Faking Happiness on Social Media :
Have you ever posted a happy pic online to mask your real-life unhappiness? The more miserable you are in real life the happier you are in Social Media, In simple terms, the grass really isn’t greener.
Social media is the fastest medium to allow people to publicly share their thoughts, feelings, and lives along with others and has increasingly become inauthentic. From the rise of fake news to the rise of bots, fake followers, and their trolls, it’s hard to know whom, what or where to trust.
People who don’t have a perfect life are projecting, their luxury cars, or vacation times they have, but their parents have been joined old age homes or managed by maids or their spouses are leaving apart or their kids hating them.
The use of social media also affects the self-worth and online identity detrimentally with the number of likes and comments received. There is a direct effect on relationships, people who are prone to anxiety or isolation may be more likely to spend a lot of time on social media.
There is envy created because of heavy social media usage and those are low self-esteem and deprivation intolerance, which describes the experience of being unable to bear not getting what they want. Human well-being has greater improved by technology and social media, there are few negative effects that are skewed across the demography. In order to universalise a positive interaction with technology, it demands comprehensive, well-defined public policy intervention.
Why People Fake Happiness on Social Media :
- Need for social approval
- Contagious happiness
- Thirst for instant gratification
- Pressure to appear perfect
- Afraid of looking like failures
- Celebrities postings
- Obsession with competing with others
- Insecure about their partners
- Hunger for positive feedback, crave for likes
- Needing approval and validation from others
- Afraid of being a failure
- You are measured by likes and comments you have.
- Desperation for more likes
- Fear of missing out
- Insecure about their partners and friends
- Falling into a comparison trap
Unplug from social media :
- Don’t use social media one hour before sleep and after you wake up
- Disable Notifications in your Smartphone
- Keep your phone under the desk while you’re working
- Charge your device outside the bedroom
- Access social media from your computer instead of your Smartphone
- Keep only important tools on your home screen
- Keep your phone away during meals with friends and families
- Device Free Meetings
- Use Grey Scale mode on your Smartphone
- Use, Screen Time on iOS and Digital Wellbeing on Android
Live a Real Life :
- Interact with real people, not online people!
- Don’t spend much time making your profile look wonderful
- Write a book about your adventures or trips
- Join an NGO, Join a Sport, or whatever that keeps you occupied
- Don’t crave for likes and shares
Ways to Identify faking on social platforms :
- Heavy mood swings: Quickly switches between being joyful, lively, to sadness or a frustration?
- You’re tired: Constantly insisting that you’re fine and cheerful, but you’re tired all the time.
- Trying hard to show, the greatness of your Life Is: Increase posting by a few times more than the regular posting.
- You’re Isolated from others: Constantly making excuses to push people away can be a sign that you’re faking your happiness.
- Alcohol and substance abuse: Coping with anxiety or other life issues through social drinking might imply the existence of a bigger problem.
Conclusion :
- Social media is a great platform for all of us to connect, converse, and collaborate. On Social media, many try to tell they are perfect, popular, rich, intelligent, and successful. Social media is like a pill that you take and makes you believe you are ok and the world is very wonderful towards you.
- Excessive fake happiness on social media can have negative impacts, especially on the youth. They might fall into a comparison trap or depression. We strongly suggest you go for a walk, meet people at a restaurant, have fun and there is nothing better than having the person in front of you to connect, converse and collaborate.
- Faking happiness on social media is a complex issue and it happens because people want to pose as if they are perfect and successful in life.
