How to Use Social Media Without Losing Your Mind

Love it or hate it, social media is baked into daily life—from morning scrolls to late-night doom dives. But constant connection comes at a cost: comparison spirals, burnout, and that nagging sense of not-enoughness. So how do you stay online without losing your grip on reality (or your self-worth)? At Dandy, we’re sharing the tools, habits, and mindset shifts that help you scroll smarter, post with purpose, and log off when you need to.

By Dandy / Apr 29 2025

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We love a good scroll. A dopamine-fuelled swipe through stories, a perfectly curated feed, maybe the odd unhinged meme. But let’s not pretend it hasn’t taken a toll.

Social media can connect us, inspire us, and even make us laugh-snort on the train. It can also leave us comparing, spiralling, doomscrolling and self-doubting. What started as a fun way to keep up with friends has become, for many, a round-the-clock information drip that messes with our attention spans and mental health.

Still, going off-grid entirely isn’t realistic for most of us. Whether it’s for work, staying in touch, or just knowing what’s trending, the online world is a part of our lives. The key isn’t to quit cold turkey — it’s learning how to use social media without letting it use you.

Here’s how to stay sane, present and well in a world designed to keep you scrolling.

Step 1: Know What You’re There For

Start by asking yourself a deceptively simple question: why am I using social media today?

Is it to connect with friends? Get inspired? Learn something? Promote your work? Or are you just bored and looking for a dopamine hit?

Being intentional with your scrolling can help you avoid the black hole of passively consuming content that makes you feel worse, not better. Before opening the app, take a second to clock your motivation — even that tiny moment of awareness can help you stay grounded.

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Step 2: Curate Your Feed Like Your Sanity Depends On It

Social media is only as healthy as the content you consume. If your feed is full of people who make you feel less-than, anxious or annoyed, it’s time for a little digital spring cleaning.

Mute, unfollow or restrict accounts that drain your energy. You don’t owe anyone your attention — even if they’re your cousin’s ex or a friend from uni you haven’t seen since 2014.

Instead, fill your feed with things that nourish you. Think:

Creators who inspire, not intimidate
Experts who educate, not preach
Memes that actually make you laugh
Real people sharing real stories

Make your feed feel more like a cosy, creative hangout and less like a 24/7 performance review.

Step 3: Get Real About Comparison Culture

We all know social media isn’t real life, and yet our brains don’t always get the memo. That influencer’s glowing skin might be a filter. That ‘candid’ beach photo was probably the 47th take. Even wellness content can become toxic when it’s all green juice, 5am workouts and ice baths.

When comparison creeps in, gently remind yourself: you’re seeing someone’s highlight reel. You don’t know what’s happening behind the scenes. Their success doesn’t make yours any less valid.

If you catch yourself spiralling, log off and reconnect with your own reality. Go outside. Text a friend. Do something tactile like cooking or stretching. You exist beyond the screen — and you’re doing just fine.

Step 4: Create, Don’t Just Consume

We’re not saying you need to start a TikTok empire, but shifting from passive scrolling to active creating can make your time online feel a lot more fulfilling.

Post something meaningful. Share a thought, a moment, something silly. Use social media as a tool for expression, not just comparison.

Creativity is grounding. It gives your digital life a sense of purpose. Whether it’s a story, a playlist, a photo you’re proud of — creating can shift your mindset from “look at them” to “here’s me.”

Step 5: Set Boundaries (And Actually Stick to Them)

You don’t need to delete Instagram forever. But you might want to delete it for the weekend. Or install an app blocker for that one hour before bed when your self-control is non-existent.

A few boundary ideas:

Set a timer for 20-minute scroll sessions
Avoid checking socials first thing in the morning
Keep your phone out of your bedroom
Designate screen-free hours (especially during meals or before sleep)
Use apps like Freedom, Opal or Digital Wellbeing to limit usage

The goal isn’t restriction, but rebalancing. You’re taking your time and attention seriously — and that’s a power move.

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Step 6: Follow People Who Talk About This Stuff

You’re not the only one feeling overwhelmed. A growing number of creators and mental health professionals are talking about digital burnout, tech balance and mindful media consumption. Some to follow:

@the.holistic.psychologist
@restful.tools
@themindgeek
@drsophiegill (UK-based mental health and screen habits)

Let their content be a gentle reminder that your worth isn’t measured by engagement, and your brain deserves rest.

Step 7: Have a Plan for the Doomscroll

You know the moment. You’re tired, your defences are down, and suddenly you’re deep into the news, a thread of worst-case scenarios or someone else’s big shiny announcement.

Doomscrolling is a form of self-soothing that backfires. When you notice yourself sinking into it, try to interrupt the pattern with something sensory:

Wash your hands
Step outside for 60 seconds
Do a single stretch
Close your eyes and take five deep breaths

The goal isn’t perfection — it’s pattern-breaking. Every time you catch yourself and choose differently, you’re rewiring your brain.

The Dandy Takeaway

Social media is not the enemy. But the way it’s designed doesn’t always have your wellbeing in mind. You have to be the one to set the tone, the boundaries, and the intention.

It’s about turning down the noise, reconnecting with what matters and using the tools available to support your real, offline life.

So unfollow freely. Log off when you need to. Choose presence over performance. And remember: the most interesting parts of your life aren’t the ones you post about.