Social Media & Mental Health: What Entrepreneurs Need to Know
Have you ever caught yourself scrolling through social media, supposedly working on your business, but feeling more anxious and inadequate by the minute? Social media connects us—and drains us. It can grow your business or quietly wreck your peace of mind.
In this episode of Ditch the Chaos, I'm pulling back the curtain on my years managing social media for the legendary band Megadeth and sharing what I learned about the toxic side of the internet, the mental health fallout, and how entrepreneurs can protect their sanity while showing up online. If you've ever felt exhausted, anxious, or on edge from being "always on," this one's for you.
These lessons come straight from what I teach inside Chaos Detox—because sustainable business growth starts with boundaries around social media and clear mental clutter.
In this episode, you'll learn:
- The surprising truth about how social media impacts your focus and mood
- What years moderating millions of comments taught me about online hate
- Why constant visibility fuels burnout—and how to stop feeding it
- Practical ways to set boundaries without losing your business momentum
- The double-edged sword of social media for entrepreneurs (00:00:55)
- My defining moment: the makeup artist video that changed my perspective (00:02:24)
- Inside Megadeth's social media: moderating 6.5 million fans and trolls (00:03:36)
- The mental health toll of excessive social media use (00:05:53)
- How echo chambers and polarization affect entrepreneurs (00:07:05)
- Six actionable strategies to protect your mental health online (00:08:45)
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Want to read the original blog post that inspired this episode?
CLICK HERE → The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health and Business
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Full Episode Transcript
(31) Social Media & Mental Health: What Entrepreneurs Need to Know
[00:00:00] Have you ever caught yourself scrolling through social media, supposedly working on your business, but feeling more anxious and inadequate by the minute? Let's talk about the double edged sword that is social media and how it impacts your mental health, your business, and what to do about it.
[00:00:18] Welcome to Ditch the Chaos, a podcast for women who are tired of holding their life and business together with duct tape and coffee. I am Cara Chace, entrepreneur mom, and recovering people pleaser who's learned the hard way that most productivity advice assumes your day goes according to plan, which we know never happens.
[00:00:36] On this podcast. We're figuring out how to run your business without running yourself into the ground. Let's get to it. When businesses develop social media strategies, they're trying to build brand awareness, connect with their audience, and drive website traffic and sales. But the digital landscape can be a minefield.
[00:00:55] Missteps, controversial posts, and a lack of engagement can backfire big [00:01:00] time. Turning well-meaning efforts into PR disasters. It doesn't take long for most small businesses to realize that navigating the minefield of social media posts, taking a stand on societal issues and not being attentive to comments and engagement can cause major problems for small businesses and personal brands.
[00:01:19] This reality is especially stark. My journey from managing social media for the legendary band Megadeth to pivoting my career towards productivity and time management for women entrepreneurs has given me a unique perspective to say the least on the highs and lows of the digital world. Today, we'll delve into what makes social media both a blessing and a curse, and the toll it takes on mental health and how to navigate this challenging reality.
[00:01:47] Let's talk about the double-edged sword of social media. Social media serves as a powerful tool for entrepreneurs enabling direct communication with audiences and real-time feedback, but the constant need [00:02:00] to curate content and maintain an online presence can lead to stress and burnout.
[00:02:05] The pressure to present a flawless image often results in anxiety and self doubt, detracting from authentic engagement. And social media isn't inherently harmful, but the way it's often used comparison, endless scrolling and algorithm driven rabbit holes can significantly impact mental wellbeing.
[00:02:24] Years ago, I had a defining moment in my social media journey. It reshaped how I viewed social media's darker side. It was many years ago, probably around 2015, that I saw a video pop up in my Facebook news feed that I couldn't look away from. I watched the whole thing twice, which is a rarity in today's bite-sized content world.
[00:02:47] The video featured a young woman, a YouTube makeup artist who is focused on covering up her acne. The video talked about the hateful, disgusting, obnoxious, and perverse comments she received on her [00:03:00] social media accounts, both because of her acne and after her finished makeup looks. It made me so sad. It struck my empathy chords and made me think of my young daughter and how she would feel if that was her.
[00:03:13] The video really stayed with me. My time as the social media manager for Megadeth had already exposed me to the toxic underbelly of the internet, but this brought it closer to home and I was in no way surprised. In fact, these types of comments are so invasive and normal. It almost sank back into my subconscious before I thought, no, no, I have something to say here.
[00:03:36] Okay. During my tenure as a social media manager for Megadeth and Dave Mustaine, I started by volunteering to help moderate the band's Facebook page. At the time, the page had around six and a half million fans, and moderating for spam was actually the least time consuming part. The sheer volume of quote unquote fans and straight up trolls constantly spewing hate and [00:04:00] discontent was overwhelming.
[00:04:02] The comments range from hitting on the music to the tired ass, Metallica versus Megadeth debate to horribly insulting slurs about and to Dave and sometimes his family. Now Dave is a polarizing figure who's known for being outspoken and having strong political and religious beliefs. There is some ownership a person has to have, like any brand or company when they're in the public eye and know they'll be scrutinized.
[00:04:28] That said, what struck me more than Dave and Megadeth being attacked constantly was how comfortable people were typing things that in person would be psychotic and cruel by any standards. And when did that become okay? It's arguably gotten worse. Is the ease of anonymity to blame, lackadaisical parenting, selfie narcissism, probably some of all of it, plus other societal factors that have just gotten so messy.
