Social media outlets like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and VSCO are a way for people to earn approval through likes and comments on their appearances. On the other hand, it allows them to compare themselves to others around them and celebrities. With the rise of social media, many people feel they’re not good enough without a lot of likes, followers, or comments. The constant pressure from social media to be “perfect” can affect self-identity and self-esteem and can cause depression.
People, especially us girls, constantly compare themselves to “perfect” people on social media, and some can begin to feel that if they don’t match this perfect image, then they’re not good enough. We spend our free time comparing ourselves to others who are sharing only a tiny portion of their lives. In a sense, most of us are addicted to scrolling, and while we may not see it affecting us, it is. We are constantly seeing the highlights of people’s seemingly perfect lives and thinking our own lives should be the same. But nobody’s life is picture-perfect, and a picture is only a single second of time. The media and users on it should not make users feel as if they need to change themselves to look, act, and eat a certain way to fit into society.
As problems with social media and body image have arisen, many women have taken to the same platforms to talk about body positivity and reject our culture’s body shame. These women empowering themselves and others on social media are making social media less toxic and more supportive for those struggling with their self-confidence. Once the positivity is started, it has a domino effect. I’ve noticed that after receiving a compliment on social media, I feel more motivated to post more positive comments on others’ feeds. However, the negativity can also have a domino effect, but it can be prevented. If someone makes body-shaming posts and comments, they can be blocked and reported. And if the negativity on social media becomes too much to bear, people should take a break from social media; it’s not going away anytime soon. Sometimes we all just need to break away from social media and allow ourselves to focus on those supporting us in person and ourselves.
While social media and some users are trying to make the internet more body-positive, there is one main area we as ourselves have to improve on our own, how we as people see ourselves. We’re spending too much time worrying about comparing ourselves to others when everyone is valuable and beautiful in their own way. In a nutshell, we are our worst critics.