You posted something and then found yourself checking — again and again — how many likes it had. Each notification gave you a little lift; each quiet stretch made you anxious. You compared it to other people's posts, did the maths, wondered what it meant about you that this one didn't do as well. A number on a screen had somehow gotten its hooks into your mood. You knew, somewhere, that likes weren't really a measure of your worth. But your feelings hadn't gotten the message — they were riding up and down with the count.