c/self-esteem·Posted by u/nora_klein·1h ago

An old classmate looks like they're winning on Instagram. How do I stop spiraling?

I opened Instagram in a waiting room and there she was. Someone I sat next to in chemistry ten years ago. New city, new job title in the caption, a kitchen that looks like a catalog. I am sitting on a plastic chair waiting for a prescription. I closed the app, opened it again, zoomed in on the apartment, then spent the bus ride listing everything I haven't done. I have a job. I have friends. None of that showed up in the comparison. I even checked LinkedIn later like I needed more evidence I was behind. I don't even want her life. I want to stop treating her grid like a report card on mine. Do you mute people, or does that just make you think about them more?

Peer discussion on askDr.app. Not therapy and not a substitute for professional care.