Instagram ‘Toxic Effect’ on Young Women’s Mental Health
Have you ever found yourself scrolling through your Instagram feed of ‘perfect’ unrealistic edited photos of models and influencers and start wondering why you are suddenly feeling anxious, inadequate and self-conscious about your body?
Unfortunately, this is the reality for many of us, especially young women whose perception of their self-worth and beauty is often intertwined very closely with how many likes their Instagram posts get.
With #RUOK day recently taking place on the 12th of September, a simple question that could save a life and the honest, open discussions on the struggles many of us face with mental health, I thought it was time I voiced my concerns as a young millennial woman on the toxic effects Instagram can have on young women’s mental health.
With over 80 million photos shared each day, Instagram has become the second most frequently used social media platform by 13–17-year-old teenagers. The platforms, participatory culture provides prod-users the affordances of self-expression and entertainment through sharing photos and videos with followers.
The cross-platform connectivity used by Instagram and parent company Facebook, provides users with the affordances of social media platforms networking effects, allowing us to connect our friends and followers across both social media networks.
Now, don’t get me wrong, whilst there are many favourable opportunities for creative self-expression using Instagram, like sharing funny dog pictures and finding out what my favourite influencers or friends are doing, there is a very dark side to frequent Instagram use, which is often overlooked by many young women including me.
Instagram is rated the worst social media platform for mental health and wellbeing, according to the Royal Society of Public Health #StatusOfMind survey of almost 1, 500 young adults aged 14–24 across the UK. With the report finding the side effects of frequent Instagram use is associated with high levels of anxiety, depressing, bullying and FOMO.
For many of us, Instagram is a coping mechanism to escape our real-life struggles, which ultimately leaves you feeling more depressed and anxious.
As according to one #StatusOfMind survey respondent, “Instagram easily makes girls and women feel as if their bodies aren’t good enough as people add filets and edit their pictures in order for them to look ‘perfect.’”
Our human nature as young women, makes us feel like we need to compare our self-image with the photos and videos of other young women, influencers, models and celebrities unrealistic face-tuned, edited ‘perfect’ photo, which leads to the toxic cycle of self-loathing, which many of us struggle with on a daily basis.
With many critics, blaming influencers and models for normalising these unrealistic beauty and body standards, especially considering they serve as a role model for many girls and young women who are still trying to navigate their self-identity as a young woman.
Furthermore, research has found frequent sharing of photos and video content on Instagram use has been correlated with increased loneliness, particularly when young women Instagram prod-users receive cyberbullying, hateful comments or don’t receive the likes and comments from followers they were expecting, leaving them feeling more isolated and lonelier.
Whilst, Instagram is currently trialling in Australia hiding the ‘like’ function from view as a measure to alleviate the pressure of visible likes for users and allow them to spend more time connecting with people, there is still a long way for the social media giant to go to address the significant side effects Instagram use is having on young women’s mental health.
As according to Shirly Creamer, Chief Executive of the Society and Dr Becky Inkster from the University of Cambridge, “Being a teenager is hard enough, but the pressures faced by young people online are arguably unique to this digital generation. It is vitally important that we put safeguards in place.”
To reduce the negative side effects social media use is having on young adults, the Royal Society of Public Health #StatusOfMind report has recommended social media platforms like Instagram introduce a pop-up ‘heavy usage’ warning feature within the apps and website, which 71% of survey respondents agreed they’d support.
I know, I like many of us would be guilty if Instagram introduced the ‘heavy usage’ warning pop up. However, I know when this happens on my Netflix account it’s a bit of a startling wakeup call that it’s time to disconnect and reconnect with friends and family.
The report has also made recommendations, for the social media platform giants to introduce a feature, to highlight when photos have been digitally edited and identify and subsequently offer support for users who could be suffering from mental health problems.
The convergence of our public and private lives associated with these platforms, among the competing interests of the corporations supplying the platforms, has also left many critics calling for Government led reforms to create safeguard measures, to minimise the toxic mental health effects of Instagram and prevent self-harm.
The #StatusOfMind report has urged Governments to implement ‘safe social media use’ teachings, to be taught during school to empower teenagers and young women with the tools to use social media in way that promotes their health and wellbeing.
Whilst these measures if implemented by the social media giant would be positive first step in protecting young women on social media, it’s important to also remember that we as prod-users need to take responsibility for the content we share, and comments we make on Instagram.
With the National Society for for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children urging the Government to redefine social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook as publishing companies forcing a duty of care back onto users, after a 14-year-old British girl committed suicide in 2017.
As young women, navigating our self-identity and self-expression on Instagram’s online community in 2019, it’s important to remember to spot the warning signs of Instagram’s toxic side-effects and reach out for help and ask #RUOK.
Lifeline Hot Line: 13 11 44
