What’s Coming Up
- What Is Social Media Anxiety and Why Do I Have It?
- Does Your Personality Make You More Prone to Digital Stress?
- How Can I Manage Social Media Anxiety Based on My Personality?
- Finding Your Path to Digital Peace
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Further Reading
What Is Social Media Anxiety and Why Do I Have It?
Social media anxiety is that persistent tension you feel before, during, and after using social platforms.
It’s the dread after you’ve posted something, wondering how others will receive it. It’s the racing thoughts about whether your comment sounded stupid. It’s the sinking feeling that everyone seems to be thriving while you’re struggling to get through a Tuesday afternoon.
Every time you open Instagram or TikTok, you’re stepping into a social arena. It becomes tempting to measure your self-worth in hearts and follower counts. Algorithms decide whose lives you’ll compare yours to, and a creeping sense of FOMO seems to underscore all the perfect images you’re exposed to.
Recent research paints a concerning picture. According to 2025 data published by the Pew Research Center, 48% of teens say that social media has a mostly negative effect on people their age. In another report, published by The Global Statistics, 43% of adults report feeling more anxious than the previous year, with researchers referencing social media as an important factor.
The symptoms of social media anxiety show up differently for different people. Some experience anticipatory anxiety around posting. Others feel performance anxiety about engagement metrics. There’s also anxiety triggered by constantly comparing your life to others. Oh, and then there’s FOMO. Who hasn’t felt that at some point?
Most concerning is how social media anxiety can infiltrate your real life, offline. Have you ever had dinner with friends, but part of your brain was elsewhere – distracted with worry about that DM you didn’t respond to? Or have you ever watched a sunset, but rather than taking in the moment, you were stressing out about getting the perfect picture of it?
Social media anxiety doesn’t stay contained to the apps – it can bleed into everything.
Ready to uncover the truth about who you really are? Take our free personality test and gain deep insights into your strengths, challenges, and more in just 10 minutes.
Does Your Personality Make You More Prone to Digital Stress?
This is where we get into the interesting part of this whole topic. Your personality traits influence how you engage with social media, and fundamentally shape your vulnerability to social media anxiety in ways you might not realize.
Introverted vs. Extraverted
People on opposite ends of the Introvert vs. Extravert spectrum often experience completely different triggers for anxiety online. Introverted personality types are more likely to feel overwhelmed by the performative nature of social media. The pressure to constantly share and engage may exhaust their limited social energy. And if they feel compelled or obligated to post or comment, they might spend hours crafting what they want to say, only to delete it.
Extraverts face different challenges. Their anxiety is more likely to stem from low engagement. When posts don’t get immediate responses or when online interactions feel hollow, they might experience a unique form of social rejection. They might fall into a constant – and draining – refresh-and-check cycle, hoping that the notification bell will deliver the meaningful connection their social batteries crave.
Intuitive vs. Observant
How you see the world and process information also has a distinct influence on your experience with social media interactions. Intuitive types are significantly more likely to overthink the deeper meanings behind their online interactions. They may come up with elaborate narratives about what people really meant in a comment. Their imagination can quickly become a liability if they fall into the trap of overanalyzing their online interactions.
Observant types may experience social media anxiety around keeping up with rapidly changing platform features, trends, and privacy settings. These personality types generally have a more concrete nature, which serves them well offline. However, the abstract, shifting world of social media may feel disorienting and stressful.
Thinking vs. Feeling
Thinking personality types may experience social media anxiety around how openly people share their emotions online. They can become frustrated by or struggle with the blatant vulnerability of some people’s posts, or when emotional responses drown out logical arguments.
Feeling types, on the other hand, are more prone to empathetically absorbing emotional content. On social media, it’s easy to access all kinds of heart-wrenching stories from all around the world. Feeling types process all that in a very real and personal way, which can potentially lead to emotional overwhelm and exhaustion.
Judging vs. Prospecting
Our relationship to how much order and structure we need in our lives also shapes our stress response to social media. Judging types may be more prone to experiencing anxiety around posting schedules or feeling like they must strictly adhere to a specific strategy to optimize their experience and goals online. Or, they may become frustrated if they develop compulsive social media habits that interrupt their real-world activities.
Prospecting types may get overwhelmed by the anxiety of infinite options. Every swipe on the screen presents new possibilities and opens the door for FOMO. Their natural openness to spontaneity becomes a vulnerability when there’s always something else to watch or click on. They might scroll for hours, not from enjoyment, but because they can’t resist the temptation to see what will show up next.
Turbulent vs. Assertive
This facet of your personality is one of the most influential factors in how you experience social media anxiety – or if you do at all. Turbulent personalities are naturally prone to internalizing negative feedback, ruminating on interactions, and tying their self-worth to outside validation – making them especially vulnerable to the social comparison traps that define social media. In our research into the links between social comparison and personality, nearly 88% of Turbulent types report that comparing themselves to others usually makes them feel bad, compared to 53% of Assertive types.
Assertive personality types are generally less emotionally reactive to social media, but this doesn’t make them immune to social media anxiety. Their natural confidence can blind them to the gradual erosion of boundaries, relationships, or their overall well-being. For them, anxiety might accumulate quietly beneath their confident exterior until it suddenly surfaces as irritability, restlessness, or a vague sense that something’s off.
How Can I Manage Social Media Anxiety Based on My Personality?
Understanding your personality-related vulnerabilities to social media anxiety is an effective first step toward taming it. The next step is to translate awareness into action.
