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Be Careful of Social Media

ByBrandi Crum, LMFT, ADHD-CCSP

Be Careful of Social Media

Content Note:
This post discusses suicide, suicide loss, suicidal thoughts, grief, mental health, emotional pain, or crisis support. Please read with care. If this topic feels activating, it is okay to pause, step away, or reach out for support.

If you are in crisis, thinking about suicide, at risk of hurting yourself, or in immediate danger, call 911, call or text 988, or go to your nearest emergency room. This blog is not monitored for crisis support.

Be Careful of Social Media

Can you believe it?

  • Facebook has been around for 21 years, which is two decades.

  • Instagram? Fourteen.

  • Twitter (now X)? Nearly two decades.

  • TikTok? Almost a decade.

  • Snapchat? Fourteen years.

That means we’ve been living in the land of social media for over two full decades.

And in those two decades, a lot has changed.

We can order groceries without stepping foot in a store.
And we can have entire conversations through gifs, emojis, and text bubbles.
We can scroll past hundreds of perfectly cropped pictures in minutes.
Also, we can keep up with people’s lives but lose touch with our own.

But here’s the truth we don’t talk about enough:

We’ve stopped communicating face-to-face. Honestly, we’ve replaced real life with highlight reels. And it’s costing us more than we realize.

The False Narrative of the “Little Square”

You know the one. The photo that shows the smiling, sun-kissed family in matching outfits at the beach. What you don’t see? What’s outside the frame:

  • Mom, crippled by depression, curled in bed right after.

  • Dad, retreating to another room, battling secret addictions.

  • A child being left to fend for themselves.

  • Older kids lost in a world of unsafe screens. They are addicted, exploited, numbing pain in silence.

  • But hey, the photo got 246 likes. So, what’s the problem?

Here’s the problem:
Social media teaches us to package perfection, not to process pain.
We compare our messy middle to someone else’s filtered moment and believe we’ll never measure up.

The Emotional Toll

Messages get misconstrued.
Tone is misread.
Texts become triggers.
Friendships fracture.
Families fall apart.

And for many, this carefully curated world isn’t just overwhelming. It’s devastating.
Cyberbullying. Comparison. Isolation.
Mental health struggles intensify, and for some, the pain feels so suffocating that they believe the only way to find relief is to end their lives.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10 (NIV)

It’s Time to Reconnect with What’s Real

When did your family last sit at the table and share a meal?

When did you last laugh, play, pray, or simply be together without a screen?

Let this be your gentle challenge:

Clean House Digitally.

  • Remove apps that drain your time, your peace, and your joy.

  • Go through your friends list. Who fills your cup? Who depletes it?

  • Unfollow pages, groups, or influencers that no longer align with your values.

Protect Your Kids.

  • Children don’t need full-access passes to the internet.

  • YouTube can be a dangerous place. “Child-friendly” doesn’t always mean safe.

  • Keep conversations open. Get involved. Monitor the seeds your child is exposed to.

Choose Real Connection.

  • Text less. Call more.

  • Make time for family game night, spontaneous car rides, silly dances in the kitchen.

  • Don’t wait for a perfect moment. Create a present one.

You Are Not Alone

This isn’t about shame. This is about freedom.

You’re allowed to step away from the noise.
And you’re allowed to choose presence over performance.
You’re allowed to protect your peace, prioritize your family, and reconnect with the life God has given you.

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Romans 12:2 (NIV)

Crisis Support Disclaimer:
This post is shared for awareness, education, encouragement, and stigma reduction. It is not therapy, clinical advice, crisis care, medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Reading this blog does not create a therapist-client relationship with Barefoot Faith Journey or Circle of Hope Counseling Services.

If you are in crisis, thinking about suicide, at risk of hurting yourself, or in immediate danger, call 911, call or text 988, or go to your nearest emergency room. You are worthy of immediate care and support.

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I’m Brandi Crum, LMFT, writer, therapist, wife, mom, and the voice behind Barefoot Faith Journey. This space began as an adoption and family blog and has grown into a faith-filled place for psychoeducation, grief support, mental health awareness, and honest hope for life’s hard places. My writing is educational and inspirational only and is not therapy or a substitute for professional care. Kentucky residents seeking counseling can learn more through Circle of Hope Counseling Services.

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