I remember the first time that I started up my Instagram profile in 2013. The world was my oyster, the possibilities of going looking outside of my home town were exhilarating. I felt as though it was a right of passage in getting older and I felt like the coolest person in my class with my 10 followers.
I have always thought that social media was an integral part of life, as it’s a unique way of connecting with people around the world. I never really thought to take a break from it and wasn’t planning on doing so. However, this past week, in order to avoid any spoilers for a film, I thought it would be best to keep off all forms (except WhatsApp, I think my family would be a little bit mad if I didn’t reply to the family group chat). I didn’t realise it would be so enlightening, but this break from these apps have made me realise how harmful social media really is.
When it first started out, social media was a new way to see what other people were getting up to, but now I do think that there’s a dark cloud surrounding Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, and the others. Especially with influencers, it seems as though there is a relentless pressure to outdo your followers, an expectation to deliver on content that will get you the most likes. Whether it’s capturing a blissful photo in Fiji, a fun day out at Disneyland, or a great night out with your friends, there’s always pressure to show how great your life is. Nothing is actually real on these platforms, especially Instagram, instead, I feel as though we’ve all been forced to create our own brands.
By 2017, 69% of adults in the United States were using social media, which means that there’s pressure to impress the population of a small country. Influencers are feeling that pressure though, in 2020, Jessica Lindsay from The Metro newspaper reported that influencers were renting out a room that looked like a private jet. Now don’t get me wrong, in 2020 I think all of us wanted to jet across the nicest islands and sip on pina colada’s until we passed out, but renting out a room just to keep up with the Joneses really illustrates what’s wrong with social media.
Trying to live up to these expectations can be harmful to your mental health, especially to young people that are impressionable. The rate of adults 18-25 experiencing depression has skyrocketed to 63% since the birth of the smartphone, trying to create a brand image that can compete with sunset beaches and idyllic fantasies is unrealistic.
Has there been a positive takeaway from my break, though? Actually, yes. I spent more time with the people that I love. We played monopoly, binged our way through The Mandolorian, and have had nights that I’ll never forget. I can’t actually show you my past week though because none of it was recorded on an Instagram story. Oh well, I guess you’re going to have to take my word for it.
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