and that without enough sun exposure, those levels can lower. [2] The cold weather can often prevent us from going outside and getting the sun we need. To cope with this, it’s essential to go outside when possible, get some sun, and to (safely! Mind the UVs) soak in as much light as you can. If you have a seasonal affective disorder that is especially severe for you, you might talk to your doctor about getting a light box. Keep in mind that light therapy should typically be combined with counseling and other treatments.
4. Let family grudges go:
The holidays are a time to reconnect with family members. However, for many, it can often be a time of bringing up old relationship quarrels and family disputes. To avoid this, here are a few things to remind yourself:
It’s okay to set boundaries:
- You’re allowed to say no
- It’s okay to maintain an emotional distance
- You should limit your time with toxic family members
- People may not change – and that’s okay
- Families aren’t perfect
- You can love people without supporting their behavior
5. Allow yourself time to enjoy the season:
Though you may or may not feel like a Scrooge around the holiday season, remind yourself that you’re allowed to find something you enjoy about it. Whether it’s something simple like enjoying a limited-time seasonal food (I’m thinking specialty coffees and chocolate), or something more involved like holiday decorating or fun winter activities with friends or families, allow yourself to find something you like to do.
6. Keep it in moderation:
For many, moderation is the hardest part of the holidays. The holidays often revolve around food and fun, but that doesn’t mean you have to go overboard. Stick to some pre-planned limits when you go to parties. If alcohol is a problem for you, only permit yourself one drink – or make it a rule not to drink at holiday parties. If you have a hard time over-indulging on holiday foods, become more acquainted with your limits and stick to a plan. Sticking to a structured schedule can feel especially impossible during this whirlwind season, but setting aside time to prioritize it can help you to avoid unhealthy behaviors in the future.
7. Give Back:
For many, depression permeates the supposed season of joy. To fight back, spending some time giving to those in need may be just the thing. You could do this in many ways. Helping out at a local homeless shelter, putting together gift boxes for kids who need it, or simply donating a little extra money to your favorite charity are just a few ideas on how to give back to people in need. Putting in a little extra effort to make someone’s holiday season better can truly make it a joyful season of giving.
8. Avoid indulgence + Stick to a budget:
The holidays are also the season of spending! Just like moderation with food and alcohol, it’s important to practice moderation with finances. Though it can be tempting to follow where the sales lead you, reckless spending can lead to a cycle of regret. In order to avoid this, put a little extra time and effort into creating a budget for the holiday season. Know your limits – and stick to them. (And show yourself grace if you mess up every now and then!)
9. Practice gratitude:
A study by two psychologists, Dr. Robert A. Emmons of the University of California, Davis, and Dr. Michael E. McCullough of the University of Miami shows that gratitude and happiness are intimately (and scientifically) correlated in research.
“In positive psychology research, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.” [4]
Whether you keep a gratitude journal, write someone a thank you letter, or simply pray to express gratitude, practicing thankfulness can help put you in a positive mindset.
10. Reach out to others:
Lastly, don’t be afraid to reach out to others about how you’re feeling. The holidays can bring overwhelming amounts of stress, anxiety, depression, anger, grief, and joy all at once.. One of the best things you can do for yourself during this time is to surround yourself with people you trust. Connect. Open up. Share love and kindness. Listen.
Safe Harbor Blog Posts Mentioned in This Article:
- https://safeharborim.com/when-to-get-counseling/
- https://safeharborim.com/dreading-family-loss-during-holidays/
Written by Brooke Smoke, a 2020 blogger at Safe Harbor International Ministries and Marquetta Smith (ED for Safe Harbor). Edited by Anjum Ahmed & Rebecca Kochanek. For more articles, check out our blog page: https://safeharborim.com/articles/.
