The Instagram Effect: How Narcissism and Celebrity Obsession Fuel Addiction

Instagram has become a massive platform, but it's not all fun and games. Researchers wanted to see how certain traits and behaviors might lead to unhealthy use of the app. They looked at things like narcissism, celebrity worship, difficulty managing emotions, and fear of missing out (FoMO). The study involved 450 students from six universities in Iran, mostly female.The findings showed that people who are more narcissistic or obsessed with celebrities tend to use Instagram in unhealthy ways. But it's not just about those traits. The study also found that having a hard time managing emotions and feeling like you're missing out on things can make the problem worse. These factors act like middlemen, making the link between narcissism, celebrity worship, and problematic Instagram use even stronger. This research is important because it shows that there's more to problematic Instagram use than just the app itself. It's about the person using it and the emotions they're dealing with. More studies are needed to fully understand these underlying mechanisms and find ways to address them.