The Hidden Effects of Instagram
The Hidden Effects of Instagram
A Little History
Instagram's History
A Little History
Does Instagram really have an affect on our life? Most people will say no ….but I have experienced firsthand its negative effects! Interestingly enough, I am not the only one that felt it. Studies show that Instagram and other forms of social media cause high levels of anxiety, depression and low self-esteem. So what is it about this popular platform that that we find so addicting.
Before we dive into its effects, it is worth taking a quick look into how it came around. Instagram was developed back in October 2010 by two tech guys up in San Francisco, Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger. It was initially developed as an app, where people could check in and upload their location using their mobile devices. Yet, this idea was quickly dropped as it was too similar to another app. Instead, the new version kept the feature of uploading pictures- with comments and likes- and renamed it Instant Telegram. It eventually evolved into what we know today as INSTAGRAM.
It is no surprise that it became an overnight “success,” attracting over a million users within two months of launching. Two years later Facebook- realizing its increasing value- bought it for $1 BILLION DOLLARS!
Instagram Today
The Gram Today
Instagram Today
So how many people are using Instagram TODAY? Roughly 1 Billion-as of 2019, and that’s more than 500 million active users each day! The majority of its global population are 34 years and younger. I will admit…. I was one of those active daily users. It was the first thing I checked when I woke up each morning, and the last thing before bed!
All the across the board people are engaged. We have become so programmed to “snap a picture” of our life and share it… it’s like we “Live for the Gram.” Creators and business are thriving off this too. Using fancy algorithms to track what we “like,” they gear their ads to incite us, generating millions of dollars. Thus, Instagram not only affects our perception of reality, but now it influences how we shop online.
Some will argue….what’s the harm? Instagram is nothing more than a virtual catalog of beautiful people and places. The problem lies with how this influences our thoughts. Seeing everything through a distorted lens causes our mind to believe it’s true. With 45% of the earth’s population using social media, the new generation is faced with lower levels of self-esteem. Combined with the fact that average person spends 2.23 hours each day/ 15 hours a week on this platform, the effects are profound.
Effects of Instagram
The Effects
Effects of Instagram
It seems that one reason so many of us are addicted to Instagram is the fear of missing out- F.O.M.O. The need to constantly check our phone and see what everyone else is doing is really preventing us from living in the moment. And before you realize it another hour has gone by!
The second reason has to do more with our Ego. We all have the basic desire to be liked and Instagram is the perfect platform to showcase our self. Like many… I was guilty of constantly checking my page to see how many “likes” or “views” my posts got. When they didn’t do too well, my mood was immediately affected. Similarly, when the response was huge, I felt immediate joy. Instagram seemed to control me like a puppet! Surprisingly, most of the time I wasn’t even aware of this.
Selena Gomez
Singer Selena Gomez
Selena Gomez
Even celebrities experience the effects of Instagram. Many have expressed how “Trolling” (someone who instigates controversy in order to get a response) has affected them emotionally.
Selena Gomez, who currently holds one of the largest Instagram accounts (162 Million) recently opened up about this issue. She experienced body shaming by her followers on Instagram when she gained weight as a result of Lupus and Kidney problems.
Here is what she had to say…
Shutting It Down
My Decision to Shut It Down
Shutting It Down
One of the greatest gifts we have in life is TIME! How we spend it is ultimately up to us. The effects Instagram had on my life led me to rethink its purpose. What began as a fun platform to share and view pictures and videos became an addiction of sorts. Although at the time it didn’t feel like one, I was spending more hours than I was willing to admit. It seemed to pull me in whenever I felt bored, happy, sad, or anxious.
My initial intention of documenting my Fitness Journey evolved into a full time job. I was constantly trying to create new “content” in order to stay relevant. Without realizing it, my emotions were tied to viewer engagement and likes. I was even wondering if there was a magic “time” to upload posts. But as we all know, there is NO such formula. As a matter of fact, Instagram has recently been accused of altering algorithms, enforcing shadow-banning and removing likes altogether.
In light of this, I thought of walking away many times. But like many addictions, I kept shrugging it off. I convinced myself that having Instagram wasn’t that bad. But truthfully, it wasn’t making me happy either. Then one day I decided to close my account cold turkey. The minute I made the decision, I felt a sense of relief! Surprisingly, I was shocked at how difficult the process seemed. It was not a “click” of a button like I assumed, but nonetheless I did it!
Life After Instagram
The first few days after closing my account, I felt lost. All of a sudden I didn’t know what to do with all this spare time. There was definitely a feeling of missing out! But then surprisingly, I started getting texts and calls from all my friends wondering where I disappeared! I assured them that everything was fine, I just decided to leave Instagram.
