HOW THE RECENT INSTAGRAM CHANGE MIGHT AFFECT MENTAL HEALTH

HOW THE RECENT INSTAGRAM CHANGE MIGHT AFFECT MENTAL HEALTH

Mental health disorders linked to Instagram usage are likely to increase with the change from photo format to one that is video based. For instance, FOMO will spike as people feel left out in the fun or events they see posted on their app. Fear of missing our can heighten anxiety, loneliness and depression. The idea of seeing short videos or reels from random users will lead to higher stress levels especially among the youth as they try to set similar unrealistic expectations.

Adding more videos can create a more stressful environment due to the addictive nature of Instagram. People will spend more time on the app watching videos compared to photos. The feature also eliminates the idea of being connected to your friends and photos as the vides come from multiple users. People will miss the good old days where they could easily scroll past pictures of loved ones.

Elena Ognivtseva
Latest posts by Elena Ognivtseva (see all)

Nutritionist, Cornell University, MS

I believe that nutrition science is a wonderful helper both for the preventive improvement of health and adjunctive therapy in treatment. My goal is to help people improve their health and well-being without torturing themselves with unnecessary dietary restrictions. I am a supporter of a healthy lifestyle – I play sports, cycle, and swim in the lake all year round. With my work, I have been featured in Vice, Country Living, Harrods magazine, Daily Telegraph, Grazia, Women's Health, and other media outlets.

Latest from Ask the Expert