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Social media platforms, such as Instagram, can have a significant impact on socio-emotional development, particularly during the formative years of adolescence and young adulthood. As individuals are still shaping their identities and learning how to manage emotions and relationships, platforms like Instagram can play both supportive and harmful roles in this process (Santrock, 2022).

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On the positive side, Instagram allows users to stay connected with friends, family, and communities, even across long distances. This social connection can enhance feelings of belonging and reduce loneliness (Pew Research Center, 2022). It also provides a platform for self-expression, where individuals can share their thoughts, interests, and experiences creatively through photos, videos, and captions. For many, receiving likes, comments, and positive feedback can boost confidence and give a sense of social approval, which can be encouraging during sensitive developmental stages (Choukas-Bradley et al., 2022).

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Excessive screen time related to Instagram use can also interfere with emotional well-being. Overuse may contribute to anxiety, disrupt sleep, and reduce time spent on real-life social interactions or activities that support emotional health (Twenge, 2019). The need to constantly stay online or check updates can create stress and hinder the development of emotional regulation skills (Yale Medicine, 2023).

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Instagram also presents several challenges that can negatively impact socio-emotional growth. One major issue is social comparison. Users often compare their everyday lives to the carefully curated and filtered posts of others, which can lead to feelings of inadequacy, low self-esteem, or envy (Fardouly et al., 2018). The constant stream of idealized content may also trigger fear of missing out (FOMO), causing users to feel left out or unhappy with their own lives. Additionally, many users become emotionally dependent on digital validation, experiencing mood swings based on how much engagement their posts receive (McSweeney, 2021).

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How social media influences the mental & behavioral health of children age 13 to 17

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In the long run, Instagram can significantly influence how individuals perceive themselves, interact with others, and respond to social situations. While it has the potential to support socio-emotional development through connection and expression, it also poses risks that require awareness and balance. Setting healthy boundaries, limiting screen time, and being mindful of how content affects one’s self-image are essential steps toward maintaining emotional well-being while using social media (American Psychological Association, 2022).

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how social media platform instagram/screen time influences socio-emotional development. 

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John Santrock writes in his book "Life-Span Development" that significant changes in socioemotional development occur in adolescence. This period is also characterized by increased efforts to understand themselves and find their identity. Instagram, being so heavily used by teens, is changing the way adolescent transformations are occurring in relationships with their peers and families in cultural contexts. This stage is also when people may develop socioemotional problems like depression. Emily Winesteen interviewed a large demographic of teens, and she explains how there are many peer expectations; for instance, teen girls commenting on each other's Instagram posts. Instagram interaction has become a form of social currency and an important metric of friendship. Failing to uphold the social media peer expectations could have in-person implications on social dynamics. Winesteen does agree that social media is generally somewhat of a burden on teens. Instagram's algorithms are also designed to maximize user engagement, according to Kelly McSweeney in her article "This is Your Brain on Instagram: Effects of Social Media on the Brain." Instagram's algorithms simulate dopamine and keep us coming back. This can be responsible for what we can now call phone addictions, which may be more heavily observed in the adolescent demographic. Though some teens may be on Instagram far more than others. We can acknowledge the downsides of Instagram use in adolescents. Instagram can enable unhealthy relationships, a negative self-image, and work to keep teens wanting more, no matter the cost, which is detrimental to teens' development towards self-fulfillment. The question remains: what situation makes some teens more vulnerable to these drawbacks? Can it be an "addiction gene" or are there enviormental factors?

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Instagram under Authoritative or Authoritarian Parents. 

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Instagram under Authoritative or Authoritarian Parents. 

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Casey McCall seems to take an authoritative approach to teen Instagram use. He believes that the negative aspects of (Instagram's) use outweigh any benefits, and it is in his children's best interest to make the rule of no Instagram. His children may beg and plead and reason with him, but he will not budge. He can clearly describe his motivations for the rules and explain why he believes they are in their best interest. Adolescents whose parents take a more authoritative or authoritarian approach are less likely to experience the potential negative effects of Instagram use. They may not be allowed on social media at all, which would be more authoritarian. Parents can monitor Instagram use closely to prevent issues with overuse, or they can discuss the content they consume and its impact on them, which would be a more authoritative approach. In short, adolescents with parents who are more assertive and set more rules around Instagram use will likely experience fewer negative effects stemming from social media. Teens under these parenting styles may also be held to high expectations, using their time to earn academic achievements or participate in various extracurricular activities.

