Should I feel upset about colleagues behaviour after following them on insta?

You're work colleagues, not friends.
He doesn't have to follow you back.

Seriously overthinking it OP

I appreciate that this seems like a strange thing to be upset about to some people, but it's important to remember that social media can be all-consuming for others. It can really put people in a bad headspace and it isn't as simple as telling them to grow up and touch grass!

I recognise OP from some similar posts and I don't believe she is a teenager. Instead I get the impression she is very anxious about how she is perceived, paranoid about social interactions, and sadly overwhelmed by social media.

I agree with the suggestion of CBT or counselling to address some of her anxieties and to build some resilience.

Some of the unkinder commenters would be shocked at how many of their peers experience imposter syndrome, and just how disruptive that can be to an individual's wellbeing.

OP I suggest for your own health that you look into getting some outside help, as random internet strangers are not going to be aware of your own insecurities, and will not be mindful about what they tell you.

I wish you all the best!

Respectfully what are you on about. This is embarrasing.

I don’t think it’s actually that unusual to follow someone from work on Instagram. What IS unusual is to watch to see if they follow you in return and then throw a strop and hit the block button if they don’t.

I must admit I wondered how old the op is, she could be a teenager in her first job I suppose.

However I've no wish to bully you, op, I don't know you.

You still haven't said why you follow colleagues on Instagram. It seems an odd thing to do. Please share why. I expect by now you realise you are being silly but that's OK, I'm an old woman and was silly at times when young. You live and learn.

Yet out of all the people making the same comments about age, you only target me. Like an internet bully.

should I block him, unfollow him or what? I need advice

Why would you block him? In the hope that he’ll notice and that it will create some drama - and attention for you? I can’t see any other reason why you’d block, unfollow or do anything, really.

Are you that desperate to be noticed? Why?

I have to say this is what I was thinking too!

If you were a 13 year old worrying that your friend isn't following you on social media, I could understand the angst, but you're a grown up OP.

Sorry, but you're definitely overthinking this. How old are you OP?

I don't really use insta (I have an account where I follow various celeb/influencer profiles, but don't post anything myself).

Having been working for almost 30 years, experience has taught me that work colleagues come and go and as much as they often feel like really good friends (as you spend so much time together), often when you or they leave you drift apart far quicker than you ever imagined you would.

I once heard someone say that you have two types of friends: friends for life; and friends for the moment. And there's nothing wrong with there being "moment" friends. They're there to serve a purpose to you, just as much as you are to them. You help each other through tricky times, or see each other through good times, and create memories along the way, but it doesn't mean you're destined to be in anyone's life forever.

Sometimes a work friend might fall into the "lifelong" friend category, but most will be "for the moment" friends.

So, the question as to whether you've embarrassed yourself will depend on what you've done. On the face of what you've said, you've followed him on IG, he's not followed you back. As long as you haven't gone into work crying "WHY HAVEN'T YOU FOLLOWED ME????" you're fine.

I imagine you're reading too much into him being "off" with you. Why would he be off with you just for you following him? If he was that bothered about people following him, he should lock his account down better.

I'm saying all this on the assumption that you're still young OP. As I've got older, I look back at things I did in my early 20's and cringe, but these are things we all do on the route to maturity!

I make a point of never connecting with colleagues on social media except for LinkedIn. There are very few exceptions to this - fellow senior leaders who I’m genuinely friends with.

If you want to build a career then be careful around work friendships. Nothing wrong with being friends and going out but ultimately you need to be professional.

GROW UP.

No one owes anyone anything. The sooner you realise this, your life will be better.

Your colleague doesn't have to follow you because you follow them. Just quietly unfollow him and go about your life.

This ^^ on the rare occasion a colleague mentions they have sent me a request i just say "I don't follow anyone I work with due to a previous incident". This has the added bonus of giving colleagues something mysterious to gossip about 🤣

Unfollow. My boss followed me on insta but wouldn’t allow me to follow her. Weird.

Oh @ThatLilacHedgehog you’re getting a hard time. Sometimes it’s hard to realise colleagues aren’t really friends out of work. I’d just unfollow and treat it as a life lesson.

i assume you’re younger than a lot of people on here and things are a bit different but its important to know the difference between colleagues and social media friends. I wouldn’t want a colleague seeing details of my life, even if I really liked them.

Jesus Christ, OP.
Grow the fuck up.

Put it behind you, there is always a lesson learnt in these situations.

No real harm done, forget it. 💐

The lesson here is don't follow work colleagues randomly, many people feel it invades their privacy.

This. Just forget it . It's no big deal

Why are you following colleagues on Instagram?

General rule / I would only add colleagues on social media if I can call them friends. Criteria being - we mee up outside work, go on holiday together etc.

Otherwise it does feel a bit weird. I’ve done it and it feels intrusive somehow.

He has no obligation to follow you OP. You need to forget it and stop watching his stories as he can see that you are. It’s weird.

Maybe take a break from social.

Maybe he has a girlfriend who doesn’t like him following other females. Or maybe he’s just missed the notification.
Sometimes I notice family members or old friends I presumed I was following back and it isn’t until I click on their profile I realise I must have forgot to follow them back.

The op did not mention anxiety. That's PPs projecting or assuming.

Block him! How dare he not follow you even though he doesn't know you. Some men.

I am BOGGLED that this could be an issue for anyone over the age of 13.