In 2010, suicide was the third leading cause of death among people from the ages of ten to twenty-four (“Suicide”). 71% of people in this same age range, particularly teenagers, use more than one social network site daily (Lenhart). With the abundance of time spent on these social media platforms, users are inevitably affected mentally in some way. Facebook messenger has overtaken face-to-face conversation and Instagram has made what used to be private public. It is almost impossible to get through a day without receiving constant updates about the whereabouts and experiences of one’s social media friends. At first glance, these opportunities to communicate with friends without actually talking to them seems to be a convenient way to bond with others and maintain relationships. However, the immense presence of social media in today’s society has had severe mental effects on its avid users, especially young people, due to the fact that it presents an ideal. Common instances of depression, eating disorders, and suicide are a result of the distorted perception that social media offers and power that it holds in the eyes of young adults.

Social media has helped today’s society advance in countless aspects. From connecting with an old friend to closing a business deal with a client across the world, technology and its social networks provide people with opportunities that would not be available otherwise. Society has come to rely so heavily on technology and social media for the conveniences and openings that it provides. This reliance has given the media an immense power over its users. The media has the power to benefit groups of people across the world; whether it be offering simple life advice, sharing breaking news, or spreading awareness about a social issue. However, with the power to help this large scale of people also comes the power to cause damage across a wide range. The amount of influence that the technology and the media hold is overwhelming and can be frightening in the grand scheme of things. Users are subject to social networking applications twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week. The prevalence of social media in one’s everyday life establishes vulnerability to the naïve, downgrading, and hateful messages that it so often portrays.

Although the media can often be a source of entertainment and information on current events, it does not always send the right messages to its viewers. People are subject to the media constantly, and young people often receive the majority of their information and form their opinions around the material that it offers. This gives the media the important responsibility of shaping the minds of young people to hold healthy values and accurate information. This responsibility has failed miserably when it comes to the way in which body image is portrayed. On average, American women wear a size twelve to fourteen in clothing. However, the average model wears a size two to four. The advertisements that are displayed to consumers show women that look nothing like them, and suggest that the models’ bodies are the bodies for which women should strive. In reality, most models are unhealthy due to the unrealistic standards to which they must uphold. These famous women become role models to young people that are not properly informed about the falsifications that are portrayed as truth. Inevitably, when young women see these false icons on television, in magazines, and on social media they begin to compare themselves to them. The unrealistically skinny women that are proposed as ideal inject feelings of inferiority in teenagers that have healthy bodies to begin with. These feelings can easily escalate and lead to mental disorders such as depression or an eating disorder. 

A negative body image is a feeling that most people have experienced at least once in their life. Body image is defined as “the perception that a person has of his or her physical appearance” (Healey). One’s body image can be influenced by many factors, a major one being “what counts as the ideal body within their own social and cultural environment” (Healey). Many young people, especially women, become self-conscious about their bodies at a certain point in time. It is easy to develop negative feelings and become unhappy with one’s body due to the amount of unrealistically thin women to which one is constantly exposed. If left unchecked, the self-consciousness can develop into an eating disorder. The existence of eating disorders has been an issue acknowledged by society since the 1980s, and has only become more prevalent and severe since then. Despite the abundance of people that suffer from eating disorders, they do not get the acknowledgment that they require. Victims become preoccupied with dieting and allow it to take over their lives. 

Eating disorders are perceived by different people in multiple ways. A case study done by Arushi Verma and Maria-Irini Avgoulas in the International Journal of Health, Wellness & Society asked participants about their perceptions. Some believe that they are a mental health condition that is inherent to the individual while others are under the impression that they are a state of mind that woman can overcome mentally. Some also argue that the root of eating disorders in women is “a distorted view of themselves and ‘their body, their weight, and how they see themselves physically’” (Verma). Those who hold this opinion believe that people who suffer from anorexia nervosa, bulimia, or binge eating have a misconstrued perception of their physical appearance. They have become so concentrated on what they lack physically that they can only recognize what they view as flaws. Additionally, it is difficult to detect eating disorders even among one’s closest friends. The majority of people are not aware of the physical signs of these diseases, and victims attempt to hide their actions and symptoms as best as they can. The secretive nature of the entire issue lowers awareness and concern for the diseases among society. In addition to the various perceptions of eating disorders, the case study done by Verma and Avgoulas resulted in two overall attitudes toward the diseases. The responses of the participants were separated into two categories: empathy and judgement. The empathetic party consisted of participants with personal experience while the judgmental party consisted of those who did not have a deeper connection to the issue. Those who are strong enough to avoid succumbing to the pressures of social media tend diminish the fact that it is indeed a powerful factor in the mental state of its users.

Anorexia nervosa is an emotional and mental disorder which causes an obsessive desire to lose weight by obtaining from eating. It is one of the most common eating disorders in young people. Victims of this disorder’s “lack of self-esteem and constant self-criticism become ‘entangled’ with controlling weight through starvation” (Bishop). The lack of self-esteem is often a result of being torn down on social media or viewing pictures of very thin models that are portrayed as ideal on social networks. Users of social media platforms “support one another’s self-destructive behaviors through shared tips and tricks” (Rojas). The misconception that eating disorders are a healthy lifestyle choice and a trend in which to partake is encouraged on social media. Studies show that “nearly 80% of adolescent girls harbor negative feelings about their bodies, 75% say they feel fat, and 70% are dieting” (Bishop). The negative body image that is instilled in the minds of girls at such a young age through the extensive use of social media and the unrealistic women portrayed as role models makes them more susceptible to developing depression, anxiety, or an eating disorder than those who do not spend as much time on the internet. 

