The year is 2020. Most teenagers, Generation Z, millennials, and even “boomers” have an Instagram, Facebook, or Snapchat. I was born in 1999, and given my first cell phone in 2010; it was nothing fancy, just a flip phone for me to keep in contact with my parents. Fast forward three years, and on my 13th birthday, I was given the iPhone. I practically begged my parents every week to get me an iPhone, since all my seventh-grade friends were flaunting theirs around school. I made an Instagram at 13, now at 20, I still have the iPhone, I still use Instagram, and I still question what it does to my mental health.
While there are many positives to having social media, such as connecting with others around the world, sharing pictures for friends to see, and keeping in touch with family members, there are also many drawbacks. For many, Instagram has become addictive; there is a constant need to concern ourselves with others’ lives. Scrolling on Instagram and seeing that your friends are having fun without you or you weren’t invited to a party leads to what many call FOMO, fear of missing out. Instagram is not real life, let’s face it. People post what they want you to see, a picture where they feel they look good, to get the instant gratification of likes and comments, reassuring themselves of their worthiness.
Seemingly picture-perfect supermodels and even friends are yet another drawback of Instagram because of the prevalence of comparison. As I have dealt with this first-hand, so many girls compare themselves and their bodies to others on social media. This can lead to body image issues and poor self-esteem. FaceTune is now a highly popular app among users. This app allows you to virtually alter your whole appearance. You want smaller hips? You got ‘em. You want to erase the pimple on your cheek. No problem. In no way is it healthy for girls to be using an app to change how they look.
I may sound like a hypocrite because I use Instagram. Let me be clear, I am not saying you should erase the app, and never use it again. What I am saying is that you should be conscious of how often you spend time scrolling through the app, realize that the photos you see are likely photoshopped, and try, just try, to spend less time on it, and see how you feel. You may notice that you actually may become a different, happier person if you go Instagram-free for a while.