Behind the filters: Callie’s Story

The modern-day art of doomscrolling is something every teenager takes part in. Everything is now put online, from making your tea to some of the most exciting moments of a person’s life. However, it’s easy to just keep scrolling through social media without seeing the impact it’s actually having and, before you know it, you might find yourself wishing you could change little things about yourself. That then might advance to wanting to change things that you don’t have the ability to change.  

Over time, you might scroll wishing you were someone else, wishing you had their looks and their life. You might start wishing you were someone who is likely the complete opposite to yourself. You might even lose track of who you are and the identity you held at one point. What used to be admiration for a person can quickly morph into your own self-doubt, questioning your every move and not living for you anymore.  

Comparison culture is a sneaky thing.

It tells you everyone else is doing better than you- looking happier, being more successful and living a fuller life. But social media just feeds you snapshots of other people’s lives. A short 10 second clip can make you feel down, making you notice your flaws and incomplete goals. Seeing so many other people online who seem to have it all together and are set for success can be a strange form of heartbreak. Comparison steals personal gratitude; you might never really feel unhappy with your successes until you compare those said successes to another person.  

It’s easy to forget when you see a 10 second reel of someone’s “perfect” life, it could be the best 10 seconds of what could be an awful week for that person. That’s why it is important to learn to not question yourself and say, “why am I not where they are at?” or “why am I not them?” Instead, trust yourself to know that you’re giving it everything you can, and this will help you stay grounded. You’ll never truly escape comparison culture, but you can choose to not feed into it and let it control your life.  

Self-doubt can have such a negative impact on confidence. 

It can knock you down seeing others who are more successful, and you can feel defeated wishing you could change things that are out of your control, especially when you’re a teenager! 

Research shows that social media can have a negative impact on mental health with studies showing that it impacts girls’ mental health more than boys. For example, you can post a video singing to your favourite song and so many people comment saying such nice, positive things, but one comment saying something negative can make you question everything. It could set you back and make you feel just not ‘you’ anymore. Social media can give people a voice allowing them to express whatever is on their mind, but it can destroy mental health so quickly.  

That’s why it’s important to prioritise your self-confidence when using social media. Self-confidence isn’t about being the loudest person in the room or being able to speak whatever is on your mind without any form of hesitation. As you get older you learn that having confidence is about how you carry yourself and how you learn to trust in the decisions you make.  It’s about believing that everything will work out and focusing on your own goals and successes to get there. This can be a huge game changer.  

Slowly, overtime you will have achieved the power of self-confidence! Overtime all your small wins will begin to add up, and you’ll feel capable of anything thrown at you. Self-confidence will open so many new doors, allowing you to believe that going out of your comfort zone can lead to something new and amazing. Some days, self-doubt might creep in, but having even the smallest amount of confidence can destroy the doubt.  And that confidence will also help you remember that not everything you see online is a true reflection of a person’s life, so you don’t need to compare yourself to someone else’s highlight reel.  

Everyone their own unique path and that is the path they are supposed to be on; that all becomes clear in time. Remember you are exactly where you need to be.