Young people are growing tired of the illusion of being ‘always online’

The blind competition for digital identity has put mental health, social life and real experiences in jeopardy – Satywan Saurabh 

Today’s Indian society is going through a transition where technology is both offering opportunities and creating crises. The rapidly expanding reach of social media is the biggest symbol of this transition. Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X, and other platforms have given ordinary people a platform unimaginable a few decades ago. But as much as this empowerment brought hope, it has also created psychological and social complications. The younger generation, entangled in the superficial pursuit of likes, views, followers, and becoming a digital celebrity, is becoming trapped in a vortex of mental fatigue and social isolation that is invisible but deeply weakening. The number of social media users in India has surpassed 500 million—one of the largest digital communities in the world. The pressure it has placed on young people is even greater than this vast number. The habit of picking up the phone as soon as one wakes up in the morning and scrolling through the screen until closing one’s eyes seems normal today, but this very normality has become the biggest threat. The desire to gain recognition through likes and views is gradually cutting off the youth from real life.

The most alluring and dangerous aspect of social media is that it creates a parallel world—a world where you can craft your own image, project a personality different from your reality, and frame your life within a dazzling frame. But the price of acceptance in this world is steep. To gain even a few seconds of attention, you have to constantly produce new posts, new photos, new reels, and new expressions. Young people are increasingly pressured to believe that if their posts don’t receive enough likes or views, they’ve fallen short in some invisible competition. It’s a competition for digital identity with no clear goal, no end, and no real winner. Every young person compares their own image to others. Someone else’s smile, lifestyle, body, vacations, career, relationships—everything becomes a basis for comparison. This comparison undermines self-esteem, and gradually young people begin to feel that what they have in real life isn’t enough.

Several surveys show that 59% of young people aged 18–34 admit that social media is affecting their mental balance. Problems like anxiety, stress, insomnia, overthinking, excessive excitement, and self-doubt are rapidly increasing. Two questions constantly linger in young people’s minds: How many likes did this post get? What might people be thinking about me? The burden of these questions has become so overwhelming that even real achievements often feel incomplete without digital feedback. Self-confidence is no longer based on self-worth but on the digital approval of others.

Most worryingly, depression and loneliness have risen sharply among young people who spend excessive time on social media. They appear “connected” on the outside, but deep inside, they feel deeply disconnected. The decline in real interactions has also weakened emotional expression. It’s a common sight in many families today to see everyone at the dinner table hunched over mobile screens. Parents can’t understand why children are taking so long to create a post or why a single photo requires multiple takes to get the perfect angle. The younger generation’s emotions, communication styles, and preferences are rapidly shifting to digital formats, while older generations still value real communication and relationships. This generational gap has driven families emotionally apart.

Hanging out with friends is no longer an experience but an opportunity to create content. Finding a “postable” photo everywhere has become a near-constant task. Relationships are gradually shifting from reality to a medium of performance. Many young people admit to being influenced by the “perfect relationships” they see on social media and harbouring unreasonable expectations about their relationships, which later lead to disappointment.

The biggest problem with social media is the pressure to always be available. The constant barrage of notifications, the habit of responding to messages immediately, the fear of missing out on new trends, and the constant desire to appear updated are slowly draining the mental energy of young people. Digital fatigue has become a real problem today. Many young people are unable to sleep late at night because they fear they will miss something. Their concentration during the day is disrupted because their minds are constantly drawn to the screen. This cycle is endless, and the fatigue deepens as time passes.

The platforms’ objective is simple—the longer the user is kept on the screen, the greater the profit. Algorithms are designed to keep the user from scrolling. Videos play back-to-back, notifications are constantly tempting, and content is curated to make the user feel like “just a little more”. This strategy has the greatest impact on young minds, who are still maturing emotionally and intellectually. They don’t understand that this world of social media is constantly consuming their time, energy, and self-esteem.

As big as the problem is, its solution is equally practical—digital discipline. Young people should set aside a specific time every day—this will control habits and reduce fatigue. Turning off unnecessary notifications reduces mental stress. It’s important to stop comparing yourself to others’ “highlight reels”. Focusing on family, friends, books, nature, sports, and creative activities provides positive energy. Adding courses on digital behaviour and mental health in schools and colleges is the need of the hour. Parents should also maintain a restrained and sensitive watch on children’s mobile usage habits.

Young people need to understand that their true talents, emotions, creativity, and hard work are more valuable than the statistics displayed on a screen. Life’s meaning is not built on digital applause but on real experiences, relationships, and self-development. Social media has certainly made the world smaller, but if its use is not restrained, it also shrinks the scope of our own lives. It’s time for young people to awaken from this illusion, distance themselves from the screen, and return to their true identities. Because this race for likes and views is endless—and it is sure to tire. But the paths in the race of life are endless, meaningful, and true.

 (The author can be reached at kavitaniketan333@gmail.com.)