As a woman, I have personally seen and experienced the effects that media can have on individuals.  Modern social media has gained the reputation for displaying women in unrealistic forms which affects the human mind, especially those still growing up.  With the increase in technology, media no longer only refers to the swimsuit models in magazines, but now also forms of social media such as Instagram, which can have a similar negative impact.  The adverse effects of media influence have become a popular topic of study among scientists and researchers.  Considering the combined misuse and overuse of social media, speculations about the relationship between media use and mental health issues grow more and more prevalent.  An in-depth evaluation of negative health impacts linked to the media, such as the development of eating disorders, has become imperative.  A wide variety of media platforms have been found to lead to negative effects on one’s body image and self-esteem; therefore, people should reconsider the amount of time they spend using social media and the importance they place upon it.

Often without realizing, people are damaging their self-esteem by constantly surrounding themselves with the media.  Whether you are at the nail salon flipping through a magazine or on your couch watching television, society is incessantly bombarded with the influences of the media.  With increased accessibility and the seemingly exponential growth of technology, the media rarely serves solely as a source of news, as it had once dominated in the past.  Simple television shows and newspaper articles have been transcended by the invention of smart phones and the applications that come along with them.  For many, comparing oneself to the individuals epitomized through trending Instagram posts and Snapchat articles has become common practice.  The increased use of these applications is only one instance exemplifying the ways in which media has been found to affect body image.  With this developing idolization of young influencers portrayed in the media, it becomes evident that media use is more frequently harmful, rather than helpful.  Despite providing unlimited resources and an ever-growing network between peers, the widespread overuse of media has manifested into a rapidly growing social issue. 

The misuse of these social media applications and websites is the source of the main issue at hand.  Teenagers and young adults look to these sites as an escape, seeking out a quick confidence boost.  After reading “How Girls Use Social Media to Build Up, Break Down Self-image” on CNN, this point was made quite clear.  The author, Caroline Knorr, discusses how children and teenagers resort to social media for positive feedback and a boost in their self-esteem.  A survey found that most of the teens online are worried about how they are judged and perceived by others.  For example, 27 percent of these teenagers feel stressed about how they look in posted photos, and 35 percent are worried that they may be tagged in unattractive photos (Knorr).  These social media applications, have turned online social interaction into a competition among teenagers.  Whether it be a matter of obtaining the most likes and followers or the highest number of friends on their list, teens have grown increasingly competitive when it comes to interacting within these media platforms.  While it may sound trivial, we face a very real issue dealing with teenagers who are struggling with the effects social media has impressed upon them.  Often times, teens unknowingly seek validation from these applications, or more specifically, from the people within these applications.  Another article from Time, “How Social Media Is a Toxic Mirror,” discusses this similar idea.  The author, Rachel Simmons, points out how with the use of other applications, teenagers can actually alter themselves in images before they post them.  Teenagers can whiten their teeth, cover up a pimple, and even edit their body to look thinner or more desirable.  Through the use of these editing applications, people create even more unrealistic expectations, rather than finding a way to be confident and secure on their own.  This warps their minds in a way to feeling that they have some control, while they are actually just experiencing intense insecurity issues (Simmons).

Social media is not the only source of the problem when it comes to causing self-image issues.  An example that I can personally relate to is the annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.  This is a fashion show that many teenage girls look forward to, while also dreading it.  Those who participate in the show, the Victoria’s Secret Angels, are seen by many as instant self-esteem destroyers.  An article on Cosmopolitan was published called, “Why The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show Can Make You Feel Fat,” written by Katherine Schreiber.  These models have a height around 5’10 and usually weigh around 110-120 pounds (Schreiber).  Watching these proclaimed beauty icons walk down the runway in almost no clothing is bound to make you consider how their physical appearance compares to your own.  The way these Angels are built is not necessarily a normal and natural thing, as they are expected to follow specific dietary guidelines and workout schedules to achieve and maintain their runway look.  Their body types are rare and almost impossible for the average human to attain.  This, however, is something most teenage girls fail to recognize.   These feelings of self-doubt are natural; seeing images of people much thinner than you can lead to feelings of insecurity.  In some instances, it has been found to uncover an eating disorder that one may have been trying to hide or resurface one they had been recovering from.  Remembering that science has proven that certain DNA allows for some bodies to have smaller bones, higher metabolisms, and smaller waists, is the ultimate key to avoiding a feeling of complete self-destruction (Schreiber).

