Unfollowing Trendy Instagram Influencers for Better Mental Health
Let’s all say so long, farewell, and move on to something better
A survey study, “#StatusofMind,” conducted by the Royal Society for Public Health found that among young people (ages 16–24), Instagram was rated to have the most negative impact on young people’s health and wellbeing. And, the rate of anxiety and depression among young people has risen 70% in the past 25 years.
Though that study focuses on young adults, it holds significant insight for adults as well. As a 30-something woman, I feel the impact of social media — specifically the trendy Instagram influencer — on my own mental health.
The trendy fake Instagram influencer — we all know them. They use Photoshop and filters ad nauseam; they tout the powers of unhealthy weight-loss teas; they cultivate a jealousy-inducing lifestyle with fake private airline photo shoots.
There’s animosity towards the trendy Instagram influencer. But, where is this anger coming from?
Fighting feelings of inadequacy
For me, the anger comes from me fighting feelings of inadequacy when I compare myself to women Photoshopping themselves and blurring their skin texture all in an effort to appear “perfect.” I try to protect my own mental health when I see purposely manipulated perfection. I tell myself, “That’s not real! See? Don’t fall for it!”
It’s upsetting that these women look at themselves and think they’re not amazing the way they are. They’re victims too. Falling into a trap purposely built for failure. You’ll never be perfect enough, even if you change everything.
Never enough
Social media, Instagram in particular, is psychologically pushing women and girls into a spiral of believing they’ll never be enough.
We shame women who show their imperfections on Instagram. When a woman is brave enough to show her cellulite, people say it’s “gross.”
We shame women who change their appearance to look “perfect” through physical (plastic surgery or injections) and photo manipulation. We call them out with #botched or #photoshopfail.
We shame women who buy into the trendy fake lifestyle — designer this, bougie that, fillers here, posing there, makeup everywhere. We say they have the “depth of a kiddie pool” because they seem to only care about superficial and materialist things.
How about we stop shaming women and start lifting women up instead?
Messing with women’s mental health
I’m tired of looking at influencers on Instagram and instantly feeling inadequate. I try to make myself feel better by looking for the fakeness. Look at the bend in that chair! That’s Photoshop! Her face doesn’t have pores. She’s totally using a filter.
I don’t like these feelings that come up inside of me. I don’t need to tear myself down by comparing myself to another woman, and I definitely don’t need to tear another woman down to make myself feel better. These aren’t healthy feelings.
The fake influencer is a trend that purposely creates FOMO (fear of missing out) and FOMI (fear of my inadequacy…yeah, I made that up) in order to sell something or gain popularity. That’s the magic of influencer marketing, convincing — ahem — manipulating you into buying something you don’t need.
Wanting to belong
This type of Instagram influencer marketing is cultural conformity — a type of social influence that changes a person’s beliefs or behavior in order to fit into a group. We’re social creatures and we want to belong.
Imagine you’re a kid, and all you want is to fit in at school. But, the other kids make fun of you for not dressing cool enough, or acting the way they do, or liking what they like, or talking the way they talk. You’re hurt, and you think, If I could just change this or buy that, those kids will finally like me and accept me.
That’s the same with Instagram influencers. They are the kids at school making you feel bad about how you look, talk, act, think, or dress.
Back at being a kid on the playground, you go running home to mom, dad, or maybe a wise grandmother, and they say, “Do you really want to be friends with someone who makes you feel bad about who you are?”
No. I don’t.
Making a change
I’m ready to move on from the trendy Instagram influencer who makes me feel bad about who I am. I’m looking for women who inspire, teach, share, and have something unique or creative to give the world.
We have the power to change the influencer game. We can reward authenticity and originality. Let’s choose who we allow to influence us. It’s basically a popularity contest anyway, right? So let’s make popular the women who are brave enough to be vulnerable, who we can learn from, who are different than us, who empower other women, and who bring something original to the table.
Something better
I’ve taken a huge step away from Instagram for the past four months, and it’s helped my mental health immensely. I’ve just recently started going back on Instagram a few times a week, but I’ve come back with a new attitude.
I’m choosing to follow women who inspire and empower others, and I’m not looking back. I’m looking forward to a healthier relationship with social media and Instagram.
Who are you following on Instagram that empowers or inspires you?
