14 Signs You Need A Short Break From Instagram

E! Network/Rich Kids Of Beverly Hills

For the most part, Instagram is an easy way to share pictures with your friends and look cool while doing it; even the most boring photos look great when they’re dressed up with a nice filter. But as with any addiction, sometimes an Instagram compulsion forms without anyone noticing, and before you know it, your life has become nothing but grainy, faded edges and little hearts. Don’t become just another victim of social media— recognize the signs and stop before it’s too late.

1. You Instagram Your Breakfast

Unless you baked some really elaborate scones, made pancakes shaped like dinosaurs or your oatmeal and fruit congealed to form a Van Gogh painting, taking a picture of your breakfast every day is a bad sign.

2. You Instagrammed Your Lunch Last Night When You Made It and Again This Afternoon When You Ate It

E! Network/Keeping Up With The Kardashians/via

E! Network/Keeping Up With The Kardashians/via tumblr

Once again, unless there is something really miraculous and delicious about your lunch or you have an actual food blog, it’s not necessary to Instagram every meal. Especially twice.

3. There Are At Least 12 Identical Photos Of Your Pet On Instagram

They’re adorable, but they’re completely identical. If you are blinded to the amount/general indistinguishable character of your pet photos, it may be time for an intervention.

4. Your Pet Has Their Own Instagram Account

If you’re doing this solely because you love your animal and want them to be the superstar you know they were born to be, then go for it! If you’re just trying to attract more followers, you may have a problem.

5. You Know The Names Of Filters By Heart

Like a salivating drug addict reciting a list of illicit substances they’d like to get their hands on, the ability to recognize individual Instagram filters by name is not great.

6. You Take Every Photograph With The Intention of Immediately Slapping A Filter On It

What shall you use today? The casual, vintage look of Mayfair? The “I don’t care that this photo is slightly faded because I’m so laid back” Valencia? Or perhaps the moody, sensitive Willow? There are so many choices!

7. Wondering If Your Friends Have Cooler Lives Based On Their Awesome Photos

Arrested Development/via

Arrested Development/via reactiongifs

They don’t.

8. Obsessively Checking A Photo’s Number Of Likes

Like “Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” the more time you spend obsessing over Instagram, the more it has already quietly inserted itself into your life, replacing friends and relatives with pod-grown aliens that want to take over the Earth.

9. Taking Forever To Come Up With A Faux-Casual Caption

Taking more than a few minutes to caption a picture means that it’s not casual, it’s actually mildly obsessive.

10. Using Multiple Hashtags

Don’t do it. Do not do it! Most people don’t even like hashtags in the first place, and assailing them with a barrage of meaningless words will make them like hashtags even less. Your friends can see what’s occurring in your picture; they don’t need to know that you’re with your #BFF, #friendsarethebest, #iloveNYC, #omgsquirrel, #quiche, #ewspinach, #illmakeanexceptionthistimespinach.

11. Using Hashtags Outside The Context of Instagram and Twitter

NBC/The Office/via

NBC/The Office/via giphy

When hashtags spread, it’s best to consult a doctor.

12. You Become Fearful About Not Using Instagram

What might happen if you don’t use it? People might not see your awesome pictures! They might think you’re boring! They might forget about the awesome time you had last weekend! You should probably just post those pics right now.

13. You Check Instagram When You Wake Up

Maybe someone left a comment on that photo you posted last night!

14. You Check Instagram Before You Go to Sleep

It’s like a digital security blanket confirming that you had the best day ever.