Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube… the list goes on. The majority will have some sort of social media account, thats the reality. I love and hate social media all at the same time, you know why? Because it releases serotonin (some people call it the happy chemical) and makes me feel good, but also consumes my life. Why does it feel that I rely so heavily on social media to provide me with my happiness and validation?
What bugs me the most about social media is how fake it is. You get sucked in and believe that everyone is happy 24/7 – WRONG. Edited photos, expensive vacations, new outfits and eating at restaurants everyday, is this an accurate portrayal of the average person? I’ll let you answer that..
Ok, so, you’re probably thinking – You are very very active on social media, stories, posting, commenting, liking, following, etc. Yes, I am. But I use it to engage with my followers who have been following me for years and family & friends, as well as promotion. I still feel that social media is toxic. From time to time, I have deleted apps and taken breaks from it. To be completely honest, its similar to not seeing your friend for weeks.. it is hard. I personally believe that the age that you can create an account should be raised to around 16. At 13, you are influenced by everything and everyone and who knows who is watching them. Furthermore, there should be stricter policies in place to protect users, especially younger users in the 13-17 age bracket!
Recently, I have been a lot happier, trying to look past social media and knowing very well that it isn’t real life. People aren’t the same as they are on social media and happiness comes from within and what you do with your life, not from others.
Massimo Peluso 