Social media exacerbates body image issues in young women

In the age of Instagram models and Pinterest influencers, social media users are constantly bombarded with images of the 鈥減erfect鈥 girl. She鈥檚 confident, naturally beautiful and posts colorful photos of fruit bowls and yoga sessions on her stunningly curated feed. When adolescent girls see these heavily photoshopped pictures online, they often feel pressure to achieve the unrealistically 鈥減erfect鈥 physical appearance.

Today, young teenagers are constantly comparing their bodies to celebrities鈥, which negatively impacts their body image. In response to an anonymous poll conducted by 麻豆放映免费, a student explained how social media affects their self-perception. 鈥淲ith the number of societal beauty standards that I see on a daily basis through social media, I subconsciously compare myself constantly,鈥 they said. Junior Savannah Erickson described how the portrayal of women in the media has a detrimental impact on how women see themselves. 鈥淓veryone wants to be liked,鈥 she said. 鈥淚f you think that men want a certain body type, it鈥檚 very easy to fall into that trap. Unrealistic standards have very negatively affected me and made me view myself as unworthy of
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Social media isn鈥檛 the only factor that influences self-image. As an athlete, sophomore McKayla Mar has noticed the unreasonable expectation to fit into athletic and societal beauty standards. 鈥淔or both cheer and gymnastics, there鈥檚 the expectation to build muscle and look a certain way, like having bigger shoulders or thighs or arms,鈥 Mar said. 鈥淚 know a lot of my friends don鈥檛 like that image or the way they look, and they want to have muscle but don鈥檛 want to look big.鈥

It鈥檚 difficult for girls鈥攚ho may have been told from a young age to place self-worth on appearance鈥攖o unlearn that mindset of appealing to those around them. 鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to look at girls with flat stomachs and believe it
to be what men want,鈥 another student poll answer said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very difficult to unlearn those thoughts and stop thinking of yourself as imperfect if you don鈥檛 appeal to the male audience.鈥 The never-ending shift in the standards for feminine body image shows how women鈥檚 bodies are treated like a fashion trend, modified to fit others鈥 expectations, when body image should only be based on personal health and happiness.

Not only that, but these ever-changing societal standards for women鈥檚 appearances can be harmful. Body dysmorphia, for example, is a mental disorder that causes people to fixate or be overly critical of perceived flaws in their appearance. Erickson鈥檚 dysmorphia impacted her personal life. 鈥淏ody dysmorphia had affected my relationships with my parents and significant others,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to see myself as who I am, and I usually would buy clothes in bigger sizes because that鈥檚 how I perceived myself.鈥

For teenagers, the influence of social media plays a huge role in creating the pressure to attain the perfect body, and it can amplify dysmorphic feelings. It鈥檚 important to keep in mind that images found on social media can be enhanced and edited, and this most likely happens because even influencers feel the same pressure to look perfect.

It鈥檚 not always easy to train out of that mindset when one is constantly exposed to unrealistic standards, but it鈥檚 not impossible. Taking a break from social media can help users stop comparing themselves to these glittering and glamorous models. Most importantly, being aware of the personal impacts of these standards and shifting focus towards well-being and confidence will help develop contentment with not just appearance, but identity.