Social media use has a negative impact on self-esteem
Lately, I’ve heard lots of comments from people I work with on feeling bad about themselves from doom-scrolling on social media. The negative effects on self-esteem from social media use are well documented. Everyone carefully crafts their “brand” in order to make themselves look like they’re living their best life.
It’s hard to feel good about your real life, when you are comparing yourself to carefully crafted and curated brands, that are not a real or complete representation of that person or their lives. You have to assume it’s not actually real or true. In fact, the way I see it – the harder someone is working to make their lives/themselves look great, the worse they actually feel or the worse their reality really is.
I may have a unique perspective cause I’m a therapist. I’ve had people come to me because they feel guilt and distress over the fact that they are cultivating an online image and reputation that’s not based on reality. Think workout influencer, who looks that way because they have an eating disorder, not because they follow their own advice.
When you treat it like it’s real or true, you give it power.
Anyone can claim to be an expert
Nowadays, anyone can call themselves an expert in anything. But when they didn’t do the work to have any legit expertise in that area, what do they do? They fake it. They say things that sounds good. They make it up as they go along. They steal it from other people. But do they know what they’re talking about? Hard no.
Social media is even officially backing away from fact checking… https://www.npr.org/2025/01/12/nx-s1-5252739/meta-backs-away-from-fact-checking-in-the-u-s
AND something else is going on, too.
Advertising! Everyone is selling themselves, their “brand,” and their perspective. They’ve figured it all out. Follow them. Give them your money.
Advertising has to create problems to sell you
What’s the first rule of advertising?
Make people realize they need your product or services by pointing out there’s a problem.
Since there is such an explosion of “entrepreneurs” in the “wellness” industry, completely unregulated, and all competing with each other for your money, they are finding NEW and CREATIVE ways to make you feel broken. They have to make you feel like there’s something wrong with you, so they can sell you their expensive fake solution.
I have recently heard examples like:
(From a successful businesswoman) “I read today online that my success is driven by my childhood trauma – now I feel bad about the success I’ve worked so hard for, cause it was just a symptom of my trauma.”
(From a young adult) “I was reading online today that people with childhood trauma don’t set goals for themselves and meet them. I feel bad about myself cause I don’t do that, I’m not sure what I want to do yet. It feels like I’m trapped in my trauma.”
(I looked that last one up, and sure enough, it was an ad selling coaching – coaching by people who don’t even have a high school diploma. Think about the irony of that for a second).
It’s just marketing
They are trying to make you feel bad about your success, or your normal phase of life, in order to sell you their “brand” or services. They’ve figured it all out, so don’t you go feeling good or even ok about anything, cause then you might not need to give them your money!
I’m gonna go out on a limb and say these are probably not licensed therapists who are making people feel broken and inventing reasons for everyone to feel bad on social media. They are people who are not actually educated, trained, or licensed to work with people with trauma or mental health issues. Therefore, they are desperate to attract business and legitimacy.
If you’re the one finding fault with the most things, you win all the money!