Is Instagram * Really * Destroying Your Life?

We now have proof: Instagram makes you feel bad about yourself. But is that enough of a reason to delete it?

- By Katherine Hammer

As Quinn S., 15, scrolls through Instagram, she often experiences any one of these emotions: Intense jealousy of others (including her own friends). Sadness and frustration while taking in the lives of influencers, celebs and random people she doesn’t even know. Plenty of insecurity as she compares her body to the “perfect” ones filling her feed. “Instagram has definitely affected my mental health in a negative way,” Quinn admits.

Julie W., 17, can relate. “Using the app makes me feel more self-conscious,” she shares. “I compare myself to the girls I follow: Why can’t I dress like that? Why don’t I go to cool places? Why don’t I look that good in pictures?”

These girls are not alone. In September, internal research done by Facebook (which owns Instagram) and leaked by a whistleblower revealed that their photo-sharing platforms fuel comparison, create self-esteem issues and, yeah, can be downright damaging—particularly for teenage girls.

Unfortunate? Yes. Surprising? Not really. So why are so many teens still scrolling away? The answer is complicated, explains Quinn.

“I can’t just delete Instagram. There’s pressure to be up-to-date with everyone,” she says. There are also the benefits: You can stay connected to faraway friends and family, easily share your thoughts and talents with a broad audience and follow super inspiring people who may motivate you to crush goals and go after big dreams.

No, Instagram is not *all* bad. But it can be a truly toxic space if you get sucked into the comparison trap— which, as research has proven, is pretty easy to do. So is it possible to safeguard your emotional health and scroll more safely? The answer is yes (phew).