A former professional football player is hoping to inspire men across the country to be more mindful about the amount of time spent on social media. Mental health advocate Henoc Muamba – who’s played on a number of Canadian Football League and National Football League teams – is using his platform to raise awareness about the link between the social media and self-worth. According to the Canadian Men’s Health Foundation, more than half of men aged 19 and 44 are spending more than three hours a day on social media platforms. And that fixation with time spent online is taking a direct toll on their mental health. Muamba told CTV Your Morning on Friday, that while he was surprised by the amount of time Canadian men are spending online, he also understood. “I spend quite a bit (of time on social media) as well, but I’m actually trying to be more aware and conscious about it,” he said. Muamba added that if you look at the demographic of men aged 19 to 29, 73 per cent said they spent more than three hours online a day. Previous research from the Canadian Men’s Health Foundation found that more than three hours of social media time a day could double the risk of moderate to severe anxiety, and triple the risk of depression, anger and suicidal ideation. Muamba said that the main reason those mental health challenges are triggered by social media is because of the comparison. “You’re comparing your behind-the-stage real life to people’s highlights,” he said. “It’s absolutely important for you to be aware of those situations, aware of those consequences, and find solutions to what can you do outside of that.” Muamba stressed that he’s not trying to vilify social media, as it has the potential to be a great tool for finding community. However, he said it’s important to figure out how to do that without doomscrolling. “That’s the kind of thing to be aware about and take control with that relationship,” he said. Muamba encouraged social media users to recognize how the algorithm might be impacting their mental health and find ways “guard yourself from that trap.” He suggested understanding when it’s a good time to put down your phone, or putting a time limit on it. “(Logging off) presents a layer when you want to get back on there, which kind of lets you think about, ‘Okay, what am I really going on this app for?’” he said. “It gives you a reason to pause and maybe reassess.”