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Can the decline in teens' mental health be connected to Instagram? 

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Can the decline in teens' mental health be connected to Instagram? 

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The Pew Research Center conducted research on the link between "Teens, Social Media and Mental Health." They found that 1 in 4 teens say that social media sites hurt their mental health. The idea that social media use, like Instagram, is harmful for the adolescent age demographic is becoming more accepted. While poor mental health in youth is being declared a national crisis, teens everywhere are scrolling away regardless. Emily Winesteen, psychiatrist, research director for Project Zero, and lecturer at the Graduate School of Education at Harvard University, has been studying "teens and screens" for years. She says that it's clear that there is a connection between low mental health and social media usage in teenagers, and even suggests parents of adolescents should take measures to protect their children from the potential hazards of social media use. The question arises: are some teens more susceptible to the negative consequences of Instagram use, compared to their peers?

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Casey McCal, a Journalist and father of five teenagers, describes the social pressures involved in raising children in the digital age as Complex. McCcal's opinion is that social media, like Instagram, and the negative implications of its use, are not the most significant threat. The bigger threat is parents who are so unwilling to displease their child that they would rather allow them to face the consequences. McCal says that parents exist to moderate children's freedom based on a child's maturity at any given age. He believes that children do not need social media during their teenage years to be prepared for adulthood.

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Instagram Under Permissive or Uninvolved Parents 

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Instagram Under Permissive or Uninvolved Parents 

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Going back to McCal's words, permissive parents would likely allow teens free rein on Instagram because it's what their teen wants, it is the norm, or simply due to their unwillingness to displease their teen. Teens under this approach may not be held to high expectations academically or otherwise, so they are free to do with their time what they please, which can lead to Instagram overuse and perpetuate issues associated with it. Uninvolved parents may not be concerned about a teen's screen usage, but this poses a significant risk because it leaves teens highly vulnerable to numerous dangerous situations. Teens whose parents take a permissive or uninvolved approach could be more vulnerable to experiencing the dangerous or unhealthy effects of Instagram use.

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According to an international team of researchers, including Professor Frank Elgar from McGill University, another environmental factor on teens' Instagram usage is household income. McGill's findings show that there is a link between economic inequality and problematic use of social media, such as Instagram. Adolescents from lower-income backgrounds are more likely to report addictive use of social media, and their findings show that this group of teens uses social media to escape negative feelings, but Instagram itself brings forth many more. Unfortunately, teens whose families hold a low economic status are also more likely to have depression. Depression paired with Instagram addiction can be a cyclical enabler. The parents in these situations may be forced to take an uninvolved approach to social media moderation, as it may be a single-income household, or a situation where the parents are busy working or not around all the time. Teens who come from low-income families are more vulnerable to the colossal drawbacks of adolescent Instagram use.

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Adolescents (Girls and Boys)

For teenagers, Instagram is not just a social platform but a cultural environment where norms and identities are shaped. Both girls and boys are influenced by appearance-focused content and popularity metrics such as likes and followers. This creates shared standards for what is considered attractive, popular, ot "normal," while also fueling comparison and self-objectification (Chokes-Bradley et al., 2022)

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Young Adults

For young adults, Instagram is a space to participate in cultural trends and present lifestyle choices. It reinforces social ideas of success-such as fitness, relationships, and travel-that shape cultural expectations of adulthood. While this creates opportunities for creativity and connection, it also contributes to a cycle of comparison where young adults measure themselves against curated ideals (O'Reilly et al., 2022).

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 young adults measure themselves on social media 

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Adults & Parents

Adults also engage with Instagram as a cultural tool, often using it to share family milestones or professional achievements. It reflects collective cultural values around parenting, relationships, and work-life balance. At the same time, Instagram creates new cultural practices such as digital parenting communities and influencer-driven traditions that spread widely online (NumberAnalytics, 2023)

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Global Cultural Exchange

According to NumberAnalytics (2023), Instagram accelerates cross-cultural exchange by spreading fashion, music, activism, and lifestyle trends across borders. This promotes diversity and global awareness, but it can also contribute to cultural homogenization as people adopt similar aesthetics and norms worldwide.

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cross cultural exchange on social media 

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This is an example of expectations and reality, and what people don't see and may compare themselves to without knowing the truth. 

