FALLING PREY TO ILLUSIONS

There is an uneasy feeling about expressing our real-life unavoidable ups and downs. Posting the positive aspects of our lives on social media is nothing more than an illusion to distract ourselves from the reality of what is going on in our lives.

Social media is primarily a showcase of the highlights, which often depict a shortcut to accomplishments. It criticizes the genuine interactions we used to have with people, as well as our overall engagement with life experience. 

A misconstrued understanding of a circumstance is what an illusion is by definition. While life is full of illusions, such illusions are magnified on social media. While people have a natural desire to belong, it is all too easy to compare oneself to a carefully crafted narrative of reality depicted on social media.

Social Media is built on criteria that do not correspond in many ways to reality. It creates an illusion of a fictitious world which, in many cases, can create a bubble and an ideological position, effectively isolating you from the rest of the world. It's insane that you can form predicated assumptions based solely on what you see on social media. It can often distort your perception of relationships, friendships, and sometimes even the level of trust you have with family members.

But, in the end, it always boils down to the reality within and around us and how we progressively manage that reality. We must realize that what’s seen on social media are not real life depictions, and are not to be compared with our individual lives. People go through situations that a lot don't comprehend outside of Instagram, Twitter, or Snapchat. Social Media, being mostly an escape for one person, has the potential to corrupt other people’s minds, leading them to believe that the life they portray on social media is the life they live outside of it as well. This just simply isn’t true. 

According to the website thesocialdilemma.com, a 5,000-person study found that using social media for an extended period is associated with declines in life satisfaction, as well as social, physical, and mental health. Millions of people are addicted to it and it’s leaving a negative impact on mental health.

Be inspired by others' achievements, humbled by your accomplishments, and eager about the prospects for progress that lie ahead. Don't compare yourself to others, and keep in mind that you're exactly where you need to be. If social media is sending you in a perpetual cycle of comparison and you find yourself experiencing bouts of depression and anxiety it’s time to deactivate and get self-focused.