Commercial media has a larger impact on younger generations, today, than it ever has in the past. As the viewing of advertisements increases, cases depression and eating disorders seem to follow. There are new steps that have been gradually changing the media world such as celebrities like Jennifer Lawrence and Vogue who are setting positive examples. Over the past few years, a study done by Brian Primac has shown a correlation between adolescent depression and certain types of commercial media. After viewing studies, there is a large amount of data that shows a strong, positive correlation between the media and its negative effects of younger generations.

In JAMA and Archives Journals' article, Teen Media Exposure Associated With Depression Symptoms In Young Adulthood, they discuss a study that was done by Brian Primack of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. This study was meant to prove that exposure to more commercial advertisements, such as television and magazines, during the adolescent years increases the development of depression symptoms in adulthood. This study used longitudinal study methods where they tested 4,142 teens who were not showing signs of depression in 1995, but when tested again 7 years later, about 7.4 percent of them developed depression symptoms. This case was intended to show the correlation between advertisements in the media and their negative effects that it has on teenagers in years down the road.

Renee Botta, the Chair of the Department of Media, Film & Journalism Studies at the University of Denver, wrote an article called, "The Relationship Between Magazine Reading and Adolescents' Body Image and Eating Disturbances." In this article, she discusses the same study as JAMA and Archives Journals, but focuses in on the image that is in graved in young adolescents' minds. Botta shared that "body Image and Eating Disturbances (BIED) occur when those perceptions and attitudes become distorted or agitated and include eating-disordered behaviors" (Botta 389). Botta follows this claim with a discussion about what companies advertise now and how it mentally affects younger generations. These advertisements put false realities in young adolescent minds that are distorted and untrue. This is the start of the issue that is proven with the strong correlation between the media's advertisements and the increase in cases of depression and eating disorders.

Later in Botta's article, she discusses the subconscious processing of advertisement that goes on in an adolescent's mind. She said that, "Adolescents who spend similar amounts of time with magazines may not all process or think about what they see and read in magazines in the same way. Indeed, research has shown that how adolescents process magazines may be as important, or even more important, in predicting BIED as how much time they spend with magazines" (Botta 390).  This means that adolescents look at advertisements in magazines as more of a reassurance of what they should wear or look like. Botta says that this combined with the social pressure of being thin is what connects the increase of eating disorders and depression in adolescents.  If teenagers are relying on the advertisements with exaggerated skin, hair and weight to tell them how they should look, then this is the underlying problem.

A Spanish author for Comunicar, Tortajada, wrote an article called Advertising Stereotypes and Gender Representation in Social Networking Sites. In this article, he discusses an experiment that pictures that are used in advertisements show gender stereotypes just based on the picture itself. The results showed that adolescents "self-representations mirror" what they see in the magazines. This study helps back up the claim that Scicurious, an author for the website Neurotic Physiology, has in her article called Magazines, Media, and Teen Body Image. In her article, she said that "it's the constant articles like "28 Flat Belly Tricks!", "Slim down for Swim Season!", and other headlines, but even more important may be the constant depiction of models, who start out already skinny and get photoshopped even thinner" (Scicurious). These authors' back up the claim that changing appearances to make them unrealistic is the leading cause to the increase in eating disorders and cases of depression. If adolescents are reading magazines in the media that depict models who are even skinnier than they already are in real life, then they are quickly painting an image in their heads of what they "should" look like.

Just looking at pictures in a magazine alone paints a false image in to adolescents' minds, but an actually comparison between an average teenage girl and a model puts physical numbers into young girls' heads as well. Lauren Effron, a digital producer for ABC News' late night news show, "Nightline," and ABCNews.com, discusses these numbers in her article, Fashion Models: By the Numbers. The "requirements" for models in NYC are a height of 5'9-6' and a weight of 110 if you are 5'9 and 130 if you are 6' and nothing more. According to the average height to weight chart, the average height for a 16-17 year old is 5'4 and the average weight is 115-120. By comparison, these numbers are completely different from each other. With the obvious stated, if young girls are looking at these models and thinking that is what they are supposed to look like, then this is where the issue of depression and eating disorders come in to play.

Aside from just putting false body images in adolescents' heads, the media has many more negative influences on teenagers. Nola Mokeyane, a case manager in the metro Atlanta area, wrote an article called, Media's Positive & Negative Influence on Teenagers. In this article, she points out that the media "glorifies negative behaviors" (Mokeyane). The media puts up pictures and articles about celebrities with eating disorders as if it is the next trend. When teenagers read these articles, they tend to follow in their "idol's" footsteps even if it means forcing an eating disorder. Having a child worshiping a celebrity that is only in the headlines for negative reasons is what the media has now turned this generation in to.