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Shaping Cultural Norms and Values

The research highlights how Instagram not only mirrors cultural norms but also actively creates them. From beauty ideals to entrepreneurship trends, Instagram helps establish collective values that influence how people behave offline. For example, appearance-focused posts encourage widespread adoption of body and lifestyle ideals, making them part of mainstream cultural expectations (Choukas-Bradley et al., 2022; O'Reilly et al., 2022)

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Overall Cultural Impact

Across all life stages, Instagram has become a powerful cultural force. It shapes shared values, spreads global trends, and fosters community, but also risks narrowing cultural diversity by promoting curated and idealized lifestyles.

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The distorted world map: An image of a world map made of phone screens. Some screens could be filled with vibrant, diverse cultural displays, while others are dominated by a generic, uniform aesthetic spreading across the digital landscape.

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Social media use can affect teenagers in both positive and negative ways. Researchers are still evaluating the long-term effects of social media, due to the newness of the technology. However, a growing body of evidence strongly links heavy social media use among teenagers to a number of negative outcomes.

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Discover how social media impacts teen mental health. Learn how policymakers, tech companies and parents can make a difference.

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Between the ages of 10 and 12, changes in the brain make social rewards—compliments on a new hairstyle, laughter from a classmate—start to feel a lot more satisfying. Specifically, receptors for the “happy hormones” oxytocin and dopamine multiply in a part of the brain called the ventral striatum, making preteens extra sensitive to attention and admiration from others.

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The science behind why apps like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat impact your child's brain in a different way than your adult brain.

Cite this

Abrams, Z. (2023, August 3). Why young brains are especially vulnerable to social media. https://www.apa.org/news/apa/2022/social-media-children-teens

Starting around age 10, children's brains undergo a fundamental shift that spurs them to seek social rewards, including attention and approval from their peers.

At the same time, we hand them smartphones (Kids & Tech, Influence Central, 2018).

Social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat have provided crucial opportunities for interaction that are a normal part of development-especially during a time of severe isolation prompted by the pandemic. But they've also been increasingly linked to mental health problems, including anxiety, depressive symptoms, and body image concerns.

So, why do kids face a higher risk of harm on social media?

Let's dig deeper.

Social rewards and the brain

Between the ages of 10 and 12, changes in the brain make social rewards-compliments on a new hairstyle, laughter from a classmate-start to feel a lot more satisfying. Specifically, receptors for the "happy hormones" oxytocin and dopamine multiply in a part of the brain called the ventral striatum, making preteens extra sensitive to attention and admiration from others.
[Related: What neuroscience tells us about the teenage brain]
"We know that social media activity is closely tied to the ventral striatum," said Mitch Prinstein, APA's chief science officer. "This region gets a dopamine and oxytocin rush whenever we experience social rewards."

Right next door to the ventral striatum lies the ventral pallidum, a region of the brain key for motivating action. These structures, which lie beneath the more recently evolved cortex, are older parts of the brain that drive instinctual behaviors.

In adulthood, social media use is also linked to activation in the brain's reward centers, but two key differences may lessen harm, Prinstein said. First, adults tend to have a fixed sense of self that relies less on feedback from peers. Second, adults have a more mature prefrontal cortex, an area that can help regulate emotional responses to social rewards.

Permanent and public

In youth, the drive for approval has historically helped kids and teens develop healthy social skills and connections. But arriving at school in a new pair of designer jeans, hoping your crush will smile at you in the hallway, is worlds away from posting a video on TikTok that may get thousands of views and likes, Prinstein said.

Part of what makes online interactions so different from in-person ones is their permanent-and often public-nature, according to research by Jacqueline Nesi, PhD, an assistant professor of psychology at Brown University (Psychological Inquiry, Vol. 21, No. 3, 2020).

"After you walk away from a regular conversation, you don't know if the other person liked it, or if anyone else liked it-and it's over," Prinstein said. "That's not true on social media."

Instead, kids, their friends, and even people they've never met can continue to seek, deliver, or withhold social rewards in the form of likes, comments, views, and follows.

As children and teens increasingly go online for entertainment and connection, parents, scholars, and policymakers are concerned that young people's biology is making them particularly vulnerable to-and in some cases, even exploited by-social media.

