One billion Instagram users want the same thing “Tons of likes and followers.” As soon as a person makes an Instagram account, he intends to post content to get the best feedback. Once a person creates an enticing post, he starts checking likes on this content. He checks his application over and over again to find out how people reacted to an image or video he posted. He wants more followers, likes, and comments.
Once he gets tons of likes, his brain releases Dopamine, a neurotransmitter released by the person during a state of joy. According to experts, when a post goes viral on Instagram, its creator feels like he has won a lottery.
It’s normal to get happier when your post is getting positive feedback and response. However, the sun never shines all the time, and sometimes you have to be in the darkness where people don’t like your posts at all, when your friend is getting a better response, or when you receive tons of negative comments.
Bad things happen in life, but those bad things become worst on social media. Today, I am writing this article to demonstrate the impact of greed on likes and followers on Instagram on the user’s well being.
Social Comparison is a Byproduct of Social Media
When you browse Instragam and check your feed, you come across many influencers who have tons of likes and followers. Deep down, you want to get what they have, so it’s the point where you begin the social comparison.
What is he doing better than you?
How her looks make her more attractive than you are?
What he has that you don’t have?
Why is he getting more attention than you?
This comparison has a significant effect on your mind. You think and often overthink. For example, if you see a girl working as an influencer for a beauty magazine, you start comparing her with you.
You are also posting your picture, but when you don’t get the same number of likes as she has, it’s a turning point. You try once, twice, and the third time you start looking into her closely. And start comparing your looks with her. And the result of this comparison is always bad, especially for teenagers. They start believing that they look uglier than others or they are not as cool as their friends are.
Social Anxiety
People like to talk about Instagram likes, and followers. If your friend’s post is doing good on Instagram while you are not getting enough attention, it’s the point where you deep down become anxious.
Why does it happen?
According to a survey on social media, people have become greedy about likes. They start social comparison when their post doesn’t get enough likes and followers. Thereby, many people are becoming victims of a social anxiety disorder ( even when they have little or no clue that they have become one).
When a person becomes anxious, he is ready to do anything to get attention and get the same number of likes and followers as his friend. This anxiety makes him do something which he won’t do otherwise.
According to many studies on social media, experts found out that Instagram has given rise to social depression and high anxiety levels among its users.
Low Self-Esteem
When your account is not getting enough like that you always wanted, it’s the point where you start seeing yourself under bad magnifying glass. You start losing your self-confidence. Many people think that no matter how good they look, they won’t get enough attention on social media. Even when looking great, they lose their self-confidence because they are not getting enough likes and followers on social media.
Bullying
When we talk about bullying, we often discuss high school cases where schoolmates try to make fun of one another. In this current digital age, the concept of bullying has been refined through Instagram and Facebook. If a person doesn’t like another person, he goes and leaves harsh and negative comments. Sexual harassment and bullying cases are quite apparent all over social media. And the worst part of this Instagram impact on a user’s well being is that they have become more self-conscious. Last year, Selena Gomez decided to take a social media break because she believed that social media trolling disturbed her life. She also said that social media leaves a negative impact on youngsters’ experiences, and she wasn’t wrong.
Depression
People are becoming greedy for Instagram likes and followers. They put a lot of effort into creating a fantastic video. They spend hours and hours on image creation, editing, and design. However, when they don’t get a good response or no response, they get closer to the depression phase day by day. They think that they will never get rewarded for all their efforts. Negative and zero-feedback from other Instagram users make them question their skills, talent, lifestyle, and other things. They start believing that their life has no value as no one cares about them; no one likes them for what they do.
Wrong Body Image
Instagram users want tons of likes and comments on their photos. When they see that other people have millions like they have a few, they start questioning their body image. They believe that their body isn’t perfect. They don’t have what others have. They look bad, and they are not as impressive as other people are around them. They don’t like their body, their face, and lifestyle. It’s a terrible impact that Instagram has on its user’s mental health and body image.
Sleep Problem
Social comparison gives rise to anxiety disorder and that, in turn, results in sleep problems. People who don’t get enough likes and followers become anxious, and they start losing their sleep quality. They fear social interaction, and this fear is disturbing their well-being to a great extent. People isolate themselves from society and become over conscious over time.
Content Contributed by Bench Mark Email, an email marketing solution.