You’ve seen it. Cinematic montages of morning coffee captioned like movie scripts, dramatic retellings about life’s mundane events, plot twists, and people stepping into their “main character era” like they just walked onto a film set. The idea is simple- romanticize your life, see yourself as the protagonist, and bask in the spotlight of your own narrative.

Sounds empowering, right? Well, not always.

What is Main Character Syndrome, anyway?

Main Character Syndrome (MCS) isn’t an official psychological diagnosis, but it’s definitely a cultural moment. It’s the tendency to see yourself as the star of the show; where everything that happens is part of your storyline, and everyone else is just supporting characters, obviously!

A little self-importance is natural. Heck, it’s even necessary, but when does it go too far? In my own understanding, perhaps it’s when your personal story arc becomes the story.

Reality with a Filter

Social media didn’t just encourage MCS, it put it in 4K resolution and everyone wanted social media to be the director of their lives. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram have turned everyday existence into a performance that encourage people to document their lives like a carefully curated film reel.

It was no longer about just about sharing life’s moments, it became so much about crafting a narrative and making sure they look like something straight out of an A24 film, complete with aesthetic coffee shots, dramatic text overlays, and indie soundtrack-worthy captions.

But constantly curating your life to fit a storyline can wrap self-perception. You just end up spending too much time scripting your life, and before you know it, you are living for the aesthetic, not the experience.

When we’re too focused on being the main character, it’s easy to forget that everyone else is living an equally complicated, messy, meaningful lives too.

Main Character Energy Gets Lonely

There’s nothing wrong with adding a little flair to your life; after all, perspective shapes experience. And tbh, romanticizing your life does have the potential be all fun and games. You might even manage to convince yourself of this, but …

when everything becomes content, conversations will turn into dialogue rehearsals, experiences become photo ops, and relationships can feel transactional. The pressure to constantly be someone funny, wise, effortlessly cool, and whatever else is trending, can leave little room for just being.

When you’re always trying to fit your life into an Instagrammable narrative, the mundane parts of existence (which, let’s be honest, is most of life) start feeling unbearable.

Everyone knows that not every moment is a perfect, slow-motion, sun-drenched scene. Real life isn’t always cinematic. Sometimes it’s awkward, uneventful, or downright boring. Sometimes you spill coffee down your shirt five minutes into the day.

And that’s okay.

How to Be the Main Character Without Losing the Plot

Social media rewards a carefully curated version of authenticity, but true connection comes from embracing the unfiltered parts of life too. Studies have even linked excessive social media use to higher levels of narcissism and decreased empathy. This is exactly the kind of behaviour that shows up when people start treating others as background characters instead of fully realized humans with their own emotions.

When your desire to be the protagonist disconnects you from reality, or makes real-life relationships feel secondary to your own narrative, it might be time to take a step back. Because the best protagonists evolve, stay grounded, and (shockingly) care about others too.

You are the main character in your own life, but you’re not the only main character.

So, how do we embrace self-romanticization without getting lost in our own echo chamber?

• Acknowledge other storylines. Every person you meet has their own plot twists, struggles, and triumphs. Don’t just play a role in their lives, actually engage with them.
• Drop the script. Let go of the performance because not everything needs a highlight reel.
• Be real, not just relatable. If you’re having a deep conversation with a friend, maybe don’t pause to tweet about it.
• Appreciate the unedited version of life. Not every experience has to be aesthetic or romanticized. Sometimes, a cup of coffee is just a cup of coffee.

At The End Of The Day…

There’s nothing wrong with embracing your main character energy now and then. But the real magic happens when we recognize that we’re all protagonists in a shared world, with overlapping narratives, unexpected plot twists, and co-stars worth listening to.

Real connection is about embracing life in all its unfiltered, unedited moments. So go ahead and romanticize your life, capture the aesthetic, but don’t forget that sometimes the best scenes unfold when no one’s watching.

