Social media has become an integral part of our lives. As creative artists, we use it to showcase our work, connect with our audience, and find inspiration. In this week’s newsletter, I’d like to explore the impact of social media on artists’ mental health, in the positive and negative sense—and there’s plenty of both.

Questions for Exploration

* How do I feel before, during, and after using social media?

* How much time and energy do I spend on social media each day?

* Why do I use social media—what are my goals and expectations?

* Do I feel the need to be successful/validated/liked when I use social media?

* How do I cope with negative feedback, criticism, or trolling—what are my current strategies?

* How do I deal with comparison, envy, or insecurity after social media use?

* How do I balance my social media use with real-life social interactions and support?

* How do I currently protect privacy and boundaries online?

* How do I maintain my artistic integrity and authenticity when I use social media?

* How do I currently use social media to enhance my creativity and inspiration—does it work, or could I do anything differently?

If you would like to share what you have found out, or meet other likeminded people: You can do both via our community on Substack (it’s free).

If you would like to access all information mentioned in this episode (including links to articles) and get a written transcript: You can find it here.

If you are interested in exploring mental health and creativity through a lens of storytelling, please also check out my newsletter The Sandman: Shadow Truths, which alternates with The Creative Cure and also has its own companion podcast.

You can also join my Facebook group or follow me on Twitter and Instagram.

Thanks to Aleksey Chistilin of Lexin Music for creating the music.