I take immense joy in scrolling mindlessly on Instagram on certain days. Not always, but yes, I have my days when I just sit and scroll through. But lately, my scrolling is giving me an existential crisis! It goes okay till 10–15 posts, and then comes one bad reel that questions my entire existence. Let me give you an example of “how”. The other day, I was craving something sweet after lunch. Now, this, as an Indian, this feels normal. Till my subconscious all of a sudden reminded me how craving for Sugar is linked with depression symptoms. I nearly spit out my dessert. Me? Depressed? Nah! That’s just me eating a good homemade dessert.
But this incident got me thinking, what if the Social Media algorithm is trying to link my guilty pleasures to a therapy session? Because suddenly, everything I adore, from my midnight dark chocolate to my sacred morning sleep, is under the microscope. According to TikTok and Instagram influencers, my life choices are not “happy choices”; they are a cry for help. And if you are feeling the same lately, that’s all the reason I am writing this and would want you to read it.
- Coffee Is The New Poison: Let’s start with the OG offender. Love your morning coffee? You might have an “emotional void” you're trying to fill with the bitterness of black coffee.
- Dark Chocolate Is a Pill for My Isolation: Apparently, my fondness for cacao is not because it’s delicious, but because I’m seeking an intense, brooding flavour that reflects my deep-seated loneliness. I’m not eating it for the antioxidants, I’m eating it because I weep silently into my pillow.
- Milk (Chai, specifically): Masala chai holds a special place in my life. But according to the internet’s tea-leaf experts, it is my desperate attempt to regress to childhood comfort. A sign of crippling anxiety from my childhood. ,
- Morning Sleep is the reason I will struggle to grow spiritually: To start with, I disrupted my circadian rhythm, and on top of that, I missed the 5 AM time when spirituality is at its peak. Also, I am probably depressed because my mind works best at night, and it is the hour of depressed people. I am not making this up! One Instagram therapist said so.
It’s exhausting, isn’t it? If I had a dollar for every time a viral post linked a perfectly normal life choice to a complex mental health issue, I could retire and drink my depressant coffee on my lonely-person yacht.
Let’s Get Real!
Listen, I am a huge advocate for mental health awareness. Anxiety, depression, loneliness and any mental health issue are serious and complex, and they demand compassion and genuine medical care. But when did our morning ritual or simple lifestyle choices become a diagnostic tool for mental health?
Having milk tea won’t kill you or say anything about your mental health. It is just a beverage choice you make on a particular day because it tastes good.
The truth is, my love for dark chocolate isn’t a secret cry for help; it’s because my taste buds are sophisticated. I enjoy my morning sleep because I am a functioning adult who respects the need for rest. I like working in silence, and nights are calm that way. I drink coffee because I have deadlines. End of story.
What we are witnessing is the rise of the social media “Scaremonger”- people who intentionally link everyday items to fear-inducing headlines like ‘cancer,’ ‘obesity,’ or, in this case, ‘depression and anxiety.’ Why?
For the clicks! It is always for the clicks.
As a Digital Media Marketer, I know the social media ecosystem inside and out. We all chase that viral wave and want mass acceptance, but here’s where a true marketer parts ways with the average influencer:
Marketers are ethically bound. We approach content creation with the responsibility that our brand’s reputation, and often our livelihoods, depend on its integrity. Influencers, on the other hand, are just individuals chasing engagement and reach; their primary motivation is attention, not accountability.
So my only ask from you (and advice) is to stop letting these scaremongers get into your head. Consume content, but mindfully. Don’t rely on health tips from Instagram; listen to licensed, qualified Doctors. And your food or lifestyle choices don’t say much about your attachment issues or childhood trauma.