How Does Instagram Affect Teens

Instagram and Teens Mental Health
Instagram, a widely used social media app by teens, is now focusing on detecting and seeing what causes depression based on posts to the platform. A report by the “#StateofMind” in 2017 based upon a survey concludes, Instagram is the worst social media platform for mental health and wellbeing. Teens use the app to post pictures,quotes,selfies,places they visited, and many other things. The pressure to post something worthy of everyone’s liking puts more stress on teens. All these things in a post can show signs in depression or the posts can be triggering to those who suffer from it.
The color scheme of posts or what the color saturation is can determine how someone is feeling overall. People with depression

These colors are usually associated with depression, and can be shown in posts on how someone feels. In the article, “Harvard Research Lets Instagram Detect Signs of Depression,” the author states people with depression are more attracted to blue colored filters and photos. This shows how an Instagram users may incorporate these colors in their photos based on their mood. This also ties into with how depressed people dress, “People with depression wear darker colors and usually avoid bright stimulation altogether” (Thompson). The type of clothes someone even wears shows the color difference in someone who’s happy or depressed and how bright colors are avoided by someone whos attracted to something more dark. A black and white filter, seems to have a gloomy or sad look to it, “Inkwell" - a filter that turns photos black-and-white - was the most popular filter used by depressed people,” (“Depression Analyzing Instagram Filters?”). This is contrast with other widely used filters, shows that depressed people are drawn to filters with the color drained out of them

Filters are not only are used for the color to help determine depression but how often they are used. For instance, the article “Depression Analyzing Instagram Filters,” states that depressed people tend to filter their photos less often. This could be due to the lack of motivation to post, or when posting they feel that filtering isn’t necessary. Most filters are usually brighter in contrast and only a selected few are more dimmer colors. Furthermore, less filtering has to do with the color contrast available and influences how often someone with depression might post. The way we view our images on Instagram is also another factor in what people with depression posts. “A picture is worth a thousand words,' the old adage goes. Now it may also bare signs of clinical depression for Instagram users.” (“Harvard Research Let’s Instagram Detect Depression”). A picture someone posts shows a lot about them as a person, what they like, where they go, what they look like, or even hobbies or interest. This also shows how easy it is to over analyze a profile, “Instagram, is that at least now I feel insecure about the cleverness of my tweets rather than the prettiness and popularity of my pictures,” (Flamini). Instagram shows that some people may obsess over a photo wondering if it was pretty and popular setting goals of self-worth. Likewise, pictures on Instagram that get