When Instagram announced that it would be hiding likes, many people were up in arms. They thought it was a step backwards, and that the app was becoming too censored. But what Instagram didn’t realize is that this change could actually be really good for our mental health. It’s no secret that social media can be incredibly damaging to our self-esteem. We constantly compare ourselves to others, and we end up feeling like we’re not good enough. This is especially true for young people, who are still trying to figure out who they are. By hiding likes, Instagram is taking away one more way for us to compare ourselves to others. We’ll no longer see how many likes someone else’s post has gotten, and we’ll stop judging ourselves based on that number. Instead, we’ll focus on the content of the post itself.
Instagram hiding likes is a step in the right direction for mental health
Social media’s effect on mental health is well-documented. Studies have shown that excessive social media use can lead to feelings of isolation, anxiety, and depression. The like feature on Instagram is one of the main culprits. When we see how many likes someone else’s post has gotten, we can’t help but compare ourselves. We wonder why our posts don’t get as many likes, and we start to feel like we’re not good enough. This can be extremely damaging to our self-esteem.
The new update will force people to post for themselves, not for likes
Instagram’s decision to remove the like feature is a step in the right direction. By taking away this way of comparing ourselves to others, we can focus on the content of the posts instead. We’ll no longer be fixated on the number of likes, and we can start to appreciate the posts for what they are. This change will be especially beneficial for young people, who are still trying to figure out who they are. Without constant comparison, they’ll be able to explore their interests without feeling like they’re not good enough.
It’s important to remember that social media is just a small part of our lives
Although the new update will be good for our mental health, it’s important to remember that social media is just a small part of our lives. We shouldn’t base our self-worth on the number of likes we get on a post. Instead, we should focus on our relationships, our hobbies, and our own happiness. When we do this, we’ll start to see that social media is just a small part of our lives, and it doesn’t have to define us.
We should be focusing on our real-life relationships, not the ones we have online
Let’s not forget the real world and our relationships in it. Our self-worth should not come from social media. Instead, we should focus on the relationships we have in real life. These are the people who will be there for us, no matter what. So instead of worrying about the number of likes we get, let’s focus on the quality of our relationships. We’ll be much happier in the long run.
Final thoughts
Although hiding likes is a step in the right direction, Instagram and other social media platforms can do more to protect our mental health. For example, they should consider removing the compare feature, which lets us see how our posts stack up against others. They should also create filters that hide negative comments. These changes would make Instagram a much safer place for our mental health.
What do you think about Instagram’s decision to hide likes? Do you think it will be good for our mental health? Let me know in the comments!