Shaheen Bhatt: Insta obsession and supporting your sister

Do you look to Instagram for validation and is that healthy? And what do you do when your sister comes out to you and the family doesn’t know

Emotions and Instagram

Our expert on how to stop your social media doom-scrolling and knowing what information is yours to share with your family

I’m obsessed with ‘likes’ on Instagram. I put up pictures then go back five times in five minutes to check. This is unhealthy, isn’t it?

—Supriya G, Mumbai

Instagram is designed to make you obsessed. When you get a ‘like’, it activates the feel-good chemicals in your brain and you get stuck in a vicious reward loop. The more we rely on social media for fulfillment, the emptier we feel. That’s because we crave to be seen and heard, and while social media may seem like a way to connect, it’s usually quite the opposite.

If you think Instagram is your primary source of emotional validation, it might be time to rethink your relationship with it and find a way to get your underlying emotional needs met.

Sister speak

My sister just came out to me about her sexuality. My mother asked me if it’s true. Now I’m stuck. What should I do?

Talking about your sexuality is an intensely personal thing and it’s a choice only you get to make. Your sister shared a huge part of who she is with you and it was her decision to share it. So, even though it’s your mother asking, it would not be right to take that choice out of her hands and talk to your mum on her behalf. Tell your mum that if she has any questions, the person she should ask is your sister, not you.

Shaheen Bhatt’s public outing of her own challenges with mental health fuelled discourse about a relatively ignored topic, and made her a role model for young girls to look up to

From HT Brunch, September 26, 2021

Follow us on twitter.com/HTBrunch

Connect with us on facebook.com/hindustantimesbrunch