Study: Social Media making Adults feel Sad too

You have to know how to navigate it. I've been online for 20 years and I know how to surf that wave.

I had to delete Instagram because it was depressing me during the height if the pandemic. At the time, I had just moved back to the US from Europe and it seemed like my friends abroad resumed normalcy a lot quicker. I also found myself following a lot of hit guys in their 20’s (I’m in my late 30’s), and that led to some body image issues.

Using Thanksgiving as an example, it is a lot of people posting their posed perfect family photos, beautiful homes and wonderful vacation trips to the rest of us who have none of the above. Of course, it is depressing.

Why would a holiday based on a hideous lie make you envious? The "Indians" did not host the Pilgrims for a feast and announce, "This land is your land".

I like the saying: social media makes us compare our blooper reel to everyone else’s highlight reels. Even if you know that intellectually it’s hard to keep a grasp on it emotionally.

It works best for me to not use social media apps, and instead go to the web page when I want to check Instagram. Remember that apps are designed to capture the audience and use psychological tricks to deter you from leaving the app.

I liked IG for a while but it got real tiresome real quick. There were multiple people I followed who were taking photos during one vacation and then using them later, pretending they were on other vacations that I'm sure they never even went on. People who posted things like funny videos of their cats would slowly start posting controversial stuff, like doing some white power sign in the background. One guy who posted original vintage horror movie posters slowly got radicalized and by the time I unfollowed him this summer, all he did was repost claims from people who said COVID was a hoax by the Democrats to enslave all straight white men.

Most people can't handle social media. Their brains just aren't wired for it.

R2 Me too. You are not in this alone. I felt the same way. We will BOTH heal!

R4, we totally understand why you have no friends and probably spent Thanksgiving alone.

Why does seeing hot people depress some people? It inspires me to work out more, eat better.

I think people Should stop being envious of others and learn how to be happy for others. I’m happy to see my friends and family doing well and being joyful

I think R10’s seething with rage.