Bloody instagram !!

[lollipoprainbow]

If you have an amazing life, husband, money etc why don't you just enjoy it without feeling the need to splash it all over Instagram! Why do people do this ??

Social media is a highlight reel. People share the best bits of their lives because they want to show it off. There's nothing wrong with that but there's always more to what you see on SM, no one has a perfect life 100% of the time. Unfollow or mute if it's annoying you - or take a break from SM yourself if it'll make you feel better.

I think most of the people posting pics of their 'perfect' lives are trying to convince themselves how great their lives are, rather than trying to convince others.

The Insta account I have now is all about my allotment and growing things and the people I follow have the same or similar accounts. It's lovely watching how people transform their plots and seeing their excitement when they start reaping the results of their hard work. No narcissism or one-upmanship, just support, advice and positivity.

Everyone is trying to sell you something... whether it's a story about how perfect their lives are or an actual product.

I'm most wary about the accounts where celebs present themselves as 'real'. They show you their 'un-airbrushed' wobbly bits and talk about how hard it is to parent or whatnot and we all get even more sucked into whatever they are selling. Except they still have nannies, chefs, glam teams and beautiful houses that they are renovating with their millions. They are still selling you something you can't have. Bit of a tangent there but I think it's important to recognise that even the accounts disguised as a force for good can still negatively impact your mental health.

Rochelle Humes is terrible for this. Brag brag brag.

Don't believe everything you see on social media.

See also: unfollow.

I have Facebook with my actual family and friends (approx 40 people) as it's an easy way to keep track of what people are up to.
I follow comedians and memes on Instagram and post nothing.
I follow my daughters on snap chat and we send each other silly fotos
I follow politicians, news readers and a few tv shows on twitter

I have no fomo/grass is greener

For some people it’s just a PR exercise- a glossed over view of their lives. I know a low level influencer & the reality of her life is often very different to her perfectly curated Insta profile. But I’m with you OP, I find it irritating too. I’m sure it’s partly insecurity on my part but also I don’t feel the need to brag about stuff so that’s the part I don’t understand. Anyway I’m no longer on any social media & can recommend it!

Why do you care? Just don't look. It's not difficult.

I don't do social media full stop. I only do Mumsnet and since getting rid of Insta and FB I've felt much better mentally

These people lack confidence and need continual validation.

I joined Instagram because a friend was going round the world and that's where she was documenting her travels.
I have posted 5 pictures myself in as many years, but i now follow a handful of friends, few bands and slebs I like, and enjoy seeing their stuff.
I don't really overthink it.

Why does everyone say it’s fake? It might just be she has a nice life. If I posted my life on Instagram, people might assume it would be fake. It’s not though. As it is, I’m quite mindful of things and don’t post anything much.

Why do you feel the need to look at them?

I do it so that when I die my children can look back on it like a photo album. My father died young, I’d love to have access to his photos and songs and his voice and his thoughts. None of it is fake.

it’s not to make anyone feel any kind of way, it’s for me. Maybe look at why you feel the way you do.

This is really unfair, how do you know that the woman isn’t happy with her life?!

classic MN sour grapes, no one else can ever actually be happy, they’re all jealous / secretly unhappy / insecure etc. Plenty of people have nice lives online and offline too

I take it all with a pinch of salt....I worked with a girl that posted all the time about her perfect life and amazing soul mate husband...felt all too good to be true just from a few things she actually said in real life and this year they have split up because he is an abusive/controlling git. She is a lovely young woman and I am assuming felt the need to paper over the cracks and make it look like she had a nice life when in reality it was anything but.

I hate the narrative that people posting nice bits of their life on social media must be secretly unhappy.

of course everyone has problems. Of course no-one’s life is perfect.

I don’t post on Facebook at all and have a private Instagram that I use for photos I want to remember and that I know my family and close friends will like seeing (as I like seeing theirs). Holidays, days out etc.

If you don’t like what someone is sharing, unfollow them. It is COMPLETELY in your control.

The real question is why are you jealous?

Just a carefully curated snapshot of their lives. Of course it’s not real.
The ‘happiest’ people I know (on social media) are actually very unhappy in real life. It must be horrible having an online persona to keep tending to all the time.

I got rid of Instagram. Prefer Facebook. Never thought I'd say that as I don't really like Facebook either. Maybe it's because I follow cloee family and friends that I am quite happy to see are well and good. I do log off for a while at times when I might get FOMO or be triggered into feeling shit about my life or inadequate though. But that is entirely on me and my insecurities really.

You see what you follow.

I love Instagram and live for memes, they get me through the day. I also like sharing work and ideas with others in my field (nannying).

I follow very few people that I know IRL

I follow a couple of people on Instagram with the beautiful, enviable lifestyles. But it's because I like their style and fashion sense. I recently bought a gadget (water thing) one of them used, but I had been considering buying something similar.

Facebook, people I know, minutiae bloggers. No thanks. I hide most of them because it often makes even the nice folk, in real life, irritating.

I totally understand celebrities doing it, it's their bread and butter but ordinary housewifes?! Every meal out has to be posted and this morning a selfie with everyone commenting 'wow stunning' I'm sorry I just find it bizarre. And yes I am jealous my life is shit and theirs appears to be a bed of roses. Just irritating how vain and boastful some people are.

of course everyone has problems. Of course no-one’s life is perfect.

Sorry I don't agree. There seems to be those who have charmed lives and those who regularly get shat on from a great height! A girl I know really does have it all, she's genuinely happy and lovely so I don't begrudge her but life is very unfair to some.

It's great that it helps your mental health.

But you could just save your photos on a hard drive/SD card/the cloud.