Protecting young users

Further research shows how this biological vulnerability plays out in the lives of children and teens. Younger social media users are more likely than older ones to have body image issues, while kids who use Instagram or Snapchat before age 11 face a higher risk of online harassment (Saiphoo, A. N., & Vahedi, Z., Computers in Human Behavior, Vol. 101, 2019; Charmaraman, L., et al., Computers in Human Behavior, Vol. 127, 2022).

These and other findings have prompted recommendations from the U.S. Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, MD, that social media and other technology companies help minimize fallout from their products, including by prioritizing the wellbeing of young users and by sharing their data with independent researchers ( Protecting youth mental health (PDF, 1.01MB), The U.S. Surgeon General's Advisory, 2021).

"It's time we stopped trying to make a profit on kids' developing brains," Prinstein said. "For the first time in human history, we have given up autonomous control over our social relationships and interactions, and we now allow machine learning and artificial intelligence to make decisions for us."

"We have already seen how this has created tremendous vulnerabilities to our way of life. It's even scarier to consider how this may be changing brain development for an entire generation of youth," he said.

Contact APA Office of Public Affairs

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Why young brains are especially vulnerable to social media

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The science behind why apps like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat impact your child's brain in a different way than your adult brain.

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Instagrams influence on middle adulthood - Physical development (personal experience)

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Instagrams influence on middle adulthood - Physical development (personal experience)

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Activity theory states that the more active and involved older adults are, the more likely they are to be satisfied with their lives (Santrock, 2022). Leading a more physically healthier lifestyle can help to slow down the aging process a generation or two. Middle age is starting later and lasting longer for those who do choose to live a more active, healthy and productive lifestyle (Santrock, 2022.)

Pros

Community Motivation

Shared progress whether its workouts, weight loss, healthy eating can all help boost accountability, allowing an individual to want to continue being healthy. Sometimes when I go to the gym I catch myself posting a picture of myself during my workout onto my Instagram story. The amount of positive feedback and compliments shared makes me want to continue to pour into myself.

Health Awareness

Fitness influences and wellness content can motivate healthier habits such as exercise or nutrition. The majority of the fitness knowledge that I have acquired during middle adulthood has come from Instagram. It is so easy and convenient to save a video and refer back to it later when I need it. This has helped me stay active during middle adulthood, ensuring that I carry a healthy body into later stages of my life.

Cons

Unrealistic body standards

Exposure to filtered or altered images may negatively impact body image and self perception. For me personally instagram has lead me into an unhealthy comparison. The constant exposure to carefully edited photos and filters creates a sense that everyone online looks or lives perfectly. This has pressured me to want to change things about myself that I never thought about before. The more time I spend on the app, the stronger the desire becomes to live up to a polished, “Instagram-ready” version of myself which is unrealistic.

In active lifestyle

Extended periods of screen time can reduce physical activity, contributing to high risks like obesity, hypertension, or poor posture. The more time I spend on my phone using apps like instagram the less tie I have available for others healthier activities like walking/ running.

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In teens, however, the prefrontal cortex (where executive functioning takes place) isn’t fully developed. So, it’s harder for teens to stop themselves from getting into trouble.

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In recent years, news story after story has painted social media as a villain that raises the risk for depression, body image issues and disordered eating in teenagers.

If you're a parent, the media coverage can seem alarming and confusing. Should you severely limit your teen from using TikTok, Instagram and other social media apps?

The answer is complicated and depends on many factors: your teen's personality and temperament, how and why they use social media, the amount of time they spend on it, and how much it displaces healthy-brain activities like sleep, physical activity and face-to-face communication, says Nusheen Ameenuddin, M.D., M.P.H., a Mayo Clinic pediatrician

"What we've learned in the past 10 to 15 years is that some kids are going to be more susceptible to depression and other mental health problems than others," says Dr. Ameenuddin. "But it's not true of every kid."

On top of that, social media comes with an upside, allowing many teens to find support and expand their understanding of the people and world around them, she says.

To figure out whether your teen benefits from social media - or is harmed by it - it helps to understand the inner workings of the teenage brain

Teen Brain Development

In adults, the brain is equipped with a strong braking system (called executive functioning), which helps us to stop ourselves from acting irrationally when we're angry, among other impulsive (but not helpful) behaviors.

In teens, however, the prefrontal cortex (where executive functioning takes place) isn't fully developed. So, it's harder for teens to stop themselves from getting into trouble.

(Perhaps you've noticed.)

