Social media, body image and eating disorders
social media is the most negative influence on children who are struggling to understand what is real life and what is manufactured content.
The correlation between social media exposure and body dissatisfaction has been proved by several studies. When comparing users and non-users, a significant difference was found in their reported body satisfaction, both in older and younger cohorts. 24 Another study focussed exclusively on girls aged 13-15 and Facebook, analysing the link between Facebook usage and several factors. They found that time spent on Facebook was significantly related to internalization of the thin idea, body surveillance, and drive for thinness. 25 These factors are also included on the potential triggers for eating disorders and seem to show concrete evidence of its negative influence. Although these sources are both over five years old, I believe the evidence still holds, as social media usage and the number of admitted eating have been climbing in parallel since then.
Comparisons
The Social Comparison Theory is the idea that individuals determine their own value, intrinsically and within society, based on how they compare against other people. 26 This is an old idea, but it can be applied to social media to show how it negatively affects people’s self -worth. On social media people post the highlights from their lives, showing off their holidays, achievements and their best pictures. For example, the average person takes 22 selfies before they post one, 27 and the people viewing their post do not see the other 21. This is misleading because it portrays an exaggeratedly good image of that person, and it is this impossibly perfect and curated image that their friends and followers are comparing themselves to. We all know the failures and insecurities we have in own lives, but we keep them hidden and we don’t post them online because we want people to have a good impression of us. When we are comparing ourselves to someone we consider superior, it can produce psychological distress and have a negative effect on our self-esteem. This low self-esteem can trigger an eating disorder, individuals feeling worthless can find purpose and happiness from the compliments in restricting they receive about their skinny appearance. Cyberbullying can also have this negative effect on self-esteem. Social media is rife with bullying because the perpetrators can remain safely anonymous with no fear of consequences or identification. It is extremely easy to create a new and false social media page with the sole intention of bullying someone. Social media guidelines try to stop cyberbullying, but it is impossible to punish people beyond deactivating their accounts, easily side-stepped, and relies on the victim reporting the behaviour which they are often reluctant to do for fear of reprisals. The bullying can be public, through the comments section on posts, or private through direct messages. Body-shaming is particularly prevalent, and this pressure can force an obstructive relationship with food. This is compounded if after purging or restricting for some time they are being complimented instead of shamed. Their actions are given legitimacy by the ensuing compliments, and they associate eating with the bullying and fasting 24 Stronge, S., Greaves, L.M., Milojev, P., West-Newman, T., Barlow, F.K. and Sibley, C.G., 2015. ‘ Facebook is linked to body dissatisfaction: Comparing users and non-users ’, Sex Roles 73 (5-6): 200-213. 25 Tiggemann, M. and Slater, A. (2013). ‘ NetGirls: The Internet, Facebook, and body image concern in adolescent girls ’, International Journal of Eating Disorders 46(6): 630-633. 26 Festinger, L. (1954). A Theory of Social Comparison Processes. Human Relations, 7: 117-140. 27 Natasha Devon, 2018. A beginner’s guide to being mental an A -Z. Bluebird.
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