[00:04:56] What I do know is that after two years of constantly reading and [00:05:00] deleting these kinds of comments, several hours a day, every day of the week, it made me depressed, anxious, and self-conscious, and the comments weren't even about me. After I left Megadeth, it took me weeks to decompress from the constant negativity, back to the young woman in the video. She's beautiful, creative, entrepreneurial, and brave. It takes serious guts to show the world your acne ridden face with the aim of helping other women feel better about themselves. Some might say if she put herself out there, then she's fair game.
[00:05:34] I think that's crap. You have a responsibility to yourself and your loved ones to be a decent human being, including when you're behind a computer screen. Let's talk about the toll on mental health. Research has consistently shown that excessive social media use can negatively impact mental health.
[00:05:53] That's no surprise at this point. A 2023 study at Iowa State University found that limiting [00:06:00] social media use to 30 minutes per day led to a significant improvement in mental health. Participants who reduced their usage score lower for anxiety, depression, loneliness, and fear of missing out.
[00:06:12] For entrepreneurs. The stakes are even higher when your livelihood depends on social media. The pressure to perform and engage can become all consuming over time. This can lead to anxiety, burnout, and even a loss of personal identity as business and personal life blurs together. What shocked me most during my time moderating Megadeth social media accounts wasn't just the volume of hateful comments, but how comfortable people were in expressing them.
[00:06:40] From anonymous trolls to overly aggressive fans, the digital space allowed cruelty to flourish unchecked Since 2015, the problem has only intensified. Social media has become a breeding ground for divisiveness. Particularly around political and social issues. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok [00:07:00] amplify polarizing content through algorithms designed to maximize engagement.
[00:07:05] This creates echo chambers where users mostly see opinions that align with their own reinforcing biases and deep divides.
[00:07:13] The result a significant toll on mental health as users are bombarded with inflammatory content. Misinformation and hostility. About two thirds of Americans, 64% say social media has mostly negative effects on the way things are going in the country today. Echo chambers thrive on platforms that feed users content based on their activity.
[00:07:37] This creates an environment where opposing viewpoints are rarely seen, leading to increased tribalism. For entrepreneurs. Navigating this space becomes a treacherous balancing act.
[00:07:48] Taking a stance on contentious issues can alienate parts of your audience while staying silent. Risks appearing outta touch. You should not speak or type any differently on social media than [00:08:00] you would in person. In fact, being behind a computer screen gives you the luxury of time to form a thoughtful and polite response.
[00:08:09] I have plenty of friends and acquaintances on social media who have very different views than my own. That doesn't give me the right to post hateful comments on their updates or be a jerk. If someone's posts constantly make your blood boil, then hide them from your timeline or unre or unfollow them.
[00:08:26] That's being authentic, not pretending. It's simple. Really. If someone posts hateful crap on your updates, you have zero obligation to put up with that. So let's talk about strategies for entrepreneurs. Social media is vital for many businesses, but it doesn't have to come at the cost of your mental health or wellbeing.
[00:08:45] Here are some actionable strategies to help mitigate the negative effects. First, it's important to set boundaries, decide specific times for social media activity, and stick to them. Use scheduling tools to plan posts in advance so you're [00:09:00] not glued to your phone all day. Next, limit your consumption.
[00:09:05] Track your usage with apps like Rescue Time or your phone's data, and challenge yourself to spend less time online. You'll be shocked at how much brain space you get back. I use a tool called Opal that helps me block social media apps during certain times of the day where I know I wanna be focused and working.
[00:09:25] Next, curate your feed. Follow accounts that inspire and uplift you. Mute or unfollow the ones that trigger comparison or negativity. Engage authentically. Share content that reflects your real values and mission. Focus on building genuine connections with your audience. Instead of chasing vanity metrics, take digital detoxes.
[00:09:50] Even short breaks, help restore perspective and reduce stress. Step away from your screen. Go outside, touch grass, breathe, and finally seek [00:10:00] support. Connect with other entrepreneurs who understand the unique pressure of balancing social media and business. Find communities where you can share experiences and strategies without judgment.
[00:10:12] If you're a brand, be careful about weighing in on hot button issues. If you can afford to lose fans or business by taking a strong stance, go for it. But know the hate spewing will commence within minutes. The whole point here is that social media does have positives, but it can also be really detrimental. If you find yourself or your business in that position. Stay positive, stand up for yourself, and don't ever sink to their level. And by the way, this is one of the reasons I created Chaos Detox to help you build boundaries around social media and clear the mental clutter that comes from being constantly on because mind management really does come before time management.
[00:10:53] Let's wrap this up with some lessons learned. Social media offers immense potential for connection and [00:11:00] growth, but its impact on mental health can't be ignored. As entrepreneurs, it's essential to strike a balance between leveraging these tools and protecting your wellbeing. You can't control the online environment, but you can control your response to it.
[00:11:13] Set boundaries, embrace positivity and focus on authentic engagement so you can thrive both personally and professionally. Here's your reset and reclaim action step for the week. Pick one small social media boundary to test for the next week. It might mean deleting an app from your phone, unfollowing accounts that drain your energy or scheduling your posts once a week instead of daily.
[00:11:37] Notice how your brain feels after this experiment. Thanks for tuning in. If this episode helped you leave a quick review, it helps other women find the show. For more resources, show notes in My Chaos Detox course. Visit carachace.com. Until next time, I'm Cara Chace reminding you to keep questioning the rules and making your own.
