How Social Media Changes People
And the power it holds over our lives
Social media has the power to sway opinions, inspire young minds, and pass creativity from one person to another.
Social media also has the power to promote unhealthy habits, unfair beauty standards, and the images of idealized lives that are unrealistic to the average person.
“Social media is training us to compare our lives instead of appreciating everything we are. No wonder why everyone is so depressed.” — Bill Murray
Social Media Vs. Mental Health
With the rise of social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube, it’s easy to paint a picture of a life you’re only living in your head. It’s also easy to pretend you’re somebody you’re not.
We see thousands of content being posted everyday, and we normally can’t filter through what we see — so we absorb everything like a sponge. We can see distorted images of people that wish to be idolized or validated in some way even if that doesn’t make them feel better about themselves. It doesn’t help us out when we don’t know what’s real about the lives and bodies being displayed on our favorite platforms.
We see their lives, look at our lives, and wonder what we’re doing wrong because our lives don’t align with the ones being praised online. We can feel like imposters in comparison to the people we follow and admire.
How can this damage our well being over time?
Outcomes of this could be:
- loneliness
- depression
- suicidal thoughts
- social anxiety
- decreased empathy
Social Media vs. Society
There are societal standards being thrown at us everyday with how we should talk, look, and act in order to succeed in life. We see this portrayed on social media with popularity gracing those who are in favor of societal standards. Even with no talent being presented, they are given every opportunity to advance their lives that most people would die for. Yet, “pretty privilege” works in their favor.
This isn’t meant to be a bitter message, but it’s to spread awareness to those stuck to their screen — wishing to be someone else.
Society has this idealized way of looking at what should be deemed as the “perfect” man and the “perfect” woman, which puts pressure on everyone — including the people you admire and idolize.
An example would be Khloe Kardashian or any of the Kardashians, Emily Ratajkowski, and Megan Fox. They have edited photos of themselves because they feel that pressure like all of us too. For photoshoots, they are retouched heavily even when they are at their best.
Comparing yourself to your favorite influencers and celebrities is disappointing when they are also comparing themselves to others.
“Social comparison that leads to unhappiness is the downside of social media.” — Michelle Gielan
The Takeaway
Comparison is unavoidable because we do that in our daily lives when we’re at work, school, and even the grocery store. Social media just puts that on a larger scale.
My advice to everyone:
- Take social media breaks
- Unfollow anyone that makes you question your looks or your life
- Be mindful on how someone’s content makes you feel
- Stop idolizing influencers/celebrities
- Romanticize your life offline
Your life shouldn’t be secluded in the bubble of the top percentage of every social media platform in order for you to be happy.
Enjoy what you have and don’t change to fit others’ standards.
Trust me, it’s not worth it.
