The recent demise of Misha Agrawal, a young content creator, on Instagram is one of the innumerable incidents that make us ruminate deeply on the detrimental effects of social media, especially Instagram. Likes are mistaken for love, and engagement for emotional connections.
Hearts don’t
mean love
In this era of the digital world, mere likes are mistaken for love, and the engagement one receives from these platforms is taken for emotional connection. “As a parenting creator, my content often comes from a personal space. So when someone likes, shares, or especially comments on their situation, it does feel like a connection. But you also need the maturity to differentiate between real-world bonds and social media engagement. Engagement can feel like love, but they aren’t a substitute for real relationships,” said Stuti Agarwal, an influencer and a journalist.
Why did Misha take her life?
Misha Agrawal was a 24-year-old entrepreneur and content creator on Instagram who tragically took her own life just two days before turning 25. A couple of days after her demise, her elder sister took to Instagram to share that social media had consumed her sister. The post read, “My baby sister had built her world around Instagram and her followers with a single goal of reaching one million followers and gaining loving fans. When her followers started decreasing, she became distraught and felt worthless. Since April, she has been deeply depressed, often hugging me, crying, and saying, Jijja, what will I do if my followers decrease? My career will be over.” It is heart-breaking what happened to Misha, but it makes us ask—how can we truly know if the people behind these screens are okay?
Obsession with Likes and followers
The majority of influencers are obsessed with the number of likes and followers they get. “If the likes are more, it’s great, that means people are connecting with your content, and if it’s not, then also it’s okay for me, it doesn’t make a difference”, said Cecille Rodrigues, an activist who is also an influencer. Stuti said, “This is a business, just like any other. If a shopkeeper worries about fewer walk-ins, we worry when our reach drops. It directly affects visibility, collaborations, and growth. So yes, it matters.” She further elaborated that likes and followers are not just numbers but indicators of how well her content is resonating with her audience.
Association of self-
worth with likes
It’s unfortunate that in today’s world, self-worth and dignity are often tied to likes and followers. “For us, performance shows up as numbers—followers, likes, reach. While self-worth shouldn’t be dependent on them, it does affect our emotions,” said Stuti. Letting something as shallow as faceless opinions of people affect one’s life is a plight. She further added that “As an experienced creator, I can just tell you that you learn to manage it better with time and experience.”
Passion over validation
“I’ve seen some of my best work get barely any traction, and then suddenly a random reel goes viral. Social media validation isn’t something I seek or need. I’ve been creating content long before Instagram even existed—across different platforms and in different formats. Instagram just happens to be the platform I use right now. At the end of the day, the platform isn’t what defines you. It’s your passion, your consistency, and the life you live that truly matter,” said Flexcia D’Souza, a travel content creator on Instagram. Tackling the toxicity of Instagram requires a conscious effort to maintain mental well-being in the face of unrealistic standards and constant comparisons.