The Impact of Social Media on Self-Image
In the past, it was the perfect portrayals of people on magazine covers, spectacular looking movie stars on the big screen, and supermodels stomping down the runways of Fashion Week that made us wonder…
”Is that what I’m supposed to look like?”
“Is there something wrong with me if I don’t look like that?”
“How would life be different or better if I did fit these seemingly impossible molds?”
“What can be done to mirror these standards of beauty that seem to be skyrocketing the social status, careers, and self-esteem of all who meet it?”
While all of the pressure sources of the past prevail today, social media is an additional channel, through which many of us humans are relentlessly influenced to shop trends and modify our natural hair, skin, body composition, and beyond, on a basis so constant it’s raising concern.
“Studies show that 88% of women compare themselves to images they observe on social media, with over half of them emphasizing that the comparison is unfavorable. Studies also show that 65% of men compare themselves to images they observe on social media, with 37% of them indicating that the comparison is unfavorable.” (emotionmatters.co.uk)
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Furthermore, “the online survey of British teenagers aged 13 to 19 was commissioned as part of Mental Health Awareness Week, found:
Almost one-third (31%) of teenagers felt ashamed in relation to their body image.
Four in ten teenagers (40%) said images on social media had caused them to worry about body image.
More than a third of British teenagers (35%) had stopped eating at some point or restricted their diets due to worrying about their body image.
Four in ten teenagers (40%) said that things their friends have said have made them worry about their body image.
Thirty-five percent of teenagers worried about their body image often or every day, and 37% of teenagers felt upset and ashamed about their body image.” (mentalhealth.org.uk)
What is perhaps the most fascinating about these staggering statistics, is the lack of transparency, details, and full-picture perspective on which many of them are based. For example, a short-form video of a statuesque fitness model doing squats is not likely to feature any information about the extreme physical demands and pressure under which this person operates to maintain their physique. It is only long enough for us to observe the differences between ourselves and them and develop feeling about those differences. There are, however, almost always opportunities to complete a transaction based on these feelings alone. The purchase of the featured protein powder or fitness program promises to equip the consumer with all the tools needed to achieve the same results of which we saw only a few curated seconds. These types of promises are rampant on social media, incomplete at best, and in many cases, downright misleading. It taps into the part of our brain that wants a “quick fix” or instant gratification. It is also worth discussing, however, if the “solutions” we’re being sold are actually problems in and of themselves.
For example, is it a problem that we don’t wear the same size jeans that we did at age 24?
Or, is it a truer problem that society tells us not to grow, shift, and change over time?
Is it a problem that we have wrinkles around our eyes from smiling and laughing all our lives?
Or, is it a truer problem that society tells us our wrinkles aren’t youthful, and therefore not appealing/acceptable/beautiful?
Are we being sold solutions to problems? Or are we purchasing greater problems in pursuit of meeting a standard we never intended to set?
As a person who shows up on social media platforms professionally at least 5 days a week, I can speak personally about how persistent exposure to social media, influencers, and the overall culture has impacted me. The constant opportunity to compare physical appearance, aesthetics, messaging, and overall online presence to others aside, it’s also quite convenient to compare approval and feedback.
The pressure for posts to “perform” still exists and perhaps increases when there are professional results attached. Attempting to calculate how to convert scrolls to “likes” and “likes” to clients with an ever changing formula is not for the faint of heart. Creating and publishing content that feels genuine and rich in value can take hours and go unnoticed forever, while a flippant meme can go viral in under an hour. Whether working or using social media platforms solely for entertainment, it’s important to recognize that the environment can become toxic.
There are many ways to set boundaries with social media and regain a sense of confidence and control:
-Set daily time limitations on social media apps to help cut down on time spent scrolling
-Partake in activities outside of social media that reinforce confidence and joy
-Unfollow accounts that give you feelings of insufficiency or poor self-image
-Give yourself permission to break the “rules” of social media and give it what you want back from it: take long breaks, be inconsistent, forget the filters, ignore the algorithm, and stay authentic!
Sources:
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/about-us/news/millions-teenagers-worry-about-body-image-and-identify-social-media-key-cause-new-survey-mental