🌿 Can the Internet Support Our Mental Health?

At Terra Soul Therapies, we know life isn’t black and white — and neither is our relationship with the online world.

A recent article explored something many of us feel: that the internet can both support and challenge our mental health. Here’s a breakdown:

✨ The Good

• Connection when you’re feeling alone
• Online communities can offer a sense of belonging, especially for people who feel isolated in their everyday lives.
• Safe spaces to explore identity
• Social media and forums can help people explore their mental health, cultural identity, gender, or neurodivergence in ways they might not feel safe to offline.
• Access to stories and support
• Many people find comfort in knowing they’re not the only one going through something. Hearing others’ experiences can be validating and healing.
• A chance to express yourself
• Sharing art, journaling, humour, or insights online can be a creative outlet that feels therapeutic in itself.

🌪️ The Harder Side

• Constant comparison
• Social media can lead us to compare our lives, bodies, or progress to others, often without realising it — and this can fuel self-doubt or low mood.
• Pressure to perform or explain yourself
• For some, being online feels like needing to “prove” or justify who you are, which can be exhausting and anxiety-inducing.
• Information overload
• The sheer volume of mental health content can be overwhelming — and not all of it is accurate or helpful.
• Emotional burnout
• Even supportive online spaces can become draining if we don’t take breaks or listen to our nervous system’s cues.

💭 So… is it helpful or harmful?

• There’s no simple answer — it depends on you and what’s happening in your life.
• Instead of judging it, we can gently ask:
  • How does this feel in my body?
  • Is this helping me feel connected, or more disconnected?
  • Am I using this space, or is it using me?

💬 Therapy can help you:

• Reflect on your relationship with the online world
• Explore feelings of overwhelm, disconnection, or anxiety
• Reclaim your voice and values away from digital noise
• Build habits that support emotional regulation and balance
• Come back to your body, breath, and inner wisdom

📞 If this resonates, support is available.

Visit www.terrasoultherapies.com.au or call 0416 158 752.

Come as you are. Leave a little more at peace.

https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/viewFile/23312/4903

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