Some forms of advertisements, while one may think have the potential to boost one’s confidence, actually end up tearing it down.  “The Self-Activation Effect of Advertisements: Ads Can Affect Whether and How Consumers Think about the Self,” a journal based off of the study done at the University of Chicago, analyzes advertisements for beauty products and how these can be linked to lowering women’s self-confidence.  The study cites multiple scientific experiments to see how the consumers react to certain products done with specific advertisements.  The initial basis of the reasoning for this study discussed that advertisements aim to make a product look “highly desirable.”  While making a product seem desirable, advertisements often give the impression that with the purchase of a specific product, you will acquire the beauty that is shown in the advertisement.  For example, in a makeup commercial for a new face powder, the model usually has flawless skin and nice bone structure, regardless of the use of the product.  Without realizing this, consumers watch the advertisements and feel confused when the result they find does not match the appearance of the model in that product’s advertisement.  

The objective of the experiment’s first study is to see how each advertisement correlated with the amount of time one spent thinking about themselves.  It was composed of sixty-six females who were randomly assigned to be a part of three different groups.  The first group was exposed to a non-advertised product, the second was exposed to a beauty-enhancing advertised product, eyeshadow, and the third was exposed to a problem-solving advertised product, deodorant.  By observing the specific pronouns being used by the participants, the results showed that those who were exposed to the beauty-enhancing product advertisement used more first-person pronouns than those who were exposed to the other advertisements (Tramp, Stapel, Siero).  This shows that watching a beauty-enhancing advertisement tends to make people think more about themselves than any other advertisements.  From these results, one can conclude that the way beauty is perceived in advertising has a strong impact on self-confidence.

A trending theme throughout all of these examples of media is the result in lowered self-esteem.  One of the most dangerous and increasingly popular issues associated with low self-esteem among young people is the diagnosis of eating disorders.  Eating disorders are not always created by an influence of the media, but they stem from body image issues, which can be resultant of misused or overused social media.  Justin Healey’s book, Positive Body Image, was written to further analyze the relationship between body image issues and eating disorders.  Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses that result from having an unhealthy body image.  Two of the most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.  Anorexia nervosa is defined as, “self-imposed starvation coupled with an intense fear of weight gain”, and bulimia nervosa is defined as “episodes of binge eating followed by purging” (Healey 5).  Healey then discusses the influence media has on young adults and how it relates to these disorders.  Just as I previously stated, he also argues that repeated exposure to the images of beautiful, thin women can eventually have an impact on vulnerable people.  At the moment, one out of one hundred females is diagnosed with anorexia nervosa, and four out of one hundred females are diagnosed with bulimia nervosa (Anred).  Scientists fear that the number of individuals who develop an eating disorder in result of media’s pressures will increase in the future due to technological advancements and increased use.  This is an example of one of the most dangerous effects that the media is contributing to.

When considering the ways in which social media can be misused, it is important to consider the addition of bullying to the already intimidating atmosphere.  Cyberbullying associated with social media accounts has been found to result in detrimental effects on the mental health of those who fall victim to it.  Social media has detrimental effects on self-esteem to begin with, but with the addition of cyberbullying, these problems only worsen.  In a clinical report done by Gwenn Schurgin O’Keeffe, MD, and Kathleen Clarke-Pearson, MD, cyberbullying is defined as “deliberately using digital media to communicate false, embarrassing, or hostile information about another person” (O’Keeffe, Clarke-Pearson 801).  Cyberbullying occurs when adolescents misuse the privileges of social media.  This act of online harassment can lead others to developing psychosocial outcomes such as: anxiety, depression, severe isolation, and even suicide (O’Keeffe, Clarke-Pearson 801).  This is clearly not something one inflicts on themselves, but researchers have also presented a new idea called “Facebook depression.”  Facebook depression is defined as a form of depression that develops when teens spend too much time on social media websites, and consequently begin to exhibit symptoms of depression.  Adolescents turn to social media for acceptance by their peers, but these sites are becoming too extreme, and they are thought to be a major trigger of depression (O’Keeffe, Clarke-Pearson 802).  It is evident that the overuse of social media can negatively impact emotional, mental, and physical health in more than one way.  

When used in moderation with more positively focused guidelines, social media has great potential to boost self-esteem.  It is reasonable to consider the use of social media as a vehicle to convey positive messages for those struggling to build self-confidence.  An article on Healthy Place, “How to Use Social Media to Build Self-Esteem”, describes the ways we can consider using social media sites in a healthy and positive ways.  One of the most prominent examples of beneficial social media use is the ways it can connect people.  Accessibility to social media platforms provides people with the ability to reach out and communicate with others from all different cultures, communities, and backgrounds.  People who might be feeling lonely or depressed can find solace in using social media’s capabilities to cope (Agathangelou).  Facebook, for instance, allows people to share special moments with others and interact with a large group of people on a more personal level.  

