When Scrolling Breeds Despair: A Prophetic Cure to Comparison Culture

In a world of endless scrolling and curated perfection, it’s easy to forget that real life is rarely as pristine as the photos suggest. Social media platforms have evolved into highlight reels, showcasing polished moments, filtered bodies, and carefully edited success stories. The more we scroll, the more we compare; the more we compare, the more we despair. But this struggle isn’t new, even if its digital form is. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, in his timeless wisdom, offered a solution that not only centers us spiritually but also protects our mental and emotional well-being.

He ﷺ said,

This Prophetic advice is more than moral encouragement; it’s a therapeutic, psychologically sound antidote to the damaging effects of upward social comparison, or at least, in the case of social media, what we are led to believe is “upward.”

Contemporary psychology confirms what the Prophet ﷺ warned against over 1,400 years ago: constantly measuring ourselves against others can significantly damage our emotional and psychological health. In a widely cited study, researchers Chou and Edge found that Facebook users who spent more time on the platform were more likely to believe that others were living happier, more successful lives than themselves, which in turn led to lower life satisfaction. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook are designed to hold your attention by showcasing polished, visually curated content, because in the world of attention economy, the longer you stay, the more profit they make. This design amplifies upward comparisons by repeatedly exposing users to idealized portrayals of others’ lives. In similar research, Vogel and her team reported that those who engaged more with social media had lower self-esteem and worse self-perceptions, especially when they compared themselves to others online. These comparisons, often centered on physical appearance, material possessions, or perceived happiness, distort our sense of reality and erode our ability to appreciate our own blessings.

A 2023 meta-analysis by McComb and colleagues confirmed these findings on a larger scale, synthesizing data from 48 studies involving over 7,600 participants. They found that seeing people who appear better off on social media can make people feel worse about themselves, hurting their mental health and overall sense of well-being. These negative effects were especially pronounced for body image and self-esteem, showing the psychological vulnerability of users constantly exposed to “idealized” portrayals of others online.

Psychologists refer to this dynamic as the “contrast effect,” where individuals view themselves more negatively when exposed to others who appear more successful or attractive. What’s even more concerning is that this exposure is relentless and often unconscious. Rather than inspiring self-improvement, upward social comparison tends to provoke discouragement, envy, and a sense that one’s own life is falling short.

What makes the Prophet’s guidance so remarkable is how it addresses this emotional and spiritual misalignment at its core. Rather than withdraw from the world, the Prophetic method asks us to reorient our perspective. Instead of gazing upward at those with more, he ﷺ taught us to look to those with less, not to breed pity or a sense of superiority, but to ignite sincere gratitude. This shift helps anchor us in the blessings we already possess. In fact, these “downward” social comparisons on Instagram have been shown to have the opposite effect of “upward” comparisons, with body self-esteem scores increasing after downward comparisons, highlighting the timeless wisdom of the words of the Prophet ﷺ. Furthermore, in a randomized control trial, downward social comparisons proved effective in preventing body dissatisfaction in women, in line with the Prophetic model of preventing harm. 

The Prophet ﷺ also said, “Whoever among you wakes up secure in his home, healthy in his body, and has food for the day, it is as if the whole world has been gathered for him.”

A safe home, good health, and food for the day are enormous blessings and are the foundation of well-being. But in the constant noise of social media, these simple yet profound gifts are often drowned out. Comparison blinds us to what we already have. The Prophetic solution, on the other hand, invites us to see again, clearly, humbly, and gratefully.

It’s also important to remember that Islam does not discourage ambition. Our faith encourages excellence, growth, and striving for both worldly and spiritual elevation. But when the fuel behind our striving is envy, and when our benchmarks are shaped by unrealistic portrayals, we risk a life of constant dissatisfaction. The Prophet ﷺ emphasized that true contentment comes from the heart: “Wealth is not in having many possessions, but wealth is in contentment of the soul.” This contentment is not passive resignation but an active spiritual state, one that must be cultivated, especially in the digital age. Practicing digital contentment means being intentional about what we expose ourselves to online. It means unfollowing accounts that trigger comparison, curating a digital space that encourages gratitude, and resisting the urge to seek validation through likes of our carefully selected portrayals. Just as we guard our hearts from toxic or questionable environments in the physical world, we must do the same in our virtual lives. Protecting our internal peace begins with curbing external noise.

The Prophet ﷺ also warned us directly about envy and the spiritual harm it causes. He said,

If we are to protect our hearts and minds from this corrosion, we must be deliberate. One of the first steps is reclaiming our attention. Social media isn’t inherently wrong, but it can quickly become harmful when it shapes our sense of self or worth. Even short breaks from these platforms have been shown to improve self-esteem and overall life satisfaction, especially among youth and women.

The Prophetic method also emphasizes the cultivation of shukr (thankfulness), and avoiding comparison that leads to ingratitude. Looking toward those with less is not about comparison for the sake of pride, but about rediscovering perspective. When we center our gaze on the gifts already in our lives, we grow less obsessed with what we lack and more appreciative of what we’ve been given. Equally important is surrounding ourselves with company and content that nourish our hearts and ground us in remembrance. When we root our self-worth in our relationship with the Divine rather than in digital validation, we begin to experience a more enduring form of peace.

The digital world, by its carefully curated nature, is a delusion. What we think is better often turns out to be far more “filtered” than it seems. So in a world that constantly tempts us to look upward, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ gently reminds us to look downward, and in doing so, to finally see how blessed we’ve been all along.