Gen Z’s Social Media Imposter Syndrome

Gen Z’s frequent use of social media constantly exposes us to the accomplishments and best moments of others; social media platforms like Instagram are essentially a curated gallery of users’ best moments. And that’s exactly the problem: They’re not an honest representation of users’ daily lives.

Even though many people are aware that these images don’t accurately depict others’ lives, having access to these depictions of others’ accomplishments at a click of a button is hard because it leads to constant comparison. This comparison leads to self-esteem issues, higher rates of indecisiveness, and depression. According to a study in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology, rates of depression among kids ages 14 to 17 increased more than 60 percent between 2009 and 2017.

Another way to think of the effects of this comparison is that it causes imposter syndrome. To me, imposter syndrome is the feeling that your own worth is diminished when compared to the achievements of other people. It’s about not feeling like you are worthy or deserving of what you have accomplished, and, instead of being yourself, wanting to be someone else or wanting to embody the qualities or accomplishments of someone you know.

Gen- Z particularly feels pressured to form their own authentic, individual brands — to be unique and stand out in comparison to others. This contributes to the rise of individuals trying to embody trends like cottagecore, light academia, or street style in order to make their feeds fit a particular brand. This has also led to the boom in unique, niche applications like Depop, Pinterest, and TikTok, through which individuals can find specific pieces of clothing, furniture, etc., that fit their personal brands.

Imposter syndrome also makes our generation feel like there is always something left to do, some next level to achieve. Although this can be beneficial in terms of pushing yourself and wanting to be the best version of yourself, an over-immersion in tech can lead teens to prioritize time with their devices over other important components of their life like sleep, school, or sports. And there are physical, not just psychological, consequences for that: For example, lack of sleep is bad for teens who ideally need eight to 10 hours of sleep every night for optimal brain development.

Many members of Gen Z turn to drugs as a result of this constant pressure, whether that’s psychedelics — in hopes of creating and entering an alternate reality where no societal constructs hold them back — or drugs like Adderall to stay more attentive and create more hours in their day to accomplish the things they need to get done, despite this being detrimental to their health. I’ve seen this firsthand with some of my friends struggling with drug use and addiction.

Imposter syndrome can also manifest as FOMO (fear of missing out). Because everyone is always doing something online, it’s hard to keep up, and there’s always a sense of not doing enough, or missing out if you’re not online. I know this has found its way into my own life, from begging my parents to drive me to the new coffee shop on the street that everyone can’t get enough of or longing to go on vacations my family can’t go on.

For Gen Z, and most users of social media, imposter syndrome is a constant. With almost everyone producing content and posting about their successes every day, it can seem hard to catch up and keep up with the constant need to seem accomplished in our increasingly digital age. So, listen to young people and Gen Zers when they talk about mental health because our generation is dealing with situations that are unique compared to those faced by previous generations. Gen Zers should take time for themselves, understand how social media is affecting them, and determine how they can take steps to ensure they don’t experience imposter syndrome.

Riya Goel is the author of The Gen Z Book.