Why do some Instagram accounts make me feel depressed?

[Socialmediaoverload]

I have heavily cut down my IG usage and, a few years ago, I unfollowed a bunch of popular insta people.

This morning I remembered one of them existed, so looked them up to see how their life was doing, went down a rabbit hole and looked up the other famous insta people in their circle (think popular English parent accounts. Lots of glitter and festivals). I probably spent about an hour scrolling.

Now feel weirdly depressed. Why??! I don’t aspire to their life. I don’t even particularly care or feel invested. Is it just depressing looking at IG for that long no matter what it is? Is it that these account holders’ lives looks so full?

What is it about Instagram that can be depressing?!

I know, I know, I shouldn’t look. They’re not doing any harm, just doing their jobs. It’s up to me to not look. I know all that.

But I don’t understand why looking at only certain accounts makes me feel so miserable. I can look endlessly at accounts related to my hobby and not feel down.

Anyone else?

It’s all curated and fake. The higher the followers the more likely their posts are faked, filtered, ads etc.

Switch IG accounts to the “what are you doing today?” threads here on MN - they always make me feel SO much better about my life just because I know we’re normal 😂. It’s a real snapshot where as IG isn’t x

I get what you mean although I do not follow any of these types of accounts I do occasionally look. I cannot help feel it is entirely sad existence particularly the ones who use their DC as marketing products. They are selling a perfect lifestyle which in reality doesnt exist, it is extremely dishonest and quite dangerous. For the people doing it I think their lives must be empty, can you imagine photographing every detail fo your life? Never living in the moment and posting for likes and content? There is one that posts photos of her Dc constantly even photos of them ill, is nothing sacred these days? Urgh no thanks. Their lives are not any better than yours they just try to make it look that way. Delete IG it is the only way to go.

Because it's not real, you don't know them, and you know that what they're posting is not reality. It's all just very fake and tiring to look at.

I love Instagram, but I use it for gardening and friends, I don't follow 'Instagram-famous' people unless they're related to gardening, plus a few beauty bloggers. It's my treat at the end of the day, to scroll through pretty pictures and catch up with friends. It doesn't make me sad.

It's so you'll spend money to make yourself feel better. You've identified that it's not healthy for you so steer clear and find people to follow that make you feel good!

I follow a few people who live off grid or in caravans, motorhomes or other 'small' homes and their updates give me a big lift as they're happy with what they have and aren't constantly striving for more. It's very refreshing.

It's so you'll spend money to make yourself feel better you know what, I knew that - but I never thought about it like that before in this context. I am going to repeat that to myself if I find myself looking again!

I don’t even like camping, but I looked at the Bestival posts and unconsciously thought “should I be going to Bestival?”

The endless holidays some of them
are on has made me feel low this summer.

One account is "taking a break" over the summer and was encouraging others to do the same. I'd say between the two of them they've had five holidays already this year!! I do think they put effort into "content" but basically they are marketing stuff. It's a weird way to live.

The shallowness? The vanity? The oversharing? The fakery? The vacuousness? The dumbassery of people who think having followers is an occupation? It sucks the joy out of life and doesn't deserve your attention. Delete and go and do something more interesting.

Come off it completely and there will be no temptation to scroll. I’m against social media for these exact reasons, especially when it can easily affect you. You probably have such a wholesome great life yourself yet the glitz and glamour of others will make you doubt and question your own lifestyle.

Johann Hari 's book Lost Focus is about SM and how it is deliberately designed to be addictive. You are deliberately fed stuff to keep you scrolling.
Feel strong and pleased with yourself whenever you resist the temptation. Also how it reduces our ability to concentrate, memorise, empathise!!

It is fun to understand, that the most fake and corrupted people is on children industry. It come to light after understanding a fact, that children always look for something bright, full and so on. What I personally preffer to do to cope with these feelings after watching such IG accounts is asking myself a few questions. Firstly, if I do enough to make my daughter happy? I am currently working on to works, just to see her happy, when we go somewhere to spend some time together, just to hear from her, that all her soulmates said this new dress bought for a bunch of money, frankly speaking, is outstanding, awesome and so on. Secondly, I ask myself whether I want my daughter to live like these children on video. And If I do, I would try to do it to her, if she wants it to. But most of the time I asked myself for that, I got a simple answer - I do enough and I don`t want her to play with a dumb big smile instead of piano or acrobatics.

Just stop looking. You’re in control of your actions. There’s something masochistic about repeatedly doing something that you know makes you feel bad about yourself.

I've just deleted my Instagram app on foot of your post OP! I had been realising lately - it wastes large tracts of time (often to the detriment of exercise, reading and spending time with my daughters) and just realised that it makes me feel bad too plus invites me to buy things I don't need!

Thank you!

Admission: I am going to keep it on my iPad but I'll limit that to every other day and reduce the influencers that I follow. I do still love all the home Reno accounts

It's not just the big influencers though. Lots of people who come up on my discover page with less than 10k followers have been on multiple holidays, live in immaculate houses and all ways dressed fantastically. Yes I know it is just a snapshot and "fake" but they are still ln those holidays ect.
Obviously theres always been plenty of wealthy people but we weren't exposed to them before.

What @FrancescaContini said

I had Insta to check out designers I liked. I ended up buying some expensive stuff as a result. I have now deleted the account. It adds nothing of any value to my life.

Well done! I am going to do the same - take it off my phone but leave it on my iPad. I hardly ever look at my iPad so I won’t be that tempted to go on! I hope…

I have deleted the app before only to reinstall when I “really needed” to see something. (I did not really need to see that thing!)

The hobby accounts that I follow don’t make me feel that way, nor do the cooking accounts. But I don’t spend an hour endlessly looking at more and more of those.

I will read this book!

I can totally relate! I feel the same way. I’m torn with the platform like you because I enjoy slow living/ wellness accounts that are more down to earth and real. And like you I enjoy hobby accounts and author accounts as an aspiring writer.

Although I enjoy home interiors accounts for inspiration, I often come away feeling inferior, that our home isn’t enough although we spent a lot of time and money renovating it. We don’t live in the trendiest area of Manchester but it’s certainly nice enough.

We’ve got a great life, a life I dreamed of ten years ago. But when I go down the Instagram rabbit home I feel like what we have isn’t good enough and I want to escape and life this affluent country like in a huge, perfect cottage.

Maybe the answer is to limit those accounts but it’s designed to be addictive. I’d love the be able to delete instagram completely but there are definitely aspects of it I enjoy!!

Maybe it’s just trying to keep in mind that we are the product!! Companies and influencers wouldn’t make a penny by convincing us that all we have is enough!!