Influencer Says She Quit Social Media to Protect Her Mental Health

Summary

Megan, a former social media influencer, opens up about her five-year journey in the online world, sharing how she grew her following from 500 to 22,000 while dealing with the pressures of maintaining a perfect image. She reveals the toll it took on her mental health, from hiding her eating disorder to staging content that masked her depression. Despite the facade, the weight of criticism and the lack of genuine connections led Megan to step away from social media in 2020. Now, she values her mental well-being above all else and reflects on the need for authenticity in the online space.

Takeaways

• 😀 Megan started her social media influencer journey in 2015 with only 500 followers, eventually growing to 22,000 followers by 2020.
• 😀 At her peak, Megan was earning around $8,000 a month from her social media activities.
• 😀 Much of Megan’s content was a facade, with her posts often portraying a happy, perfect life, while in reality, she was struggling with depression and self-esteem issues.
• 😀 Megan developed an eating disorder during her time as an influencer, becoming very thin and editing her photos to make herself appear even smaller.
• 😀 Despite portraying an image of happiness, Megan was often suffering behind the scenes, crying in bed and feeling disconnected from reality.
• 😀 Negative comments from followers about her appearance and lack of knowledge about certain topics, such as hair care, contributed to her growing depression.
• 😀 In 2020, Megan took a six-month break from social media, during which her friendships significantly dwindled from a large group to just three people.
• 😀 Megan believes she could return to being an influencer, but she now prioritizes her mental health over the pressures of social media.
• 😀 Stepping away from social media helped Megan reconnect with her true self, allowing her to see her unedited, real self in the mirror without the filters and photoshopped images.
• 😀 Megan initially didn't feel phony creating edited content, but over time, she recognized the negative impact it was having on her mental health.
• 😀 Megan often created content for social media that was staged and idealized, with followers unaware of the struggles she was going through behind the scenes.
• 😀 Megan admitted that she was very sensitive to others' curated images on social media, often leading to negative self-comparisons that worsened her mental health.
• 😀 She shared examples of how she manipulated images of her apartment and bedroom to appear perfect, even when she was in a deep depressive state and struggling with suicidal thoughts.

Q & A

What was Megan's primary reason for stepping away from social media?

Megan stepped away from social media due to the negative impact it had on her mental health. She was struggling with depression, an eating disorder, and feelings of isolation despite her online success.

How did Megan's social media following and earnings change over time?

Megan's social media following grew from 500 to 22,000 followers, and she was earning about $8,000 a month through her posts, indicating significant growth in her influence.

What type of content did Megan primarily create on social media?

Megan's content focused primarily on home interiors. She would often post aesthetically pleasing images of her living space, which were often manipulated to look perfect, while the reality was much different.

Did Megan feel authentic in her social media posts during the time she was creating content?

Initially, Megan did not feel phony in her posts. She was proud of the creative work she was doing. However, as time went on, she realized the toll it was taking on her mental health, leading her to question the authenticity of her content.

How did Megan's physical appearance and her online persona relate to each other?

Megan was dealing with an eating disorder and was already very thin, but she would also edit her photos to make herself appear even smaller. Her online persona created unrealistic beauty standards that she was struggling to live up to.

What was the impact of social media criticism on Megan's mental health?

The criticism, especially regarding her knowledge of hair care and other areas, contributed to Megan's mental health decline. She felt a growing sense of insecurity and self-doubt due to public scrutiny.

What emotional state did Megan experience behind the scenes of her curated social media content?

Behind the scenes, Megan was experiencing deep emotional struggles, including depression and suicidal thoughts, despite posting seemingly happy and successful images online.

How did Megan describe the feeling of creating content that was not a true representation of her life?

Megan described the process as feeling fake. While she enjoyed creating beautiful content, it became clear to her that the images were not true representations of her life and mental state.

What did Megan realize about the influence of her social media content on others?

Megan acknowledged that her content, while not entirely fabricated, could negatively affect others by setting unrealistic expectations. She was sensitive to how others might compare themselves to her seemingly perfect images.

How did Megan's relationship with friends change after she took a break from social media?

After Megan took a six-month break from social media, she noticed a significant decline in her social connections. Her large group of friends shrank to just three people, and she lost touch with many others.