Sarah Mitchell, 28, of downtown Portland, has reportedly booked an emergency therapy session after her Instagram story about her morning latte received only 47 views, marking the lowest engagement she’s experienced since creating her account in 2019. The marketing coordinator, who typically averages 112 story views, discovered the devastating metrics while obsessively checking her phone during a work meeting.
“I refreshed the app seventeen times thinking it was a glitch,” Mitchell explained while frantically analyzing her follower list for potential unfollows. “I even posted a follow-up story asking if people could see my content, but that only got 23 views, which honestly made everything worse.” Friends report that Mitchell has since retreated to her bedroom where she’s been cross-referencing her recent posts for any content that might have triggered the algorithm.
Dr. Amanda Foster, a digital wellness counselor, confirmed that Mitchell’s case represents a growing trend of what she terms “engagement anxiety disorder.” The condition typically manifests when users experience sudden drops in likes, views, or comments, leading to spiraling thoughts about their online relevance and social standing.
“Sarah is convinced that either Instagram is shadow-banning her or that all her friends secretly hate her,” Dr. Foster noted. “She’s currently in the ‘posting throwback photos to test engagement’ phase of recovery.” Mitchell’s therapy session is scheduled for 3 PM, conveniently timed between her planned lunch post and golden hour selfie.
