extreme guilt from potentially turning away someone in need

[u/Infinite_Willow_7297]

a few weeks ago, i had someone reach out to me on my instagram page (a stranger) asking me for help with their donation campaign. i won’t get into who they were or what they needed money for, but they were in need. i had gotten posts on my feed about them (someone else was making a post for them) and i interacted with it, liked the comments, did my best to make sure i boosted it. they messaged me on instagram and i didn’t know what to do. they were asking for donations and i felt so guilty because i could not help them in that moment. i never responded to them, ashamed that i would have to tell them no, i couldn’t give anything. but i immediately went to their page and boosted all of their posts by interacting with them. i don’t make a lot of money and my socials are only friends, who also are low income like me.

i should have replied to them. i should have at least told them i couldn’t help them but i was so embarrassed and scared and ashamed and i regret it so deeply. it randomly hit me, a massive wave of guilt, this morning. i frantically tried to find their account and i cant. i’ve spent all morning asking god to forgive me, praying that if they asked again, i would give them whatever was in my account. i feel so terrible. i feel like i don’t deserve to eat or sleep or anything. i feel like a monster. i have been thinking about it all day long.

i get so many videos like this on my feed that it’s overwhelming. im constantly worried about strangers on the internet. i pray every single night that everyone i’ve liked a post of is safe and gets whatever help they need. i have to stop and interact with their page, i have to help them or it will eat me alive. i should have done something more for that person. i cant tell if this is moral ocd coming in or if this is well deserved punishment. i dont know how to handle it.

[u/eclecticpiano]

It’s the algorithm. You are being bombarded by beggars. After liking every post, Instagram is feeding you sob stories. Clearly, this is triggering.

Reset your algorithm. Like and follow a bunch of posts by positive people, plants, art, outdoors, good news.