Teens also crave approval, especially from their peers.

"So much of what happens during preadolescence and adolescence is related to identity formation," says Dr. Ameenuddin. "There's a strong desire to fit in - and to avoid sticking out. Not every teen is like that, of course, but it's a dominant theme."

Think back to your own teenage years. Did you ever take part in behavior that your adult self now considers exceptionally risky or unethical, perhaps because other kids dared you to do it? That's the teen brain in action. A peer pressures a teen to do something. The teen wants to fit in, and their brain fails to slam on the brakes. Social media challenges (such as the Tide Pod Challenge) work in the same way, luring kids to film themselves performing dangerous stunts in anticipation of a social reward

How Does Social Media Affect Teenagers?

Several studies have uncovered connections between social media and mental health problems in teens. For example, a 2018 study of 10,904 14-year-olds found an increased risk of mental health issues in teens who used social media more than three hours a day.

Yet it's important to point out: Not all teens are affected negatively. In the study, the teens most prone to mental health problems were being harassed online, replacing sleep time with social media time, or had poor body image or self-esteem.

Read more: The pros and cons of social media on mental health

Social Media and Teen Body Image

In 2021, Frances Haugen, a former data scientist for Facebook, leaked thousands of confidential internal documents to the press. Among them was Facebook-funded research that found:

17% of teen girls said that eating disorders worsened after using Instagram.

32% of teen girls said that they felt bad about their bodies after using Instagram.

As teens scroll, they tend to encounter pictures of fashionable celebrities, influencers and friends - often photographed in perfect lighting and presented through flattering filters. This leads some teens to wonder: What can I do to look like that?

Algorithms used by social media companies are not well understood. As teens click on advertisements for "fat-burning" supplements and ultra-low-calorie diets, their feeds can become dominated by this content. Because these topics have been popular among other users, they also can pop up in the feeds of teens who are not actively seeking out this information.

"The algorithms aren't designed with kids' brains or development in mind," says Dr. Ameenuddin. "They're designed to keep kids scrolling and clicking for ongoing engagement, regardless of quality, accuracy or safety of the content itself."

Read more: Why does social media make me feel so bad about my body?

The Upside of Social Media

After reading about the potential connections between social media and teen mental health, you might feel tempted to take your teen's phone and hide it from them until they turn 21.

But social media also offers some benefits, serving as a tool that allows teens to:

Find support. Considera teen who feels isolated or ostracized by their peers due to a medical condition, geographic region or identity. An online community may serve as one of the few places where they feel a sense of belonging.

Learn. Social media can help teens access educational content on a wide range of topics.

Break down barriers. Social media allows teens to learn more about the experiences of people who aren't like them and who they would otherwise never have the opportunity to meet.

Become change-makers. Consider how Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg used social media to bring attention to climate change.

"Research shows that kids who use social media in these more positive ways can do quite well," says Dr. Ameenuddin. "On the other hand, for teens who already feel self-conscious about their bodies or life, social media can be more detrimental, especially if they fall into the trap of comparisons."

Personality and temperament also can play into how teens respond to social media, as can their purpose for using it.

A Parent's Guide to Social Media

Because of the algorithms, teens who primarily use social media for positive reasons can still encounter harmful content and be negatively affected by it, says Dr. Ameenuddin. That's why, as a parent, you'll want to set up some guardrails, as well as talk to your teen about their online experiences.

To maximize the benefits and minimize the potential harms, use this advice.

Set some limits. Too much of anything isn't good, says Dr. Ameenuddin. Some limits to consider:

No devices at the dinner table (to encourage in-person socialization).

No devices in the bedroom at night (to encourage sleep).

Earn screen time with exercise or outdoor time (to encourage movement).

Discuss positive ways to use social media. Nudge your teen to search for educational content, use social media to connect with teens with similar interests or take the initiative to become civically engaged, responsible digital citizens.

Talk to your teen about social media. You might ask some curious questions like:

What type of content do you enjoy - and why?

What influencers do you follow - and why?

How do you feel when you're scrolling? Do you think it affects your mood?

The answers may fuel deeper conversations about body image and mental health.

Relevant reading

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Social media's effects on the teen brain - Mayo Clinic Press

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Explore the impact of social media on the teenage brain. Read how excessive use can affect mental health & cognition. Find a healthy balance for teens.