In addition to the famous models and “Instagram stars” that are tools in the enforcement of an unrealistic body standard for women, avid social media users feel pressures from their friends. People are constantly updating their online followers and friends on their lives, making their daily experiences seem as interesting and exciting as possible. It can be difficult for someone to be exposed to how much fun others are having while they are feeling lonely or upset. Being forced to view a friend’s Snapchat story or Instagram post can be just as much of a blow to one’s self-esteem as looking at a picture of a Victoria’s Secret model. Some even argue that peers’ posts on social media are even more detrimental due to the fact that they are closely associated in a social standpoint. A study on social media and its psychological effects found that “young people who spend a lot of time appraising their friends’ online photos ultimately feel worse about their own bodies” (Damour). Both photos of models and “regular” teenagers alike are more often than not tweaked, edited, and filtered to perfection. However, social media users forget to take this into account when making comparisons and obsessing over the details of the bodies of others. In her Ted Talk, Megan Ramsey points out that today’s environment “is training our kids to value themselves based on the number of likes they get and the types of comments that they receive” (Ramsey). Being exposed to not only one’s own likes and comments, but those of their friends as well offers yet another platform for comparison among young people. The constant need to compare is emotionally exhausting and detrimental to one’s mental state. 

Although many people believe that social media is a contributor to detriments in mental health, some disagree. Some members of society believe that social media is beneficial to teenagers. It gives them the opportunity to both meet new friends and keep in touch with existing ones. Social media users have reported that “social media makes them feel better connected to their friends’ feelings and to information about what is going on in their friends’ lives” (Lenhart). These platforms provide endless opportunities to communicate with friends, meet new people, and rekindle old relationships. Some people even find the love of their life through dating websites. Young people who feel alone can often turn to the internet to meet new people with whom they share common interests. Studies show that “among teens, 68% have received support on support on social media during challenges or tough times” (Lenhart). It is easy for teenage girls to fall subject to the peer pressures of the world in which they grow up. They tend to feel comfort in expressing themselves over social media to escape the pain that they feel in the real world. Online friends can be more beneficial than real-life friends because many people feel more open to express their feelings if they are not face to face with someone that they know personally. In cases like this, social media can be seen as beneficial to the mentality of a young person rather than detrimental. However, it can also be argued that seeking mental help from a stranger over the internet is both dangerous and unhealthy. It is imperative to learn face-to-face social skills in order to succeed in the real world. Hiding behind a screen damages one’s ability to socialize with others and confront issues head-on. Additionally, there are many predators that lurk on these social media platforms, impersonating teenagers and hoping that a vulnerable, self-conscious girl will open up to them. Allowing oneself to be vulnerable to any other social media user increases one’s risk of having a bad experience as a result of the internet, further increasing their risk of a mental health disease. 

As a nineteen-year-old girl, I am at prime risk for the negative effects of technology, the internet, and social media. I personally spend a large amount of my time on social media applications such as Instagram and Snapchat. Whether it be on my way to class, in my room after a long day, or while hanging out with friends; I very consistently check social media. Being nine hours away from my family, I find it comforting to know that I can easily contact my mom, dad, or sisters in multiple different forms if I ever need help or if I just want to talk. I also enjoy talking to my friend through social media when we aren’t together, and keeping up on the lives of those I have not seen in a while. However, it has been difficult at times to constantly be forced to view pictures of other girls that seem to be having more fun than me, a better body than me, or a what seems to be a better life than me. The key words to remember when making these comparisons are “what seems to be”, because the ways in which people present themselves on social media are often tweaked to perfection. I have had to remind myself on many occasions that people only post the exciting parts of their lives. Everybody has hardships, flaws, and insecurities. However, most people do not allow these negativities to be visible to their friends on social media. Although I have not personally developed an eating disorder or a severe mental health disease, I, like almost all teenage girls, deal with episodes of depression and anxiety from time to time. It is difficult to avoid slipping into a feeling of not being good enough for the society in which we live. 

When I was in eighth grade, I found out that my close friend had been suffering from severe depression, anxiety, and anorexia. She had even taken to self-harm and was visiting a therapist regularly. This revelation saddened me to no end. I felt as if I should have recognized warning signs, talked to her, or been able to help her in some way. It was then, at such a young age, that I realized the severity of our society and the ways in which the pressures imposed can overtake someone’s emotions. I have made my friend aware of the fact that I am here for her no matter what. Since then, I have taken an extra effort not only to remind myself of the unrealistic nature of social media, but to enforce these opinions on others as well. Nobody should feel as if they are worthless, insignificant, or subordinate to any other person due to what they post on Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, or other platforms.

Overall, social media holds an immense power that many people do not recognize. The capabilities of the platforms on which we spend so much time are endless. Although we are benefitted in many ways by social media, it can also have detrimental effects on young people, especially woman. Mental diseases such as depression, anxiety, and eating disorders are often a result of the messages to which young adults are exposed on their Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook feeds. The “ideal” body image that is presented by the media is unhealthy and unrealistic, yet young women are provoked to think that they must strive for this very body. Constant comparisons to one’s peers and celebrities are destroying the self-esteem of young people and causing them to resort to unhealthy behaviors in an attempt to feel content with the way that they look. The immense presence of and dependence on social media and the internet in general in today’s society makes everyone vulnerable to dangerous situations and harmful messages. With the amount of power that social media platforms hold comes a great responsibility to its users, and positive, healthy messages should be portrayed in order to decrease the instances of these mentally deteriorating diseases.
