Can happy holiday pictures and party poses actually be the cause of unhappiness? A latest study on social media trends indicates that it is so.

In a survey of 16,750 people worldwide, Kaspersky Lab has unearthed people’s frustration with social media. People often experience negative emotions after spending time on social media due to a variety of reasons, and these overpower the positive effects of social media.

Social media started as a way of staying in touch with friends and sharing happy memories. However, the latest study indicates that social media now leaves many people feeling negative instead.

The desire for ‘likes’ plays a central role in this, with a majority of people feeling upset and jealous when their friends got more ‘likes’ than them. Despite the desire to feel good from their interactions on social media, when people see their friends’ happy posts about holidays, hobbies, and parties, they are often left with the bitter feeling that other people are enjoying life more than them.

As many as 41 per cent of survey respondents in the UAE admitted to feeling envious when they see the seemingly happier lives of their friends on social media. Also, 65 per cent admitted to feeling unhappy on seeing friends’ posts from a party they were not invited to, and 51 per cent revealed that their friends’ happy holiday pictures have had a negative influence on them.

source : gulfnews