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Using applications and other editing devices, such as Photoshop, to alter selfies is nothing new for many teens and women. Thanks to an arra

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Selfie-Esteem: The Relationship Between Body Dissatisfaction and Social Media in Adolescent and Young Women | Magazine issue 1/2018 - Issue 35 | In-Mind

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Social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook have become ingrained in the lives of countless individuals. With adolescents and young adults, particularly young women, being the primary users of such platforms, it is an important question whether social media use has an impact on self-concept, self-esteem, body image, and body dissatisfaction. Researchers have started to empirically investigate these questions, and recent studies show mixed results. The present article attempts to review these findings and offers possible explanations for effects of social media use on body dissatisfaction, with a focus on Instagram, Facebook, and other popular image-based platforms.

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Instagrams influence on middle adulthood - Cognitive Development (personal experience)

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Instagrams influence on middle adulthood - Cognitive Development (personal experience)

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Cognitive Development

Horn argued that crystallized intelligence, the accumulation of knowledge and verbal skills, continues to increase during middle adulthood (Santrock, 2022). Social media platforms such as Instagram may contribute to this growth by providing individuals with constant access to new information and opportunities to articulate their thoughts, share experiences, and engage in discussions. However, fluid intelligence, the ability to reason and process new information, tends to decline during this stage. This decline can be linked to a reduced attention span, often influenced by the rapid, fragmented nature of social media consumption, as well as increased exposure to misinformation, which may hinder critical reasoning (Santrock, 2022).

Pros

Access to information

Exposure to new ideas, news, and educational content supports ongoing intellectual engagement. Instagram has also increasingly become a news outlet for me. I feel that there is less censorship compared to traditional media, and I’m able to see events unfold in real time, even those considered too “political” or “controversial” for television. The use of Instagram Live has played a big role in making this possible.

Creativity Stimulation

Visual content can inspire creative projects, hobbies, or even professional opportunities. I also use Instagram as a form of self-expression. It gives me the freedom to post what I want, create my own aesthetic, and change it whenever I choose. I can share creative photos, videos, and even express myself through the captions I write.

Cons

Reduced attention span

Constant scrolling may impair focus and deep thinking (Luca, Neus). Since I started using Instagram, I’ve noticed a big increase in my screen time. I often feel pressured to keep up with the content my friends and family post, especially since stories disappear after 24 hours. On top of that, Instagram’s algorithm keeps feeding me personalized content even after I’ve seen everything from people I know, which encourages me to keep scrolling longer than I intended.

Misinformation

Exposure to biased or false information can shape beliefs and decision making. I personally struggle with determining if information on instagram is valid or not. This has hindered my critical reasoning and caused me to now look further into things before believing them.

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Instagram influence on middle aged adulthood - Socio Emotional Development (personal experience)

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Instagram influence on middle aged adulthood - Socio Emotional Development (personal experience)

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Researchers have found that young and middle-aged adults experience more stressful days and encounter multiple stressors more frequently than older adults (Santrock 2024). Instagram can contribute to this stress, as constant comparison to others often undermines self-esteem and may create tension in personal relationships through misunderstandings or jealousy. At the same time, the cumulative personality model suggests that personality becomes more stable with age, and Instagram can play a positive role in this process by offering meaningful social connections, providing support networks, and creating opportunities for personal and professional growth (Santrock 2024).

Pros

Social Connection

Instagram can help maintain ties with friends, families and peers, reducing the feelings of isolation. For me personally Instagram has allowed me to stay connected with family members who live out of town and friends from high school who I no longer see because life has taken us in different directions. It’s a great way to check in with loved ones for free and to show love and support from a distance.

Supports Networks/opportunities

With instagram you gain access to communities that share similar life experiences. Instagram has opened the door to amazing opportunities. For example, when I was searching for an ultrasound program that fit my needs, I posted a note on Instagram, and my inbox was flooded with helpful responses. It gives me the direction I need to take the next steps toward my career and ultimately helps me prepare for late adulthood.

Cons

Comparison & Self Esteem Issues

Constant exposure to curated content may lead to dissatisfaction with one's own achievement, appearance, or lifestyle. For me personally instagram has lead me into an unhealthy comparison. The constant exposure to carefully edited photos and filters creates a sense that everyone online looks or lives perfectly. This has pressured me to want to change things about myself that I never thought about changing before. The more time I spend on the app, the stronger the desire becomes to live up to a polished, “Instagram-ready” version of myself.

