In a world that is ruled by social media, so much of our lives are on display. Sometimes, that can lead to unwanted (and usually unnecessary) negative comments or ‘trolling’. In light of it being Anti-Bullying Week, we’ve rounded up some top tips for dealing with these social media trolls, and making sure that your social media and online presence is a safe space for you.
1. Ignore it. This is much easier said than done, but rising to the comments can often fuel the fire more. The beauty of many social media platforms is that you can block the person that leaves these comments. Chances are this person is trying to get a rise out of you, so by ignoring it you’re not giving them what they want, and that’s a win!
2. Take some time out. If you find yourself overwhelmed by negativity and it is affecting you and your well-being, log off for the day and take the time to do something you enjoy. Have a soak in the bath, go for a walk, treat yourself to some yummy food, or go hang out with a friend if you can.
3. Focus on the good. You control who you see on your feeds, and you also control who can see your content! Follow accounts that you enjoy seeing, and don’t follow those that you don’t. Don’t be afraid to unfollow someone if you no longer enjoy their posts, and don’t hesitate to block people that you don’t want seeing your profiles, too. It’s likely that for every negative comment, there’s at least one nice comment too – so focus on that!
4. Don’t blame yourself. Bullies and trolls usually act out because they want attention, think they can get away with it, or just because they’re a mean person. If someone has nothing better to do with their time than spread hateful and nasty comments on your social media, then girl they’re not worth your time or energy!
5. Report their behaviour. Incessant trolling and bullying is no good for anyone, and most social platforms have a report feature – utilise it! Raise awareness, so others can block and report them too. If you’re receiving threatening or personal comments, it’s sometimes a good idea to take screenshots as evidence just in case they try to delete their comments, or if it needs to be taken further.
6. Remind yourself how worthy you are. The negative feelings are not here forever, be kind to yourself and remember you will get through this. Regardless of your skin tone, body size, age, gender, sexuality – you are worthy and deserving of all good things! Dress up in your favourite outfit, do your hair and make-up, dance to your favourite music. Whatever makes you feel good about yourself both mentally and physically, do it!
So, there’s our top 6 ways to deal with negative comments and trolls online. Remember, you’re not alone and there are so many people out there who will help and support you if you’re having a particularly hard time dealing with trolls. Let us know in the comments below, or over on our social channels, if you have any other top tips for dealing with online bullying!
LJ x