It is worth noting the great emphasis this article places on the importance of moderation in terms of exposure to social media.  Too much time spent involved with these websites and applications can easily lead to an unhealthy obsession, interfering with one’s quality of life in many different ways.  The article concludes by explaining that determining a healthy amount of social media usage is very personal, yet very important.  Ultimately, social media is deemed either “helpful or harmful,” based largely off of how you use and respond to social media (Agathangelou).  Unfortunately, setting boundaries and limiting media usage is much easier said than done.  This is especially true as we are living in an era that so strongly emphasizes technology being integrated into our everyday lives.  Although positive interaction may be the intended outcome of social media usage, this expectation is somewhat unrealistic.  

Above all, the key to solving the problem at hand is building a strong foundation for developing self-esteem without the presence of social media.  In a short film created by Dove, a perfect model is presented showing the importance of self-love and the portrayal of beauty in the media.  The video emphasizes how widespread the issue of low self-esteem is among women.  Dove generates a positive message suggesting that women can build one another up to increase self-esteem.  The film opens as women describe their perceived physical appearance to a sketch artist.  After they describe themselves, another woman comes to the same sketch artist and then describes the same woman from an outside point of view.  When the women had the two sketches revealed to them, it was clear that they had a lower perception of themselves, in comparison to how others viewed them.  The sketches depicted through the eyes of an outsider appeared to be much happier, more attractive, and more confident women.  The sketches drawn from the descriptions of the women themselves appeared sad and less confident in comparison to the other sketches (Dove).  This video delivers the message of importance of love for one another, love for one’s self, and making strides towards being a more genuinely confident person.  Regardless of the presence, or lack thereof, of social media, building self-confidence and having a positive self-image is crucial to maintaining a healthy mental state.  

As technological industries rapidly grow, there are no signs of social media diminishing any time in the near future.  Keeping this reality in mind, it is important to recognize that overexposure to social media has the potential to leave lasting detriments on the ability to maintain high self-esteem.  Much of the responsibility in moderating social media use falls on the parents of children growing up in a media obsessed society.  As a parent, the best way to ensure that the media will not affect a child’s development of self-confidence is through limiting exposure.  Beyond limitation, reinforcement is a key tactic to building a strong sense of self-confidence.  Healey explains that a parent telling a child to “love and accept your body” may have a larger impact on him/her than they think (Healey 38).  Along with reinforcing self-love, parents should keep open lines of communication with their children.  This belief stems from the idea that a child who is able to openly address feelings with a trusted adult would be less inclined to turn to social media as an emotional outlet in the future.  Being a proactive parent and instilling the importance of developing confidence without the help of the media is a great starting place for managing media use in a healthy way. 

In addition to emphasizing the necessity of moderation when it comes to media usage, it is equally important to pay mind to the influence media has on the way parents speak to their children.  When faced with addressing issues such as dieting, experts emphasize the need for love and acceptance rather than shaming them for their weight or appearance.  It is crucial to make it clear to a child that changes need to be made for the sake of health or wellbeing, not to conform to the standards set by the media.  This is especially true concerning sensitive subjects like weight loss.  Healey shares with us that dieting is the biggest risk factor for developing an eating disorder (Healey 38).  Without necessarily realizing, even the littlest comment about a diet presented in the wrong way can spark a flame (Healey 38).  The positive influence of a supportive parent or peer is a reliable way to instill that learning to self-love is crucial when it comes to building confidence.

In a world where the media is becoming increasingly prevalent, proper use is essential in avoiding detriment to self-esteem. The unrealistic depictions of women put out by the media have only proved to worsen deep-rooted self-esteem issues, most widespread among women.  Recognizing the overwhelming lack of self-esteem among women as a whole is the first step in putting a resolution to this issue in place.  For women going forward, looking for confidence within themselves rather than seeking it from applications or magazine articles is key.  Moderating the amount of time one spends browsing social media sites is also an important way to reduce the negative impacts that the media has on self-confidence.  Being especially vulnerable, people struggling with self-esteem issues are even more susceptible to the negative impacts of exposure to unrealistic expectations set by the media.  Managing the importance of social media in one’s life before it becomes a problem is the most secure way to avoid potential struggles in the future, including low self-esteem and eating disorders.  Despite the exponential increase of technology that we are faced with, taking the initiative to manage personal media use can only benefit you in the future; leaving you feeling more confident and beautiful overall.
