The Social Media Mirror
“Not good enough.”
This the first thing I think when I wake up and see my reflection in my bathroom mirror. Why do I keep feeling like this? What is keeping me from being confident and comfortable in my own skin?
But I know why.
The first thing I do in the morning, and following throughout the day, is check my social media. Admittedly, I am addicted to my phone, much like millions of other my age. I flip through the same apps several times a day, and for what reason? It’s satisfying to see into other people’s lives, keep up with current events or trends, or post about myself. It’s a strange pleasure we cannot explain.
First, I scroll through my Instagram feed. Here is what I see, chronologically: selfie, bikini post, selfie, couple post, ‘Fitspo’ (Fitness Inspiration), bikini picture, selfie, group selfie, and a puppy post (definitely not a bad thing). What do all but the dog have in common? Women who are all gorgeous and with that “perfect body.” They were who I wanted to be. I ignore the fact that enhance editing exists, or that those girls spent hours to get one good picture, or that one of them may possibly even have an eating disorder, and alas, I compare myself to them, and conclude that I am not good enough. I evaluate my own Instagram feed and I pick myself apart. My legs are too big. My skin is too white. I have no chest. I am not photogenic. My stomach is not flat enough. My smile is weird. I do not feel beautiful.
But what do I keep doing? I keep checking Instagram maybe 7–8 times daily. I keep feeding myself these negative thoughts and creating a negative self body image. Every time I log onto this stupid app, I leave feeling less and less confident in my body. I have been reassured by friends and my family I am very healthy and I do not need to change anything about myself, but their message goes right over my head.
Just how is social media effecting girls and women?
We live in a world of comparisons. We put each other on a scale that we made up, with standards we as a society has set for us. Women especially have nearly impossible standards they set themselves against when it comes to body types. Social media specifically, has not helped this issue, but has only fueled it.
I conducted a study myself before my research done on social media’s toxicity. I found a clear correlation of trends between social media and girls’ perceived self-confidence. This was shown in my recently done campus survey. I questioned twenty random female students at Western Washington University, ages 18–23, and asked “Does mass media, such as social media and advertising, make you feel more confident, less confident, or no change?” Out of all twenty, zero of them said it made them feel more confident. 17 or 85% said it made them feel low self confidence, and 3 of them claimed it had no effect on them (Foos). As twenty girls is not a huge number, but considering it is out of random sampling of young college girls, there seems to be a negative impact of mass media content on mental health. As my survey did not ask them of the depths of their health, such as if they ever had or have an eating disorder due to media, it still suggested a correlation or a connection to their health and well being.
In an additonal social media study, 95% of the girls surveyed claimed they saw “the onslaught of negative beauty critiques on social media posts, comments, photos, and videos, and a majority see them at least once a week (NEDA).” This encourages girls to shift and fix their appearance to gain gratification through “likes” or positive reinforcement given by others through social media.
The Alarming Effects
Body image is as relevant as it has ever been. Through our extremely advanced media, the message to look a certain way or fit the ideal body image is heavily stressed. This idealism has caused unhealthy and alarming effects, such as depression, body shaming, and eating disorders among mostly women and young girls. Studies have shown that the growth of media exposure has a strong relationship with the rise of bodily dissatisfaction and eating disorders.
For example, a Minnesota study found that anorexia nervosa rates have been increasingly growing over the last 50 years, specifically in girls ages 14–25, along with the growth of our media impact.
The need to look a certain way even starts at the early ages of six years old. An additional study found that by the early age of six, girls become weight aware and that roughly 40–60% of elementary school girls express concern of their shape (NEDA). These alarming statistics goes to show how women are so hyper focused on their body types and appearances.
Social media has a huge influence on body image and expectations, and is largely impactful in today’s technological society. We have unlimited access to social media bases like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and lots more. We post the highlights of our lives on these databases to share with everyone, and this generation especially, spends a record amount of time on these apps. In terms of the exposure of body image, social media plays a large role in the promotion to look beautiful.
Making a Change
It is safe to say we could all use a break from the intense exposure we give ourselves from social media sources and technology. I am fairly certain the habits of social media will not change anytime soon. We need to encourage eachother to take a step back from the social media mirror: our distorted view of our appearances due to us constantly comparing our bodies to others. No one should look one certain way, as everybody’s bodies were made to look a different and unique. Above all, health should be a priority. If social media is tearing down your mental health, or perhaps starting to effect you physcially, it is time you stop investing your life in your Instagram feed or any social media data base that makes you not comfortable in your own skin.
“You need to step away from the mirror every once in a while, and look for another reflection, like the one in the eyes of the people who love you and admire you.” -Stacy London
References
Foos, Isabella. “Media and Confidence Survey.” 8 May 2018.
NEDA. “What Does the Research Tell Us About Social Media and Body Image?” National Eating Disorders Association, 21 Feb. 2018, www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/blog/what- does-the-research-show-social-media-body-image.
Social Media Dawn. “Social Media Is Affecting the Way We View Our Bodies — and It’s Not Good.” Social Media News and Updates|Social Media Dawn, 9 May 2018, socialmediadawn.com/2018/05/09/social-media-is-affecting-the-way-we-view-our-bodies-and-its-not-good/.
