Second Instagram Account: The Impact on Teens’ Mental Health and Social Life

Illustration Of a Teenager Playing With Her Phone. Source: Shutterstock

Instagram has become a big part of teenagers’ lives. It’s where they share their best photos, videos, and stories to connect with friends and the world. However, behind the pretty pictures and perfect posts, many teens feel the pressure to always look good and show the best parts of their lives. This pressure to get likes and comments can sometimes harm their mental health.

To deal with this, some teens create secondary Instagram accounts. These accounts are private and only visible to close friends. They allow teenagers to post real, unfiltered content without the fear of judgment. According to research by Schønning et al. (2023), these second accounts can provide emotional support and create a space for honesty. However, managing multiple accounts can also cause stress and lead to comparisons with others, as found by Kurniawan and Hidayat (2024).

In this article, we’ll explore why teens create these accounts and how they affect their mental health and social lives. Are secondary accounts a way for teens to feel free, or do they create new problems? By looking at both the good and bad sides, we can better understand what these accounts mean for teenagers today.

Advantages of Having a Secondary Instagram Account

1. Enhanced Emotional Expression

Second Instagram accounts give teenagers a private space to share their feelings, struggles, and thoughts with close friends. Kurniawan and Hidayat (2024) explain that real, supportive relationships are important for mental health, and these accounts help create those connections. Their study shows that teens with secondary accounts often feel less alone, more understood, and emotionally supported, which improves their mental well-being.

2. Reduction of Social Media Perfectionism

Social media often pressures teenagers to appear perfect, but secondary accounts help them break free from these expectations. By sharing casual, unfiltered content with a small, also trusted group, teens feel more authentic and less stressed. Kurniawan and Hidayat (2024) found that these accounts reduce stress from social comparison, helping teenagers develop better self-acceptance and a healthier sense of self.

3. Fostering Creativity and Self-Expression

For some teenagers, second accounts are a way to explore their creativity and selfexpression without worrying about what others might think. They may use these accounts to share artwork, music, or other hobbies that they feel passionate about but might not be ready to share on their main account. This creative outlet can be a source of self-confidence and personal growth, as teenagers feel free to express their true selves.

4. Strengthening Close Friendships

Second Instagram accounts help teenagers get closer to their friends by letting them share personal moments and jokes in a private space. This helps them build stronger bonds. According to Erikson's theory, adolescence is a time to form close relationships, and a second account gives a safe place for real connections with friends.

Disadvantages of Having a Secondary Instagram Account

1. Heightened Anxiety and Stress

While secondary accounts offer freedom, they also bring pressure. Teenagers may worry about keeping their accounts private from family or classmates, leading to anxiety. Draženović (2023) found that managing multiple accounts can increase stress, especially when teenagers worry about others' opinions. This pressure to maintain different online personas can be emotionally draining and cause confusion about their true identity.

2. Social Comparison and FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)

Although secondary accounts are private, teenagers still experience social comparison. Seeing friends post exciting moments on their accounts can lead to feelings of inadequacy or jealousy. According to Festinger’s social comparison theory, people compare themselves to others to assess their worth. This can be harmful when teenagers use social media to measure their lives against their peers, leading to feelings of exclusion or not being good enough.

3. Privacy Concerns and Trust Issues

Despite privacy settings, there is always a risk that something shared on a secondary account could be leaked or misunderstood. Teenagers may think their personal thoughts are only seen by close friends, but screenshots or shared posts can breach trust and harm relationships. Schønning (2023) points out that privacy violations, even in private spaces, can seriously affect mental health. Teenagers may feel betrayed or exposed, leading to social withdrawal, anxiety, and a loss of trust in others.

4. Pressure to Keep Up with Both Accounts

Managing two accounts can be exhausting. Teenagers may feel pressured to stay active on both, posting regularly and engaging with others. This takes time and energy, leaving less room for real-life relationships and activities. Constantly checking for notifications or updates can create stress and lead to feeling overwhelmed.

Psychological Theories and Implications

From a psychological perspective, second Instagram accounts can be understood through several theories. Erikson's theory of psychosocial development emphasizes the importance of identity formation in adolescence. Second accounts give teenagers a private space to explore different aspects of their identity, helping them understand themselves and their relationships with others.

Bandura’s social learning theory explains why second accounts are popular. Teenagers often create them because they see their peers doing the same, believing that having a private account helps them fit in or gain acceptance.

However, switching between online personas can have downsides. Maintaining multiple identities may make it difficult for teenagers to develop a stable sense of self, leading to confusion and insecurity. Balancing the expectations of their primary and secondary accounts can cause emotional strain.

In conclusion, secondary Instagram accounts give teenagers a place to express themselves, be creative, and connect with friends. That said, they also come with challenges like managing different identities, privacy issues, and the pressure to compare themselves to others. By understanding these challenges, we can see how social media impacts teenagers’ lives. It’s important for teenagers to find a balance, using these accounts in a way that’s healthy for both their online and real-life relationships.

"Identity is not who we are, but who we become." —Erik Erikson

References :

Draženović, M., Vukušić Rukavina, T., & Poplašen, L. M. (2023). Impact of social media use on mental health within adolescent and student populations during COVID-19 pandemic: Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(4), 3392.

Kurniawan, A. L., & Hidayanto, S. (2024). Gen Z ’ s Privacy Calculus on Using a Second Instagram Account. 3(2), 251–262.

Schønning, V., Hjetland, G. J., Aarø, L. E., & Skogen, J. C. (2020). Social Media Use and Mental Health and Well-Being Among Adolescents – A Scoping Review. Frontiers in Psychology, 11(August), 1–15.