The Generation That Grew Up Online Is Logging Off

For many young people, opening Instagram was the first thing they did after waking up, and the last thing they did, before sleeping. Somewhere along the way, though, something changed. The app that once felt fun, began to feel exhausting.

More Connected, Yet More Drained

Ask any young person today about how much time they spend on their phone, and the answer will probably surprise one. Hours disappear between reels, stories, notifications, and endless scrolling. What feels like five minutes often turns into fifty. The problem here, isn't simply the amount of time spent online. It's what that time does to us. Every scroll becomes an invitation to compare. Someone is travelling, someone got a new job, someone is getting married, someone seems happier, fitter, richer, or more successful. Even when we are aware that people on Instagram are faking their lives, they only showcase the happy moments. We often tend to overlook this fact, and start comparing our lives with theirs. This has led to many Gen Z users, describing feeling emotionally exhausted after spending time online. Instead of leaving inspired, they leave feeling behind.