Over the weeks, more and more people approached me to find out what happened to my account. Interestingly enough, most of them said they completely understand. They too felt the same effects I did of endless hours wasted and mood shifts. It was then that I realized that I should share my story to hopefully inspire someone else out there. There is an alternative! My account has now been closed since July of 2019, and here is what has happened in my life since.
All those free hours gave me the opportunity to Think! Besides fitness, I have always pursued nourishing my spiritual side. Ever since I discovered Meditation, it has been my passion to share its benefits. I initially held weekly Meditation classes at my house for close family and friends, but it became increasingly difficult to accommodate everyone’s schedule. Then I attempted to open a Meditation Center, but I faced one obstacle after another forcing me to give up. And then it hit me….one thought entered my MIND and I ran with it!
Life After Instagram
The first few days after closing my account, I felt lost. All of a sudden I didn’t know what to do with all this spare time. There was definitely a feeling of missing out! But then surprisingly, I started getting texts and calls from all my friends wondering where I disappeared! I assured them that everything was fine, I just decided to leave Instagram.
Over the weeks, more and more people approached me to find out what happened to my account. Interestingly enough, most of them said they completely understand. They too felt the same effects I did of endless hours wasted and mood shifts. It was then that I realized that I should share my story to hopefully inspire someone else out there. There is an alternative! My account has now been closed since July of 2019, and here is what has happened in my life since.
All those free hours gave me the opportunity to Think! Besides fitness, I have always pursued nourishing my spiritual side. Ever since I discovered Meditation, it has been my passion to share its benefits. I initially held weekly Meditation classes at my house for close family and friends, but it became increasingly difficult to accommodate everyone’s schedule. Then I attempted to open a Meditation Center, but I faced one obstacle after another forcing me to give up. And then it hit me….one thought entered my MIND and I ran with it!
Life After Instagram
The first few days after closing my account, I felt lost. All of a sudden I didn’t know what to do with all this spare time. There was definitely a feeling of missing out! But then surprisingly, I started getting texts and calls from all my friends wondering where I disappeared! I assured them that everything was fine, I just decided to leave Instagram.
Over the weeks, more and more people approached me to find out what happened to my account. Interestingly enough, most of them said they completely understand. They too felt the same effects I did of endless hours wasted and mood shifts. It was then that I realized that I should share my story to hopefully inspire someone else out there. There is an alternative! My account has now been closed since July of 2019, and here is what has happened in my life since.
All those free hours gave me the opportunity to Think! Besides fitness, I have always pursued nourishing my spiritual side. Ever since I discovered Meditation, it has been my passion to share its benefits. I initially held weekly Meditation classes at my house for close family and friends, but it became increasingly difficult to accommodate everyone’s schedule. Then I attempted to open a Meditation Center, but I faced one obstacle after another forcing me to give up. And then it hit me….one thought entered my MIND and I ran with it!
Inspiration
My Inspiration
With all this spare time not having to post or scroll, I was finally able to clear my mind. That’s when an idea began to develop. I felt this incredible urge to create a Website dedicated to Self-Improvement!
I already had the perfect name from the Meditation Center that I never opened. Yet, through this platform I could now share all the amazing tools that have helped me in my life. I could now help people on a larger scale find happiness, love, and prosperity
My Inspiration
With all this spare time not having to post or scroll, I was finally able to clear my mind. That’s when an idea began to develop. I felt this incredible urge to create a Website dedicated to Self-Improvement!
I already had the perfect name from the Meditation Center that I never opened. Yet, through this platform I could now share all the amazing tools that have helped me in my life. I could now help people on a larger scale find happiness, love, and prosperity
In Conclusion
Conclusion
In Conclusion
Knowledge is a powerful tool. Realizing the effects of Instagram gave me the opportunity to make a choice. We all know that what we see on Gram is not reality. Only the best pictures and videos get put on display. With everyone portraying themselves as perfect many of us are left feelings self-conscious. In addition, all those wasted hours can be put to better use.
So what can YOU do? If closing your Instagram account sounds a bit too drastic, here are some other things you can try:
- Make an effort to limit yourself to a certain amount of time to be on IG. At first, it might be tempting to re-check your phone, but overtime it will get easier.
- Next, use that “time off” to think about what you really want out of life. Is there something you always wanted to do? Classes you thought about taking? Allow yourself the opportunity to explore and actually go and try things out.
- Finally, if you feel that you are still unable to disconnect from Instagram, consider temporarily disabling your account. Don’t worry your profile, photos, and likes will still be there. They will just be hidden until you reactivate it again. This can give you the needed break to see what life without Instagram could be like!
