By- Shreya Singh
Social media has become an insidious part of our lives and cannot be ignored in today’s hyper-connected world. It holds tremendous potential to impact various parts of our lives such as our relationships, opinions, mental health, etc. One such impact can be seen in its effects on our body image. The hyper-awareness of our appearance has increased in the current world with the advent of image-sharing platforms like Instagram, Facebook, etc. It has led to people constantly comparing themselves to others, causing an acute awareness of their appearance with attention being directed towards their perceived “imperfections”.
In a world of changing trends, people’s self-esteem and relationships with their bodies are taking a hit. Body image issues are not so much about what we look like but about what we think we look like. It draws our attention to our apparent “flaws”. Social media use can spearhead our dissatisfaction with our bodies as it undoubtedly plays a huge role in shaping beauty standards. The content on social media centers on thinness, fairness, and sharp and perfect features as the ideal (Rounsefell et al., 2019). The standard for “beauty” is incredibly narrow and rigid and anyone who does not fit in is made to feel inferior. We are constantly bombarded with images of “ideal beauty” which exacerbate our dissatisfaction with our bodies. We see pictures of models and people with seemingly “perfect” appearances, and this leads to us comparing our bodies to unrealistic body standards. Attempts to conform to such standards can have disastrous consequences on our mental health and body image.
The availability of editing tools and filters has made these concerns worse. We inadvertently end up comparing ourselves to the highly edited pictures we see online. To achieve external validation, there is pressure to present the best version of the self online (Rounsefell et al., 2019). Appearing “normal” on social media has also become hard work. One such example is the no ‘make-up’ makeup look trend where you apply make-up to look like you are not wearing any. Another dangerous trend is that of commenting on people’s images online. Social media offers anonymity which leads to trolls and cyberbullies, possibly even saying things they would not otherwise do in real life. These factors put a lot of pressure on the kind of content one posts on social media.
Negative ideas about body image can lead to habits like negative self-talk. It can also lead one to engage in dietary patterns that are unhealthy such as fad diets, disordered eating patterns, etc (Rounsefell et al., 2019). In extreme cases, Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is a likely consequence (Cleveland Clinic, 2023). Adolescents and young people are especially vulnerable to the negative effects of social media (Thai et al., 2023). Adolescence is a developmentally charged period as adolescents go through a lot of changes, be it physiological, emotional, or cognitive, which can make them especially vulnerable.
Not all is bad and social media can also be helpful. Given the democratic nature of social media, anyone can create content and it is not just reserved for models and celebrities. This allows us to look at people on social media that look like us which can provide representation of various body types and not promote unrealistic body standards. The rise in the body positivity movement on social media is extremely helpful as it encourages acceptance of the self and all body sizes and types (Manning & Mulgrew, 2022). The greater love and appreciation of the self promotes the dismantling of existing rigid dimensions of beauty. Body-positive content includes filter-free photos, no editing, and acceptance of the human body with blemishes, wrinkles, cellulite, body hair, etc. Studies have shown that looking at and engaging with body-positive content can lead to greater body satisfaction (Manning & Mulgrew, 2022). Therefore, the kind of content consumed is instrumental in determining its effects on body image and mental health.
The harmful consequences of social media can be countered through more judicious and conscious usage. Reducing social media usage can help improve people’s attitudes towards their appearance (Thai et al., 2023). Actively following and engaging with more body-positive content can also be helpful. Another important step is embracing the self and one’s self-perceived flaws while working on self-love and acceptance through gratitude journals, practicing mindfulness, etc (Cleveland Clinic, 2023). In case things get too serious, professional help can be sought. Social media undoubtedly is an extremely important part of our lives and we cannot look away from it so using it with care is extremely important to avoid facing its adverse consequences.