When talking about the media, some say that a positive aspect of it would be social interaction. Social interaction through a screen is actually the opposite of a positive social interaction. When taking into consideration the about of cyber bullying and false identity, using the media for social interaction in a positive light is simply impossible. Manali Oak, an author for the Buzzle, shows the positive side of media by discussing cultural and political awareness. In Oak's article, Positive Effects of the Media, he discusses how the media has "brought out easy ways of communication and provided us with easily accessible means to reach out to people" (Oak). Hiding behind a computer screen does not make it a means of communication. Media has changed social interactions from face-to-face to just sending an email and this younger generation is growing up thinking that it is fine to not have social interaction in person. This can also relate back to self-consciousness and directly case the increase of depression and eating disorders through the bullying that is done behind the screen of a computer.

Using the media to update the world on important facts has turned into talking about celebrities and athletes in and out of rehab, or getting married, or losing weight. None of these things are totally beneficial to our country as a whole. This country eats up every bit of "news" that is announced. Another comment that Oak made about the media is that it is "the best means for a speedy spread of news" (Oak). This is more dangerous than it is helpful. One slip but and a negative statement or picture of a teenager can be all over the media in seconds by the touch of the finger. Oak then goes on to say that, "the media is responsible for influencing a major part of our daily life" (Oak). Nothing about that statement is positive. The media has officially taken over every aspect of life. Younger generations and adolescents are more greatly affected by this than any because the media consumes pretty much every person in their life. When adolescents are around the media twenty-four seven, it is hard to tell which is reality and which is not anymore.

It is hard for adolescents to get a clear image in their head about what is expected of them and what is just subconscious doubt. Celebrities like Jennifer Lawrence have begun to change the media as a whole. Lawrence was quoted by Mirror saying, "I'd rather look chubby on screen and like a person in real life." These are the type of comments that need to be heard by adolescents rather than viewing girls that are twenty pounds under weight. Lawrence was also quoted by Entertainment Weekly saying, "I eat like a caveman. I'll be the only actress that doesn't have anorexia rumors."  This quote is positive for many reasons. One reason is that she is claiming that yes, she eats, a lot, which is important for younger generations to hear. Another positive effect that this quote has on society is that she is accusing other actresses of falling into the trap that the media and society just gobbles up. Jenny Trout, a writer for the Huffington Post, discusses positive effects that celebrities have in the media. Trout wrote in her article, Jennifer Lawrence Body-Shames You More Than You Might Realize, that Lawrence "only reinforces our cultural standards, and perpetuates the myth that only on type of body is acceptable" (Trout). The positive effect that Lawrence has on the media is more than people realize.

In Trout's article, she also talks about the actress Melissa McCarthy. Trout talks about how in this generation, Melissa McCarthy is quoted many time apologizing for her weight. The media has put a spell on society that shares that if you are not in a certain weight column, then you are the one in the wrong. A quote from McCarthy to back this claim up says, "sorry I'm fat and you have to look at me, everyone" (Trout). This is not how women today should be acting about their weight. No one should every have to apologize to anyone about their own weight. Trout shares that with McCarthy, "even the mild statements she has made about being comfortable with herself and her body are greeted with backlash from armchair internet physicians bleating about health and lifestyle choices" (Trout). When did anyone gain the authority to say how someone should live their lives? Never.

Many steps have been taken to change the images that are being shown in advertisements these days. Based on an article in the Chicago Tribune, Council Wants Models Screened For Eating Disorders, the British Fashion Council has began an attempt to excluded all unhealthy, skinny models. In this article, it said that, "Ultra-thin models were banned from fashion week runways in Madrid and Milan, Italy, last year. Organizers in Paris, London and elsewhere have come under pressure to do the same" (Chicago Tribune). Top model agencies are attempting to change the image that advertisements are promoting. The fact that "up to 40 percent of models may have eating disorders, compared with an estimated 3 percent of the overall population" makes it evident that there is a problem in commercial advertisements and it is a good first step that many companies are acknowledging that there is an issue.

Benjamin Radford is a contributor for Life's Little Mysteries. Radford wrote an article called Vogue Magazine Bans Anorexic Models, But Will It Help? In this article, he points out the problem that society is dealing with when it comes to advertisements and their effects on teenagers who look to these models as if they were the realistic image of how girls should look. In this article, he says, "thin models are increasingly being accused of promoting unhealthy body images" (Radford). It is important for young girls to notice big named fashion companies, such as Vogue, are not welcoming in models that are promoting unhealthy habits. This is huge for the fashion industry as well as for this society as a whole. The influence that Vogue has on the fashion industry is huge and with them setting this new example, the number of cases of depression and eating disorders should decrease right behind the number of anorexic models.

Taking into consideration all of the studies that have been done proving the correlation between media advertisements and depression and eating disorders, the image that is being drawn in young teenagers' minds is not positively implanted. Advertisements and models have a huge influence on stereotypes of women and men these days and it is causing a huge epidemic. With the help of large fashion companies such as Vogue, this country could begin to decrease this negative image. People like Jennifer Lawrence are also beneficial to decreasing the negative effects of advertisements in the media. This is a huge problem in this society today, if this continues in the pattern of the past five years, I do not believe that this country will be able to bare the consequences.
