With social media, networking is easy. Today we have many social media platforms where people engage, interact and connect from across the globe. Our lives have become so used to social media that all our work depends on it.
The stressful thing about social media is that it affects mentally. It has resulted in social anxiety, peer pressure, depression, and poor mental health, because of which some people even commit suicide.
Have you ever scrolled through social media and witnessed hate comments? Maybe someone was mean to you online, or you noticed people being hateful to others. Hatred has become a new trend. Anonymity has resulted in profanity and disrespect towards other social media users.
It can be challenging, but the following points will help you deal with online hate.
Keep Calm
Try to keep calm when someone criticizes you online. Trying to please everyone is impossible, so there is no point in even trying. I understand it is unacceptable that people send hate comments to despise you. You are not alone because every other social media user goes through this. It is all about the haters. They are probably jealous or unhappy with their own lives. You should stay calm and try not to react to the hate impulsively.
Don’t Take Things Personally
Although we cannot control others’ actions, we control what consumes us and where we want to spend our energy. Try not to take anything personally. Many people will try to pull you down. Don’t let a stranger stop you and be a roadblock by getting affected by such hateful comments. There is no point in bothering about what online haters think, feel, or react to since it is doing no good to anyone.
Avoid Offending Comments
Try not to visit the comment section because good comments might uplift you but hate comments can weigh you down. Disable the notification to avoid replying to such comments. The truth is that their personality reflects in the words they choose. It only portrays who they are. Their words can never define who you are.
Don’t Respond
The best way to deal with online hate is to ignore it. Please turn off your comment notifications and not let them get to you.
It can be tempting to fight back when someone is hateful, but it’s best not to engage. Ignoring is the best way to act. If you engage with the hate, you give the hater more attention and fuel for their fire. The more they see you react, the more they try to irritate you. Just pretend that you don’t care.
Be Emotionally Mature
Emotions come and go. Be emotionally mature and deal with situations wisely rather than recklessly reacting. Share how you feel with people you love and trust. Let your thoughts out so that they do not consume you. You cannot control their actions. Save your energy and use it to make yourself productive. There is no point in wasting it on something out of your control.
Take a Social Detox
If you feel overwhelmed by the hate, take a break from social media. Log off for a day or even a week, and take some time yourself. You don’t have to be available 24/7. Go out with friends and have a happy time with people who support you. It can be easy to feel like you. Just love what you do and be the best version of yourself.
Report & Block
If someone is harassing you and things are getting out of hand, you can block and report them to the platform. Try to communicate publicly as a first, and if it is still hard to deal with, report or block the accounts. It restricts them from being able to contact you. And it will also get them removed from the platform if their behavior violates the terms of service.
Finally, don’t be afraid to speak up. No wonder haters will make you feel gloomy, but you should focus on the bright side to keep moving forward. If you cannot ignore the hate, why not use it as motivation? Let it make you more determined to achieve your goals. It will help you deal with online haters.
As a community, we all have the right to express ourselves because it is our responsibility not to hurt any individual. Don’t forget that no human is perfect, and mistakes are okay. But, we all should learn from our mistakes and experiences as they polish our personalities.