‘Instagram is the polished side of me, LinkedIn is the serious one’: How the pressure maintaining multiple identities is draining Gen Z

Natarajan’s words capture a defining struggle of Generation Z, considered the most digitally connected generation in history, yet perhaps the most emotionally depleted. A 2022 McKinsey Health Institute survey of more than 42,000 respondents across 26 countries found that Gen Z is significantly more likely than older generations to report poor mental, social, and spiritual health.

The survey revealed that nearly three in five Gen Zers spend at least one to two hours daily on social media, creating a complex relationship where digital connectivity becomes both a lifeline and burden. “Negative effects seem to be greatest for younger generations, with particularly pronounced impacts for Gen Zers who spend more than two hours a day on social media and Gen Zers with poor mental health,” the study noted.

The weight of multiple identities

For young people today, being online isn’t just about scrolling; it’s about putting up a performance. Many describe experiencing what mental health professionals are now calling ‘identity burnout’: the exhaustion that comes from juggling different versions of themselves across various platforms.

“Instagram is the creative and polished side of me, LinkedIn is the serious one, and WhatsApp is the unfiltered everyday version,” explains Shivani Sinha, 19. “Managing all these identities gets tiring because I feel like I am adjusting parts of myself all day. It sometimes makes me question which version is the closest to the real me, that too is often tiring,” she points out.

Managing all these different identities has created a lot of chaos (Source: Freepik)

Nupur Pagawad, 24, describes how this digital fragmentation has taken over her life. “On LinkedIn, I have to be very formal and constantly post about my work to stay visible and get validation from the people I want to reach.”

“On Instagram, I’m a completely different person, someone who looks like an influencer, travelling, trying new food, exploring cafés, and living a fun, carefree life. On WhatsApp, I’m the opposite. I barely reply to anyone unless it’s for work, and I almost disappear from conversations. Managing all these different identities has created a lot of chaos, and somewhere in this process, I’ve lost the ability to enjoy small things the way I used to,” adds the publicist.

The clinical picture

Mental health professionals are witnessing these patterns firsthand. Heba Ahmed, a counselling psychologist at Rocket Health, observes that her Gen Z clients face a distinctive kind of exhaustion. “These days, it has become nearly impossible not to be on any form of social media. With this comes the pressure from an invisible audience to keep performing, ultimately leading to performance fatigue. The internal thought process has shifted from ‘Do I like this?’ to ‘Will this get me liked?’.”

What distinguishes identity burnout from general stress or social anxiety is its source, explains Puja Roy, a health psychologist and art therapist. “Identity burnout occurs when young people feel exhausted from managing different versions of themselves online — one for friends, another for family, another for work or school, another for dating, and so on,” Roy says.

Ajeeta Mulye, a senior psychologist at Mpower, Aditya Birla Education Trust, identifies three key patterns: “validity anxiety,” where self-worth becomes conditional on likes and engagement; “curated comparison,” where young people measure themselves against digitally perfect reels and lifestyles; and “personal brand burnout,” the mental exhaustion from maintaining an always-on public identity.

“There is also a persistent sense of inauthenticity, where youth feel disconnected from their real self, and they are unsure of which version accurately reflects them,” she tells indianexpress.com.

What’s happening in the brain

The neurological toll of constant digital stimulation is becoming increasingly clear. Dr Vivek Barun, senior consultant in Neurology and Epilepsy at Artemis Hospitals, explains that “the brain stays in alert mode when it gets digital stimulation all the time. Notifications turn on the brain’s threat response networks, which makes it hard to concentrate and keeps you from doing what you need to do. Your prefrontal brain has to refocus when you switch apps quickly, which takes mental energy.”

The consequences extend beyond momentary distraction. “Research shows that a heavy digital load increases cognitive strain, leading to irritability and fogginess,” says Dr Barun. “When the brain gets too much information too quickly, the neural circuits that help with emotional balance and decision making don’t work as well. After long periods of time spent in front of a screen, young adults often say they feel burned out because their stress pathways stay active.”

The pressure to stay connected

Even when Gen Z wants to disconnect, many find it difficult. Sinha describes feeling “guilty when I disconnect or put my phone on DND. Even a small delay in replying makes me anxious sometimes, like I am disappointing people.”

For Pagawad, the pressure varies by context. “For my personal life, no, it does not affect me, but yes, for my professional life, yes, I want to be updated with everything that is going on and don’t want to miss out on anything or lose any opportunity, so I tend to reply within seconds even if I am on vacation.”

This inability to disconnect has real consequences for rest and recovery.

“The brain needs time away from screens to reset and get back to normal,” warns Dr Barun. “Without it, neural circuits stay overstimulated, which makes you feel ‘wired but tired,’ unable to handle stress, and makes your senses go crazy. This makes it hard to concentrate, makes you more emotional, slows down your thinking and lowers your creativity.”

Roy echoes this concern: “With nonstop notifications and multitasking across apps, the brain stays on high alert. The nervous system rarely gets to rest, and over time, clients become more reactive, overwhelmed, and mentally tired even on ‘quiet’ days.”

Mental health professionals emphasise that the solution isn’t to cut Gen Z off from their digital lives, but to help them develop healthier relationships with technology. (Source: Freepik)

The comparison trap

No aspect of digital life affects Gen Z more profoundly than the constant exposure to curated content. Natarajan reflects, “This, in my opinion, is one of the biggest impediments to happiness. When you’re constantly bombarded with achievement after achievement, you cannot help but keep comparing yourself to someone else’s life. Everyone knows social media is a highlight reel, but that knowledge doesn’t stop you from feeling inadequate or behind at times.”

Sinha describes a similar struggle: “Constant exposure to curated content has definitely affected how I see myself. Even when I know it is filtered, it still makes me compare my life with other people’s social media.”

Ahmed notes how this affects development, stating, “Nowadays, young people are under tremendous pressure to mould themselves in accordance with the ever-evolving online discourse. Being surrounded by many on the internet yet remaining truly known by none, breeds loneliness.”

Mulye adds that “hypervisibility has affected emotional development. Young people today feel they are growing up in front of a camera and are increasingly self-conscious with a strong need for external validation. As a result, Gen Z clients often show higher sensitivity to criticism, fear of failure, and a stronger desire for control over how they are perceived.”

Finding balance without disconnection

Mental health professionals emphasise that the solution isn’t to cut Gen Z off from their digital lives, but to help them develop healthier relationships with technology. “I never ask young clients to disconnect from the digital world—it’s a big part of their friendships, identity, and careers,” says Roy.

“Instead, we focus on using it in a way that feels kinder to them. That might mean choosing when they want to be reachable rather than responding instantly, turning off non-urgent notifications, or keeping some personal moments offline,” points out Roy.