The post Dear Main Character, You’re Not the Only One in the Story first appeared on SUNGJEM AIER.

We live in an era where the internet has rapidly and dramatically transformed society since its inception. Everything from the way we interact to the way we gain knowledge has been incalculably altered the world online.

In a world where everything is becoming more accessible to us, we face the dilemma of whether this is a blessing or a bane. Countless debates on the subject have born the answer that it helps us gain access to a number of things from the comfort of our homes.

This is quite the conundrum given that this accessibility in the world online can work for or against humanity. For the most part, the outcome of this is dependent on how we make use of the information available to us.

How the Online World is Reshaping Our Lives

A large number of studies have found a strong association between digitalization and poor mental health. The most common problem is, perhaps, cyber-bullying. Anonymity behind a screen lowers inhibitions and can lead to harmful behavior.

The internet can also be home to communities that pose a threat to society. Even the idea of sex has become disproportionately unrealistic through pornography which is easily accessible to anyone.

Content in the world online is often carefully curated to fit certain ideals. Unfortunately, these ideals can be harmful, leading to mental distress and triggering anxiety, social exclusion, and body image issues.

The Double-Edged Sword of Accessibility

Social media stands as a prominent facet of the digital age. It is true that social media has brought the world closer but at the same time, driven us apart. Social media has caused people to draw comparisons between their lives and the lives of the people online. But little do we know that it often only displays what they want people to see. 

How much ever we understand that ‘nobody is perfect,’ this idea is seemingly impossible to grasp due to the content that we see. We strive for perfection based on this which poses a threat to mental health. Such as, having unrealistic goals that can hamper growth and sometimes even lead to depression, body dysmorphia and eating disorders.

Cyberbullying and the Dark Side of the Internet

Social media addiction has emerged out of the advancement of technology. There is so much content being created. Each new one striving to be more different than the other which keeps us ceaselessly interested.

There is also a fear of missing out which is like fuel to social media addiction and drives us to stay connected.

The currency of ‘likes’ and ‘views’ provides the validation that we seek to feel good about ourselves. It sets off a series of chemical reactions in the brain that work like any substance addiction.

The World Online and Its Impact on Young Minds

Most of us check social media daily, making it deeply woven into our lives. Its overuse has an even greater impact on developing children and teenagers, who are more vulnerable to its influence.

It goes without saying that they are more susceptible to the negative impacts of digitization. Thus, mental health care concerning technology should be tailored to their needs.

Navigating Health Care in the Online World

Technology advancement has also shifted our outlook at health care. It is so easy for us to find help online these days. When we experience something unusual or uncomfortable, we often turn to the internet. But this can lead us down a rabbit hole, exaggerating symptoms and leaving us convinced we have a deadly disease with only hours to live!

While many of us are guilty of this, there is also a positive side to having almost everything online and accessible to us. We can choose online counseling through smartphone apps or explore blogs and articles that address a wide range of issues. This is mainly beneficial to those seeking help who wish to remain anonymous. Although there are benefits to practicing self care, in many cases, seeking help in person potentially have a much better success rate.

Building a Healthier Relationship with the World Online

These instances give us the answers as to why mental health is such an important aspect right now. Although the misuse of the world online places a burden on our mental health, there are ways to reduce the negative impacts. Practicing digital hygiene can help form a better, much healthier relationship with technology and foster connectivity to the real world.

Growing evidence linking mental illnesses to digitization highlights the urgent need to prioritize mental health. Having a strong mental health means you are more resilient to adversities that can sometimes be unavoidable. Furthermore, mental health and physical health is strongly correlated so, maintaining a healthy body will contribute to a healthy mindset.

Building a healthy relationship with the online world starts with taking care of your mind. For simple, effective ways to support your mental health, read 7 Ways to Take Care of Your Mental Well-being.

The post The World Online: How Digital Life Impacts Mental Health first appeared on SUNGJEM AIER.