Relationship Strain

In a recent study involving individuals from 18-70 years of age, having a happy relationship or marriage were the life goals rated as most important across the entire adult life span (Santrock 2024). Misunderstandings or jealousy over interactions or attention can impact marriages, friendships, or family dynamics (Luca, Neus). If you allow social media platforms like instagram to ruin your relationship during middle adulthood it can affect the nature of the relationship moving in late adulthood and onward. I personally found myself getting upset over post that my partner would like and comment on, ultimately putting a strain on our relationship.

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The Toxic Mirror: Selfies, Social Media, and Body Image | Martha Laham | TEDxDiabloValleyCollege

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Instagram can influence body image and cause body dysmorphia because "Humans are visual beings, and we use social comparisons to develop and shape our sense of who we are (identity)." (Frisbie, 2025")

On social media, we often watch influencers share their lives and their content that is interesting to watch. We will compare our lives to theirs because they show everything that is "perfect" to the public eye. Very often, influencers will get their body done, plastic surgery to be "picture perfect" and will attempt to tell others that they are natural, causing body dysmorphia and distracting from a normal body image. "From the research on social media and body image, it seems that appearance comparisons on social media are more damaging to body image than in-person comparisons" (Frisbie, 2025")

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NBCC | National Board for Certified Counselors & Affiliates

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The National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc. and Affiliates (NBCC) is a not-for-profit, independent certification organization.

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On Instagram, you are able to see how many people like and view your stories and posts. This allows you to obsess over the lack of likes and think that you are not "like worthy". Many post pictures of themselves and their bodies just for satisfaction and approval from society. To better understand the relationship between social media use, social comparison, and body image, additional correlational and experimental work has been conducted. For example, Di Gesto and colleagues (2022) have shown that exposure to likes on Instagram images increases body dissatisfaction, especially among women. Another study indicated that exposure to attractive celebrity and peer images can have detrimental effects on women’s body image (Brown and Tiggemann, 2016). Moreover, following appearance-focused accounts on Instagram (Cohen et al., 2017) and engaging in appearance comparison with fitspiration images (Rafati et al., 2021) were related to higher body dissatisfaction, thin-ideal internalization, body surveillance, and drive for thinness. (Glaser et al., 2024)

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A diary study investigating the differential impacts of Instagram content on youths’ body image - Humanities and Social Sciences Communications

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Humanities and Social Sciences Communications - A diary study investigating the differential impacts of Instagram content on youths’ body image

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"it has been argued that young females seek attention by sharing edited photos of themselves where they look nicer to increase their self-esteem and control their level of insecurity [15], and this can be the consequence of higher body dissatisfaction (i.e., posting edited photos as a coping strategy), as well as the cause of such posting practices" (Pedalino et al., 2022)

When it comes to peers as the comparison target, a different picture emerged: while upward social comparison with close and distant peers was significantly and positively related to lower levels of body appreciation, the comparison with these two targets was not related to any type of Instagram use investigated in the present study. This finding underlines that peers are indeed comparison targets, but more so in offline or other online contexts, and this stands in contrast to a prior study which found that exposure to idealized images of distant peers on Instagram is related to social comparison and worse mood and body image [10]. Thus, social media influencers, not peers, are an increasingly important socializing agent, which contribute to feelings of inadequacy as a result of upward social comparisons [26,27]. (Pedalino et al., 2022)

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*Correspondence: anne.linda.cameriniusi.ch †These authors contributed equally to this work.

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Instagram Use and Body Dissatisfaction: The Mediating Role of Upward Social Comparison with Peers and Influencers among Young Females

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Background: Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms among young females. Idealized body images shared on the platform have been associated with lower levels of body satisfaction in this population, likely due to social comparison…

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As Instagram users grow up, time tends to be taken away from social media because of jobs and responsibilities, along with that maturing also occurs. As maturing occurs, people spend more time with themselves and typically learn to love themselves, especially after puberty and development occurs. These factors may cause a higher self esteem.

With regard to the covariates studied in our mediation model, it should be noted that younger females aged 15 to 17 reported significantly lower levels of body appreciation than young women. This echoes findings from past studies demonstrating that girls in late adolescence report higher levels of body dissatisfaction [48]. As females go through puberty, their body changes considerably. (Pedalino et al., 2022)