The Paradox of Instagram

It starts with a like, then another. Before you know it, you’re down a rabbit hole of perfectly curated feeds and endless memes, chasing cheap dopamine. We all are guilty of it, and we love it, but sometimes, a bit too much – and yes, it’s our friend and foe, Instagram.

In 2025, Southern Asia alone accounted for 448 million Instagram users, which is over 25% of the globe. In fact, Asia as a whole makes up 51% of the platform’s audience. With 18–24-year-olds representing over 30% of its ad reach, the app isn’t just popular, it’s foundational for South Asia’s youth, and not just for entertainment — it’s a career.

Micro-influencers build entire incomes through collabs, brand deals, and paid Stories. The rise of influencer culture in Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh is proof that Instagram has blurred the line between play and paycheck

The Comparison Trap

Instagram’s model is built on curation. Most user post the highlights of their life – the parties, solo-trips, spontaneous breakfast dates, but not the unfiltered real moments in between. When this is the bar you set for yourself in daily life, too, no surprise that you fall short. Suddenly, your lifestyle and choices are inadequate against someone else’s best moments.

Research shows this cycle fuels feelings of inferiority, envy, and self-doubt, particularly among young people who are chronically online.

Instagram’s algorithm is a master puppeteer, pulling you in with one post, then another, until you’ve lost hours to the scroll. Just when it seemed addictive enough, August 2016 happened: Stories arrived. Suddenly, the app wasn’t just about polished grids; instead, it became a 24-hour stage of fleeting perfection. Now every chai run, sunset, or gym mirror selfie could be broadcast instantly. Friends keep tabs through Stories, influencers bag brand deals because Stories sell, and brands chase that golden slot because they know, if it’s in your Stories, people will see it!

Oh to Be Perfect!

Over time, this becomes more than catching up with friends. It’s pressure. It’s a social warning to do more, post more, be more, and become more. It’s no longer the place where you only post a funny selfie with a friend for laughs; rather, people have reportedly experienced “appearance anxiety,” which can lead to body dysmorphia and even eating disorders.

Studies have linked heavy Instagram use with higher rates of anxiety, depression, and loneliness. The constant ping of notifications makes it harder to disconnect, pulling you back into a loop of scrolling that often leaves you drained rather than fulfilled..

Take Control

So, how do you break the cycle without logging off forever?

  • Audit your feed → Follow accounts that inspire, uplift, or educate, and quietly unfollow the ones that trigger comparison or self-doubt.
  • Set boundaries → Use built-in tools like Instagram’s “Take a Break” reminder or third-party apps like 
  • Shift your purpose → Reframe Instagram as a tool for connection, not validation.
  • Check in with yourself → If scrolling leaves you drained, anxious, or low, take that as a signal to pause. Even small digital detoxes can reset your relationship with the app.

Instagram isn’t inherently bad, but by design, it’s meant to keep you scrolling. It’s the double-edged sword of the social web: it connects us, but it can also quietly erode confidence and well-being. So remember: Instagram entertains. Instagram connects. Instagram deceives. But Instagram should never own your mind or your story.