The Power of Social Media
With social media appearing to be the preferred communication between teens these days, it’s worrying to see what they are subject to. The popular social networking sites; Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Tumblr all have the facility to post and share images and videos widely across the world. The teenagers viewing these images and messages are still in a stage of brain development, along with emotional regulation. This means that they are sponges. They absorb the constant posts on how to lose weight, how to tone up, and they are affected by the frequent images posted of thin ‘beautiful’ models and icons. Social media has the power to trigger an eating disorder- that’s if they didn’t already have one. It does not only have the power to trigger an eating disorder, but also tragically relapse a recovery.
Mental health experts are finding A cause for concern in the link between social media and eating disorders.
Teens connect via mobile
This means that teens are accessing social media and online pretty much wherever and whenever they want. They won’t just use one form of social media either, 71% of teens say claim that they use more than one social media site.
So there are a vast amount of teenagers being regularly exposed to a variety of images and messages about body shape and size. This exposure is toxic. Studies have found that teenage girls specifically, who spent more time using Facebook, had higher chances for developing a negative body image.
I say teenagers, as the age restriction on social media sites is 13 and above- meaning nobody under 13 should hold an account. But you and I both know that isn’t the case. I guarantee that you probably know someone under the age of 13 with a Facebook, Snapchat, Youtube or Instagram account. Or if not someone who access’s their parents. The age restriction is there for a reason, to keep children safe from the dangers of online. These children are even bigger sponges than the teens.
Advertising ‘Perfect’
People often don’t consider the fact that social media is a mobile billboard. It is an advertising platform thats too busy brainwashing you for you to notice. Magazines and fashion agencies are the biggest culprits. The average UK and US dress size for a women is 12-14.
Victoria Secret Angels strut their stuff down the run way for the Victoria Secret Fashion Show- a video I’m sure you’ve all seen shared on Facebook. Their unbelievably slender ‘angelic’ bodies are paraded down the run way in lingerie, with not a size 12-14 in sight. So what they seem to be saying, is that if you want to look that good in the lingerie, you’ve got to be that size.
Ways Of Influence
Social media has various means of influence on body image and eating behaviours.
Peer and competition – Social media can be a platform for people to compare themselves with others. Feeling envious and the need to compete with the amount of likes that another Facebook friend gets on a picture. Thinspiration images such as bikini bridges (when lying down bikini bottoms hang suspended between hip bones, showing off a flat stomach) are posted online. By seeing these images of ‘real life people’ these body attributes can become a challenge and trigger unhealthy eating behaviours.
Low Self-Esteem: A study found that being regularly exposed to images and content that suggests others have ‘perfect’ bodies and perfect lives, left some teenage girls feeling incompetent and worthless. By comparing themselves to these other users and images individuals feel inadequate as they believe they don’t measure up. The study found that after spending time on Facebook, teen users felt worse about themselves.
Unrealistic Weight Loss Goals: Images shared across social network sites can create body goals that are physically impossible. If an individual has slim hips that don’t allow her thighs to be far enough apart, then the desirable ‘thigh gap’ is physically impossible to achieve. Various bone structures and body types can prevent individuals from healthily or at all reaching the body goals influenced by social media.
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