Can Instagram Affect Your Mental Health? This Study Thinks So.

With the rise in popularity of social media platforms like Instagram, a question is often brought up. Can Instagram affect your mental health? While there are arguments to be made for either side this is still a raging debate that seems to have no end.

It is true that sites like Instagram can cause a decline in self-esteem which often leads to depression. However, is Instagram just a cesspool of negative? ViralRace did research on whether Instagram can affect mental health and the results are a mixed bag.

Is Instagram Affecting Your Mental Health?

Today, one-third of the world’s population is on Instagram and Facebook. This comes down to three billion people who use social media in some form in their daily lives. Recently, Instagram crossed the one billion mark, which makes it the most popular social media platform in existence. Instagram attracts a younger crowd base as compared to Facebook or Twitter. The average age group of Instagram users remains below 35 years of age.

It is understandable why the youth is connecting with the platform. Instagram gives them the chance to be instantly recognizable in a sea of people. And the majority of them are jumping at the opportunity. It doesn’t matter whether it’s controversy or drama that gets them noticed, they just want their five minutes of fame. In fact, there have been instances where people have used extreme measures to gain attention. Last year Instagram couple Kelly Castille and Kody Workman ignited a debate with their Infinity pool picture. Thankfully, the picture wasn’t as dangerous as it looked but there have been many cases where people have died trying to get an attention-grabbing shot for Instagram.

However, this is just one aspect of social media. There have been several instances where social media has been a help rather than a hinderance. In this aspect, it seems that the responsible use of social media

Mad Rush For Recognition

Content generators on social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube are always looking for ways to gather more attention to their content. In addition, now that Instagram and YouTube content creation is actually being looked upon as a viable secondary income option, these platforms are more popular than ever. People are ready to buy Instagram followers, promote their content everywhere and often sacrifice upon their mental health to be successful.

Moreover, Instagram follower count is now being correlated with success, leading to a decline in the mental health state when people are unable to gain a massive following. While gaining a following could be a beneficial thing, it does put creators under an immense amount of pressure.

Instagram Removes The Like Button

Instagram is the primary target for those who blame social media for adversely affecting mental health. The critics have accused it of promoting unrealistic expectations in youth and causing a drop in their self-esteem.

However, Instagram removed the like button recently in an effort to provide a more authentic platform for its users. In addition, this step has also been implemented to reduce the competitive environment on the site.

Take A Break For Your Mental Health

The fact is that social media is just a tool and it is for us to decide how we use it. Whether it contributes to mental illness or not, we should ensure that we are taking care of our mental health as well as physical.

Take a break from social media if you feel that it is affecting your mental health in any way. A little break to ensure you’re not withdrawn or lonely is for the best. Talk to your family and friends if you feel depressed rather than drowning yourself out in social media.

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