INSTAGRAM’S IMPACT ON SOCIETY

Every day you wake up knowing that feeling: You have to be like everyone else.

Instagram is definitely a very successful social media application. All around the world, many people use it. Influencers, bloggers, celebrities, and lastly just ordinary people… like me and you.

 Personally, I love Instagram. I’m so obsessed with it because I love the pictures. I’m never not on it, but I do have to be 100% fully honest: I hate how Instagram can lower your self-esteem and confidence, because you know that most people out in the world have more followers and likes than you do.

This gives me major insecurities about my own mental health. 

Instagram has brought down my confidence as an individual.  Last year while attending MHCC, I was cyber-bullied because of my position as Associated Student Government vice president, and the false associations I received from an anonymous person on Instagram in a private chat message. 

I started feeling depressed and feared that people hated me. Even for people that I knew loved me as a person, I had insecurities that they hated me, because I had low self-esteem and low confidence within myself. 

Instagram just created a tweet about how you can stand up against bullying, however.

The platform said, “Check out our new global sticker designed to help you stand up to bullying, support a friend and spread positivity on Instagram.” 

I really like how Instagram is starting to notice the trend of bullying on its platform. Whether it be online or offline, it is not okay.  Instagram recently started spreading awareness, so that people can realize that we, as human beings, are all in this together. 

It is so important to have family, friends, and mentors in your life who bring you positivity and help you achieve your life goals. Everybody has different life goals as you are introduced into the real world. You start to focus on paying bills, working, taking care of the family or children, but don’t forget to focus on yourself as well, so that you can achieve your goals.

You can do whatever it takes to achieve your goals, you just have to put your mind to it and have your heart set on it. It can be something to do with social media like Instagram, YouTube, blogging, or it can be acting, going to a university, having a professional job, and so much more.

As for online and offline bullying, honestly, it’s not worth it. Whatever people say that’s bad, just ignore it. I say that, because at the end of the day, you know your own truth. Of course, bullying hurts – it has hurt me and brought myself down mentally.

But you just have to keep building yourself up, keep on going in life, and most importantly; don’t give up. Because it’s not worth giving yourself up.