What does social media mean to you?

Morning Twitter!  What’s happening?

I’m off to do the school run in my trackies. That’s ok right?

Question: do you know how to find your hidden posts? Why doesn’t everyone show up in my newsfeed? Grrr

Balsamic-glazed chicken with creamy mash and char-grilled asparagus. Nom nom nom.

Ugh. Headache again. Too much chocolate. Possibly red wine.  Im out.

Twitter. Facebook. Linked In. Google plus.  As much social media as you can possibly imbibe with your morning cuppa.

You can’t ignore that social media has lead to a changing definition of ‘community’.  That it has become somewhat of a cultural phenomenon, as widespread and diverse as the people using it.

Opinion as to what social media inherently represents also varies.

It has been suggested that social networking has lead to the pseudo-socialisation of a generation who are permanently ‘connected’.  That over-sharing of the mundane details of your life has become a normalised collective experience. That it’s superficial, narcissistic even.

Others report that social media is nothing but a tool. A tool that provides a personality for your wares and a voice that has the power to both influence and entertain.

So what does social networking do for you?  What does it mean to you?

As a parent, and particularly as a young mum starting out, social media has been a virtual support system.  At times, I would even say it has been a lifeline.

I muddled through depression and panic attacks for approximately three years as a new mum. Whenever I had the chance, I would tap the depths of my profound melancholy into my keyboard. Within seconds, Facebook friends and tweeps (many whom I had never actually met) would be there, listening without judgment and providing solace and companionship.

You can use social media as a forum to share your pain without having someone see your ugly cry.

You can fake it with your neighbors and family but you don’t have to hide from someone you are never likely to meet in person.  It’s support and comfort without too much risk. It’s intimacy without face to face connection, but does that make it any less real?

Sure, it allows a certain level of anonymity and should never be used as a substitute for face to face relationships.  But for many of us, social networking is far more than an exhaust system for the tendrils of mental chatter.

It’s a portal to a world of friendship and support.

Kirri White is a life coach and mummy to three little girls.  Founder of Happy Mums At Home, she encourages mums to make themselves a priority, every day.