***TRIGGER WARNINGS***

Any and all aspects of mental and physical health.

Social media and the digital communication age can negatively impact on our mental health, but often these methods of communication can be vitally important to us too.

Nothing beats a face to face chat. However, this may not always be practical or possible - as we well know with recent and ongoing events. Now we have entered the age of Zoom, Microsoft teams, Facetime and so on, we must acknowledge that these applications are a vital lifeline to so many of us.

The internet and all the new platforms that continue to be developed often get a bad reputation and while this is completely valid (inexcusable events do occur far too frequently), we can take ownership for the content we choose to see and be part of. There are lots of good and positive ways to communicate electronically that would definitely have not been possible without the digital age we live in today. Feeling closer to others, doing training, having shared experiences and even socialising with someone without physically being close to them is now more possible than ever.

Now is the time to use social media and electronic communication for good - keeping in touch with friends and family, making new connections online with groups and forums specific to things that interest us or to bond with others that are experiencing similar life events/issues and even counselling/medical appointments are now all available without leaving your home (and even your bed).

This makes socialising and receiving treatment (and some types of employment too) much more accessible for so many people and that can only be a good thing.

#social #SocialMedia #Connection #electronic #Communication #Facebook #zoom #Tiktok #whatsapp #insta #Instagram #SCUFF #ScarCoverUpFreedomFund #MH #mha