The Illusion of Happiness: Why Do We Compare Ourselves to a Seemingly Perfect Life?

"Is the luxury, comfort and happy life you see on social media real or just an illusion?"

As technology develops, internet access becomes very easy and free. The ease of accessing the internet increases the number of social media users. Based on survey data conducted by APJII (Association of Indonesian Service Providers) in 2016, there were 132.7 million internet users in Indonesia. Of that number, 129.2 million or around 97.4% use social media with an access duration of between two and six hours.

Social media makes it easy for people to spread and obtain information. Starting from important information in general to detailed information related to certain individuals can be obtained from social media. However, nowadays social media only displays the good, luxurious, and happy side of a person to the point that speculation arises that the happiness, luxury, and comfort displayed by someone on social media is that person's life in the real world. Many people really want to be popular in cyberspace to validate themselves, manipulating photos and information in captions on Instagram to give the impression that they are happy and happy in their lives just to get followers and become idols.

It is undeniable that social media has helped human life, such as making it easier for humans to find information, spread news, and expand relationships. However, it turns out that social media also has a negative impact on human life. Not only does it have an impact on the social aspect where humans tend to isolate themselves but it also has a negative impact on the psychological aspect of humans.

This is reinforced by the results of research conducted by Agus Setiaman, Nabila Putri Zasa, and Kismiyati El Karimah which states that excessive use of social media can have a negative impact on humans. The negative impact is a change in lifestyle that adapts to trends on social media. This phenomenon is known as FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) or a condition that describes someone experiencing excessive fear if they do not follow something that is being widely discussed by many people. This phenomenon gives rise to another phenomenon, namely speculation that life on social media is the same as real life.

In 2015, Essena O'Neill, an Australian teenager with 612,000 followers on Instagram, decided to quit the platform. She revealed that what she had been showing in her posts was not real. O'Neill explained that many of her photos were manipulated, where she had to do various poses and take photos from certain angles to look thinner and more proportional. In addition, she also mentioned that many of the clothes, shoes, and places she visited were just part of various brand advertisements.

O'Neill explained that social media, especially Instagram, has taken over her life and made her project a lifestyle that she doesn't actually have. She also added that she became very obsessed with the number of 'likes' she received on her photos, and tried very hard to get validation from social media. Based on her experience and observation as someone who is popular on Instagram, O'Neill realized that many people want to be popular online to validate themselves, by manipulating photos and information in captions on Instagram to appear happy and enjoying life just to gain followers and become idols. In a video uploaded by Essena O'Neill on YouTube, she explained that everything she did was just for 'likes'. Although on social media she seemed happy, enjoying life, and had everything, O'Neill admitted that she actually felt lonely and sad because she was too focused on the virtual life she created.

Someone who is obsessed with getting validation from others in the form of likes and comments is included in the psychological problems called NPD (Narcissistic Personality Disorder), Anxiety, and Insecure. NPD is a mental disorder in which a person has excessive beliefs about themselves, their strengths, or their achievements, and really wants praise and recognition from others. Anxiety, or anxiety, is a feeling of discomfort or worry that can range from mild to severe. This is the body's natural response to stress or situations that are considered threatening. Anxiety can be experienced by anyone, but when anxiety is excessive and interferes with daily life, this may be a sign of an anxiety disorder. Insecurity, or feelings of insecurity, is a feeling of doubt or lack of self-confidence that can appear in various aspects of life, such as physical appearance, abilities, or social relationships. People who feel insecure often doubt their own worth or abilities and may feel anxious or excessively worried about how they are seen by others. If someone posts something and he expects the attention he expects but in reality when posting something on social media he does not get what he expects. This causes excessive anxiety or anxiety in the individual concerned.

To overcome these negative impacts, it is important for users to limit the time spent on social media and not be too obsessed with the self-image displayed on the platform. Being aware of the dangers of social comparison and seeking validation from the virtual world can help reduce the negative impact on mental health. In addition, it is also important to always verify information before sharing it and maintain the security of personal data by not easily sharing sensitive information on social media.

Overall, social media is a powerful tool that can bring many benefits if used correctly. Users should always be aware of the potential negative impacts and try to maintain a balance in their use of social media, so that they can get the maximum benefits without sacrificing their mental health and personal safety.

Social media such as Instagram does not always have a negative impact. There are many advantages and positive effects that can be obtained from its use. However, being too focused and obsessed with building self-image and relationships on social media can have negative effects as mentioned. To avoid these negative impacts, use social media wisely. If you want to follow trends, do it according to your abilities without forcing yourself to the point of causing shortcomings and difficulties.

References:

Anggraini, R., Hanita, H., Suhendri, N., Shintia, Y., Amanda, X., & Safa, F. (2022, October). Pengaruh Positif Dan Negatif Penggunaan Media Sosial. In National Conference for Community Service Project (NaCosPro) (Vol. 4, No. 1, pp. 1590-1595).

Fauzi, O., & Maryam, E. W. (2024). Bagaimana Media Sosial Mempengaruhi Kebahagiaan dan Kesejahteraan Siswa. Journal of Islamic Psychology, 1(2), 13-13.

Halimah, D. N., & Nawangsih, E. (2021). Studi Deskriptif Mengenai Happiness pada Mahasiswa Pengguna Media Sosial di Kota Bandung. Jurnal Riset Psikologi, 1(1), 7-11.

Setiaman, A., Zasa, N. P., & El Karimah, K. (2024). PERSPEKTIF MEDIA SOSIAL TENTANG KEBAHAGIAAN: PERSPEKTIF MEDIA SOSIAL TENTANG KEBAHAGIAAN. Jurnal Kajian Budaya dan Humaniora, 6(2), 79-84.