Media influence and traditional beauty standards have plagued society for a long time.
The issue took on new urgency in May 2023 when the U.S. Surgeon General issued a major public advisory on the link between social media and youth mental health.
Research shows that images of beauty, such as those portrayed in movies, television, and magazines, can lead to problems such as mental illness, eating disorders, and body image dissatisfaction.
These trends have been documented among women and men, the LGBTQ+ community, and people of different racial and ethnic backgrounds.
Experts have long suspected that social media plays a role in the growing mental health crisis among young people. But the Surgeon General’s warning is one of the first public ones backed by solid research.
Social media can be harmful
Body dissatisfaction in children and adolescents is common and associated with poor quality of life, poor mood, and unhealthy eating habits.
As an eating disorder and anxiety specialist, I regularly work with clients who experience eating disorder symptoms, self-esteem issues, and anxiety related to social media.
I also have first-hand experience with this subject. I have been in recovery from an eating disorder for 15 years and grew up at a time when people were starting to use social media extensively. In my opinion, the impact of social media on eating and exercise patterns needs to be further studied to inform future policy directions, school programming, and treatments.
The mental health of adolescents and teens has been in decline for the past decade, and the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to the deterioration of young people’s mental health and brought the issue into the spotlight. became. As mental health crises soar, researchers are taking a closer look at the role social media plays in growing mental health concerns.
Advantages and disadvantages of social media
Approximately 95% of children and adolescents in the United States between the ages of 10 and 17 use social media almost constantly.
Research shows that social media is beneficial for finding community support. However, research has also shown that social media use contributes to social comparison, unrealistic expectations, and negative effects on mental health.
Additionally, people with pre-existing mental health conditions tend to spend more time on social media. People in this category are more likely to self-objectify and internalize the thin body ideal. Women and people with pre-existing body image concerns are more likely to feel bad about their bodies and themselves after spending time on social media.
Hotbed of eating disorders
Recent research has found that, like mass media, social media use is also a risk factor for developing eating disorders, body image dissatisfaction, and eating disorders. This review showed that social media use contributes to negative self-esteem, social comparison, reduced emotional control, ideal self-presentation, and negatively impacts body image.
Another study published in April 2023 called the Dove Self-Esteem Project found that 9 out of 10 children and adolescents between the ages of 10 and 17 have been exposed to harmful beauty content on social media. It was found that one in two people said this had an impact on their mental health. health.
Eating disorders are complex mental illnesses that are caused by biological, social, and psychological factors. During the pandemic, the need for hospitalization and treatment for eating disorders has increased dramatically.
Reasons include isolation, food insecurity, boredom, and social media content related to weight gain, such as “quarantine.” This is a reference to the weight gain some people experienced during the early days of the pandemic, and is similar to the “Freshman 15” belief that people gain 15 pounds during their first year of college. Many teens whose daily lives have been disrupted by the pandemic have turned to eating disordered behaviors in search of a false sense of control, or been influenced by family members who have unhealthy beliefs about diet and exercise.
Researchers also found that increased time at home during the pandemic increased young people’s use of social media, resulting in increased exposure to harmful body image and diet-oriented social media content. .
While social media alone does not cause eating disorders, social beliefs about beauty that are amplified by social media can contribute to the development of eating disorders.
“Shinspo” and “Fitspo”
Toxic beauty standards online include the normalization of cosmetic and surgical procedures, and pro-eating disorder content that promotes and glamorizes eating disorders. For example, social media sites have promoted trends such as “thinspo,” which focuses on the thin ideal, and “fitspo,” which perpetuates the belief that the perfect body can be achieved through diet, supplements, and excessive exercise. .
Research has shown that social media content that promotes “clean eating” or dieting with pseudoscientific claims can lead to compulsive behavior regarding eating patterns. These unsubstantiated “health” posts can increase the likelihood of weight cycling, yo-yo dieting, chronic stress, body dissatisfaction, and the internalization of muscle and lean ideals.
Some social media posts contain content that defends eating disorders and may directly or indirectly encourage eating disorders. Other posts encourage deliberate manipulation of people’s bodies, using harmful quotes such as “Nothing tastes better than thin.” These posts create a false sense of connection, with users bonding over the common goal of losing weight, changing their appearance, and continuing their eating disorder patterns.
Although young people are often able to recognize and understand the impact that toxic beauty advice has on their self-esteem, they may still continue to engage with this content. One reason for this is that friends, influencers, and social media algorithms encourage people to follow certain accounts.
How policy changes can help
Lawmakers across the United States are proposing various regulations for social media sites.
Policy recommendations include increasing transparency for social media companies, creating higher privacy standards for children’s data, and potential tax incentives to deter companies and marketers from using altered photos. and social responsibility initiatives.
no phone zone
Taking small steps to reduce social media consumption at home can also make a difference. Parents and caregivers can designate phone-free periods for family members. Examples of this include putting away cell phones while the family is watching a movie together or eating a meal.
Adults can also help by modeling healthy social media behavior and encouraging children and youth to focus on building connections and participating in worthwhile activities.
Careful use of social media is also a helpful approach. This requires being aware of what you’re feeling while scrolling through social media. If spending time on social media seems to make you feel bad or cause a change in your child’s mood, it’s time to change the way you or your child interacts with social media. It may be.