In this section, we’re going to provide some specific strategies that might help address the unique anxiety triggers of each of the 16 different personality types.
While we pair each strategy with a personality type, consider this list as a starting point for everyone. If a specific approach resonates with you, don’t hesitate to give it a try!
INTJ (Architect)
For INTJs, it can be a good idea to create a social media schedule. When it comes to posting, your perfectionism might create anxiety. Planning content removes the pressure to make sure that every image, caption, or comment is perfectly executed.
INTP (Logician)
INTPs might find it helpful to use mute functions liberally. Turn off your notifications and unfollow accounts. Curate your feed so that it promotes your creativity and productive thinking rather than frustration and distraction.
ENTJ (Commander)
ENTJs dealing with social media anxiety can set concrete goals for what they want to accomplish online and ignore everything else. Focus on quality connections rather than numbers to reduce the sense of self-imposed pressure you may feel around your social media presence.
ENTP (Debater)
ENTPs need to choose their online battles wisely. You do not need to respond to every absurd or inaccurate post you come across. Limit yourself to three discussions a week and make them meaningful. Everything else that makes you want to scream inside? Let it go.
INFJ (Advocate)
INFJs can practice witnessing without absorbing. Imagine you’re observing everything on social media from behind protective glass. You can acknowledge others’ experiences without taking on extra stress into your own emotional space.
INFP (Mediator)
Those with the INFP personality type would do well to let their authentic voice stand on its own. Your sensitivity to rejection can make you obsess over likes and comments – so turning off those notifications and focusing exclusively on sharing your truth can decrease social media anxiety.
ENFJ (Protagonist)
ENFJs can learn to embrace “good enough” posts. Try setting a five-minute timer for creating content or writing comments. When the timer goes off, post whatever you have without second-guessing.
ENFP (Campaigner)
ENFPs can designate a specific amount of time, or a certain time of day, to check notifications. Your natural curiosity means FOMO hits you harder than most. Remember, the best moments happen in the real world.
ISTJ (Logistician)
ISTJs can create standard templates for common interactions. Your need for thoroughness can make every post, comment, or reply feel like a major task – having pre-written responses reduces decision fatigue and social overwhelm.
ISFJ (Defender)
In the world of social media, ISFJs must practice healthy boundaries. You do not have to immediately respond to every message or request that interrupts what you want to be doing online. Your time and attention are precious and deserve protection.
ESTJ (Executive)
ESTJs should focus exclusively on platforms that offer concrete value. LinkedIn or industry-specific associations might serve you better than Instagram. When social media serves clear goals, your anxiety will naturally decrease.
ESFJ (Consul)
ESFJs can reduce their social media anxiety by replacing endless scrolling with meaningful interactions. Schedule weekly video calls or send voice messages to people you genuinely feel close to – this will help reduce the anxiety of needing to know what all your “friends” are up to.
ISTP (Virtuoso)
For many ISTPs, it’s helpful to use social media purely as a tool for finding inspiration or sharing projects. You don’t have to use it for socializing. If you post, let your content speak for itself and let go of any pressure to engage.
ISFP (Adventurer)
ISFPs might reduce their social media anxiety by creating content without feeling obligated to come up with captions. When words don’t come naturally, trust that your images, videos, or creative work can stand alone without commentary.
ESTP (Entrepreneur)
ESTPs can create physical barriers between themselves and their devices during real-world activities. Keep your phone in another room during meals, workouts, or social gatherings. Don’t let digital obligations intrude on your present experiences.
ESFP (Entertainer)
For ESFP personality types, it’s important to create space between your real life and social media. Feel free to film or photograph the beautiful moments in your life as you live them, but capture experiences for yourself first. Then, in a quiet moment, decide what truly deserves to be shared.
Finding Your Path to Digital Peace
Social media anxiety may feel inevitable, but it doesn’t have to control your digital experience. The key isn’t simply reducing screen time – though that can help – but understanding how your unique personality shapes the way you engage with these platforms. From there, adjust your behaviors intentionally to create a healthier online experience.
The most powerful step you can take right now? Stop comparing your internal experience to others’ curated performances. And if you haven’t already, take our free personality test to understand your personality-related vulnerabilities and strengths. Knowledge truly is power when it comes to managing digital stress.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does social media really increase anxiety?
Yes, research consistently shows a connection between social media and increased anxiety. In 2023, an article published in the Annals of Medicine and Surgery explicitly states that, “the risk of developing a mental health disease is directly linked to the duration, frequency, and number of social media platforms being used.”
What does FOMO mean in social media?
FOMO stands for “fear of missing out” – that gnawing anxiety that everyone else is living their best life while you’re stuck at home. FOMO manifests differently across personality types. Social types might panic about missing parties while others obsess over not being part of important conversations or trending topics.
How do I know if I have social media anxiety?
Common signs of social media anxiety include compulsive checking of social media apps, physical tension when posting, mood changes based on interactions, losing sleep to scrolling, avoiding posting from fear, and feeling worse after use. If these symptoms interfere with daily life or well-being, you’re likely experiencing social media anxiety.
Can I overcome social media anxiety without quitting entirely?
You do not have to quit social media to control social media anxiety. Most people find success with personality-based modifications rather than complete abstinence. Set boundaries matching your needs, curate supportive feeds, and use platform features strategically. The goal is intentional use aligned with your values and personality type.