Social media makes me feel absolutely terrible

[ThatNimblePeer]

For various reasons I won’t go into, I’m currently socially isolated and struggling at work (and in general), and every time I log in to social media I feel like I see someone who has got another career accolade or is being praised and loved by all their followers (sometimes both). Not to mention the people who somehow have thousands of followers while I have tens. It makes me feel absolutely terrible.

I know everyone feels like this to an extent, and I know the way social media makes you constantly compare and despair is a good reason to come off it. But as I’m socially isolated anyway, it does sort of feel like coming off will leave me even more socially disconnected, and it has career implications too as a lot of people do use it to promote their work and themselves. What do you do? How would you handle this?

YABU - suck it up, and work on yourself so you have more things to boast about on social media like everybody else
YANBU - leave and don’t look back

Deliberately make the algorithms work for you. Most of my fb feed is now cute pictures of red squirrels and baby primates, as I decided that was better for my mental health.

Social media is a failed social experiment. I feel freer after deleting all my accounts.

I think you need to find another way to integrate yourself into your community. Best of luck x

So be an adult and stop looking at it

What nocool said

Pandas falling off tables is my thing

So I used to feel the same about sm until I changed the way I used it. I have Facebook but I’m only friends with my actual family and current friends. I post photos from time to time as a way to stay in touch. And a couple of people I have muted them so they don’t come up on my feed.
instagram I follow comedians and actors I find funny.
snapchat I just have my dds, sister and nieces.
And I don’t bother with twitter or TikTok.

id either get rid or use it in a way that works for you

Why not come off for a week and see how you feel? What do you miss? What don't you miss? As a pp said how you use it really makes a difference.

You need work and personal SM to be totally separate.

My personal is totally private, ‘followers’ are limited to people who I actually would want to see in real life. The number of them matters zero beyond that.

Work obviously more is good but I’d sooner 100 engaged followers than 10k who would never buy a thing.

It doesn't impact my mental health at all.

It did when I was in my 20s and less confident in myself, and less happy with my life.

If it impacted me the way it does you, I'd delete my accounts.