Raising Responsible Social Media Users

December 28, 2021 by Laurie Stroud

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Here’s to your Health

Brought to you by Community Partner COMPACT, www.compact2020.com

Every day, the world on the internet changes. From Tiktok dances to devastating news about a social media icon, the world on the internet can seem overwhelming to parents but it is the reality kids live in today. Sitting down with your child and explaining to them how to separate themselves from this world by putting down their devices and engaging with someone face to face is important. This will take away a lot of stress in their lives. Today’s most successful social media apps work hard on improving and growing the amount of people they can bring to their platform while maximizing the amount of time a person spends on their platform. The more time a person spends, the more ads they can run and the more likely they make a profit off their product. In the end, it’s a matter of business.

How social media becomes stressful. Even if you know that images you are viewing on social media are manipulated, they can still make you feel insecure about how you look or what’s going on in your life. We are all aware that other people tend to share the highlights of their lives rather than the low points that everyone experiences. But this doesn’t lessen the feelings of envy and dissatisfaction when scrolling through a friend’s photo of a beach trip. A study at the University of Pennsylvania found that a high usage of Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram increases rather than decreases feelings of loneliness.

Ways to limit social media use and improve mental health. A 2019 University of Pennsylvania study found that reducing social media use to 30 minutes a day resulted in a significant reduction in levels of anxiety, depression, loneliness, sleep problems and fear of missing out. However, you don’t need to cut back on your social media use that drastically to improve your mental health. The same study concluded that just being more mindful of your social media use has beneficial results on your mood and focus.

Four tips on reducing your social media use.

Use an app to track how much time you spend daily on social media
Turn off your phone at certain times during the day
Don’t bring your phone or tablet to bed
Disable social media notifications and try removing social media apps from your phone

For more information on social media use, visit us on Facebook @Compact2020 or call 205-605-1827. †

November 16, 2021November 4, 2021 by Laurie Stroud

Special Feature

Tree of Lights Community Grief Support Tree Image — Tree of Lights in Homewood

This holiday season, Homewood’s Community Grief Support (CGS) is celebrating the lives of those we’ve lost in our community. At a time when there has been so much grief due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and other losses, the Homewood community as well as all of Birmingham needs a positive way to find hope and healing.

The ‘Tree of Lights’ memorial, taking place this November and December, will honor our late loved ones with the lighting of a 12-foot holiday tree in Homewood’s Central Park, at the corner of Oxmoor Road and Central Ave., in one of the most visible locations in the city. Like the tradition of Homewood residential streets lined with miniature holiday trees, our large “Tree of Lights” in Central Park will mimic the twinkling lights–not just bringing cheer to residents and those who pass by–but honoring those who have passed on.

“This has been an idea that we’ve been thinking about for a long time, and this holiday season, all the pieces came together perfectly for us to place the first tree in Central Park. In the future, we hope to spread out to other communities in the Birmingham area. We believe that the ‘Tree of Lights’ will bring the community of Homewood and Birmingham together to provide a much needed memorial and balm for our losses,” said Lisa Sims Harrison, administrative director of Community Grief Support.

Donors and passersby can sponsor a light and receive gifts in memory of their loved one(s) through various donation opportunities:

$25 donation receives memorial card sent to up to three addresses of your choice in the name of a lost loved one and sponsorship of a light on the tree.
$75 donation receives handmade pottery luminary by Alabama artist Lisa Howard with candle to light your own home and sponsorship of a light on the tree.
$100 donation receives beautiful, antique gold personalized ornament with velvet ribbon for your tree, a permanent holiday reminder of this special memorial, and sponsorship of a light on the tree.

All proceeds go to provide completely free: individual, couples and family grief counseling; loss-specific grief support groups; and community grief education programs such as “Hope for the Holidays” sessions for those who are facing their first holiday after a loss. For more information about the Tree of Lights please call CGS at 205-870-8667 or click here. †

March 10, 2021 by Nathan Ingram

Visit a variety of health and wellness booths to learn new approaches to conquer your health concerns and find new ways to enhance your physical fitness, financial wellness, safety, and nutrition. Event takes place on May 1 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Veteran’s Park Alabaster, 7305 Hwy 119, 35007. Learn more here.

Free Admission
Food Trucks
Free Health Screenings
Physical & Behavioral Health
LifeSouth Blood Drive
Exercise Demonstrations

Raising Responsible Social Media Users

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