One of our favorite Partners in Prevention, Patty Walters of the band As It Is reintroduced himself on Instagram yesterday, repping our “IT’S OK NOT TO BE OK” HFTD beanie. We do a good amount of work with Patty and the band, so naturally he opened up to us about how he’d taken a break from social media to focus on mental health.

“I had a relatively toxic relationship with social media where I wasn’t using it for myself or my own self expression, it was just a tool for exposure, and that’s not inherently bad, but it definitely started to become detrimental to my mental health . . . I’m excited to learn how to use social media for me and myself and my own self expression in a healthier way . . . I don’t believe that social media is inherently bad or good, it’s just a tool and what you make of it. It’s nice to be seeing the light in what used to be a very dark place for me.”

If you’re struggling with mental health and think social media might be a trigger or is making it worse don’t hesitate to take a break.

Here are a few healthy social media tips to follow:

1. Unfollow triggering or unhealthy accounts

2. Limit your usage time

3. Discover accounts that inspire and motivate you

4. Follow accounts that invest in your goals

5. Don’t compare yourself, your life, or your photos to others

6. Block users who bully or influence you negatively

7. Don’t engage in content that makes you feel bad

8. Use apps like Calm and Headspace for meditation and mindfulness