How IG Photo Dumps Can Positively Support Your Mental Health
You may have seen photo dumps trending on Instagram lately, but did you know that beneath the trend are tangible, evidence-based benefits that can positively impact your mental health?
How does it work?
A photo dump serves as a visual journal of a collection of experiences that brought you joy. The conscious action of pausing to take a photograph of something that sparked happiness, and then revisiting that in a moment of reflection signifies to your brain that this was an important event and helps to solidify it as a long-term memory.
How did we get here?
We are intrinsically wired to look for the negative as a way of protection. This stems from way back when we were cavemen and needed to be experts at assessing potential threats and focusing on the worst-case scenario as a means of survival. That same instinct has followed us into the modern day, meaning we are more likely to pay attention to the negative aspects of our lives and the potential pitfalls, rather than allowing ourselves to be present. This can cause feelings of overwhelm, anxiety, and low mood.
On top of this negative thinking style, we live in such a fast-paced, ever-changing environment of family, careers, and relationships where the focus is on continuously pushing forwards. We rarely take a moment to intentionally look for and celebrate the small day-to-day things that bring us joy.
Give it a go!
Collecting images of positive moments serves as a reminder that there was good in your week, even if that was as simple as a walk in the park or a coffee with a friend. It encourages us to feel gratitude for and attribute value to the things we already have in our lives.
So this is your invitation to create a separate album on your phone and consciously make an effort to take a photo of one moment a day that made you feel happy!
Photo dumps are a wonderful way to practice focus of attention on the positives and moments you are grateful for. However, many of my clients share common frustrations when self-help strategies aren’t making them feel how they want to.
Whilst there is undoubtedly a wealth of knowledge and resources available online, self-help is very different from working 1:1 with a professional you trust, exploring your experiences and values, and together finding strategies that work for you.
People choose to access professional support for all different reasons, but fundamentally it continues to be shown that gifting yourself space with a qualified professional can be transformative.
If you're still unsure maybe it would help to think about other professionals you would call for help… if my car got a flat tire, I could probably find the solution on YouTube but it would likely take me longer, I might not have all the right tools readily available, and to be totally honest I’d lack confidence in my ability to fix it, so I’d ask someone who has done it before to help me. Once I had seen them fix the problem and talk me through the process, my confidence that I’d be able to handle a similar situation in the future would be much higher.
The aim of psychological support is the same, we support you to become your own coach, confident in your abilities to navigate and manage challenges as they arise.
Both LSP Founder and Lead Coach Lucy, and Resident Psychological Therapist Rachael Adams have limited availability for 1:1 clients who wish to join The LSP from mid-June onwards. Please follow the link below to apply and our Operations Manager Aurelia will be on hand to arrange your Discovery Call.
We hope you've enjoyed this month’s LSP Journal entry.