Filters, Facades, And Full-Blown Delusion: 40 Times Instagram Collapsed Under Reality (New Pics)

As per Healthline, social media dependency can lead to various downsides, such as low self-esteem, isolation, loneliness, anxiety, and depression.

It can also lead to having a fear of missing out, disrupted sleep, less physical activity, poor grades, poor work performance, damaging real-life relationships, and reduced empathy.

According to research, social media dependency is characterized by excessive screen time, compulsive checking, and detrimental effects on real-life relationships and responsibilities.

This dependency can be driven by a host of factors, such as low self-esteem, mental health issues, peer pressure, exposure to idealized content, as well as technological mechanisms (for instance, personalized notifications or infinite scrolling).

Managing social media dependency can be done using a variety of methods, for example, by using cognitive behavioral therapy (commonly known as CBT), mindfulness training, and educational initiatives about the potential risks.

Other strategies that can help include parents setting healthy boundaries at home and monitoring social media use.

Taken together, this mix of approaches can help a person develop healthier online behaviors.

Broadly speaking, you should start getting concerned about your internet and/or social media use when it starts impacting your daily life. If your responsibilities (school, work, childcare, etc.), health, and relationships suffer, you’ve got a problem.

It’s a serious issue if you feel consumed by social media and don’t want to be part of real life.

This can lead to anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. Ask yourself how you feel after spending time on social media. If you feel drained and bad, it’s definitely something to moderate.

Initially created back in November 2017, the ‘Instagram Reality’ subreddit has become one of the main online communities on the site.

Currently, it boasts a whopping 1.1 million members worldwide, as well as a large group of dedicated moderators who keep the sub running smoothly.

During a previous interview with the moderator team of ‘Instagram Reality,’ Bored Panda learned more about the community's thoughts about people’s dependency on social media and filters. According to them, “insecurity, envy, money” drive some people to photoshop their photos so much. They might also be embarrassed about any real or perceived personal flaws, so they edit their pics to the point where they feel comfortable sharing them online.

The problem, according to the mods, is that once someone gets started with photo-editing, it’s hard to stop. They see how easy it is to change anything they find unattractive about themselves.

“Then it snowballs,” the mods told Bored Panda previously. From taking in just a bit of your tummy for a more slender silhouette until eventually she's landed on a waist the size of her neck."