Social media nowadays is a part of the lives of almost everyone. Using Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other such platforms on an everyday basis for multiple hours is now the new normal. However, anything in excess can be harmful to mental and physical health. Even?bodybuilding?champions feel the effects while using social media. 212 Mr. Olympia winner Derek Lunsford also faces challenges with social media while doing preparations for a competition.

Hany Rambod and Andrew sat down with Derek Lunsford for the?‘Truth Podcast episode 88,’?and talked about various things. Among these was the topic of anxiety and depression. And how social media usage is related to both. Let?s see what Lunsford had to say about the relationship between social media and mental health.

Derek Lunsford talks about maintaining his watch time

In the interview, host, Hany Rambod, talked about how anxiety is a big problem and social media can bring about that stress. He said,??This whole dynamic with anxiety, I feel that not just the athletes but people in general. The whole premise of anxiety is when somebody gets worked up, and it could be, relationships it could be coworkers, it could be any of those types of things it could be looking at social media.?

Talking about identity issues, Hany said,??You may not think that you are not where you are supposed to be. This is one of the reasons why we say stay off social media during prep.??Finally,?Hany asked Derek what he prefers to do.

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Lunsford explained that though he likes to watch bodybuilding things, as he gets motivated by them, he watches his time while using his phone so that he does not overdo it, as he feels physically and mentally drained after using it for a long time. He said,??Actually, I do the same thing, I like to watch other stuff that?s not just bodybuilding related. I like to know what?s going on in the body-building scene stuff… it?s motivating. I know we?ve talked about it over the last 2 preps to monitoring your watch time.??He also said,?? I honestly feel physically worse the more I?m on my phone.?

Lunsford talks about depression and not recognizing himself

In the later part of the podcast, Derek expressed his thought about depression. Derek also talked about how he grew up in Church and had a religious upbringing. He tried to take control of his life and later realized that it was not working out. He mentioned,??There was a point in my life where, I was in such a dark place man, so depressed.??He wanted to be someone else and not the person he was at that time.

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Derek also mentioned in another Instagram story?that he wanted to give his mental and physical health some rest and prepare himself for 2023, Mr. Olympia. Athletes are realizing the importance of mental health and taking proper steps to cure such ailments. Hopefully, Derek Lunsford?s choice will help him in the next competition.