Sadly, we all know how detrimental Instagram can be to its users’ mental health. As you scroll deeper and deeper into your timeline, it’s easy to get lost in an Instagram black hole of comparison. Sometimes you wish that you looked like someone you follow when in reality they don’t even look like their photos(photoshop is all too common) is a dangerous path to follow. Especially for those with eating disorders. A study done by Macquarie University and the University of New South Wales found that even 30 minutes on Instagram can, “Make women fixate negatively on their weight and appearance.” Even worse, many of the celebrities people tend to idolize (namely, the Kardashians), promote “diet teas” and other diet products (that are, in reality, dangerous laxatives). On top of that, an increasing amount of young girls are joining the platform, which is said to be, “The most detrimental social networking app for young people’s mental health.” Thankfully, Instagram has taken a step in the right direction by announcing on September 18 that they will restrict users under the age of 18 from seeing toxic posts that promote the use of certain diet products and cosmetic surgeries.
Emma Collins, Instagram’s public policy manager, stated that “We want Instagram to be a positive place for everyone that uses it and this policy is part of our ongoing work to reduce the pressure that people can sometimes feel as a result of social media.” In an interview with Elle Magazine, actress and I Weigh (a body-positive Instagram movement) founder Jameela Jamil celebrated the news, saying that, “It sets the tone that this is not ok in our society. We have hyper-normalized flogging nonsense to young impressionable people. These people are selling hair growth gummies, but wearing extensions or photoshopping themselves to look slimmer and selling a weight loss shake. There are so many lies being told, and we’ve accepted that as a cultural norm.” After Jamil started a petition to, “Stop celebrities promoting toxic diet products on social media” earlier this year, she met with Instagram and started to plan a way to do just that.
Photo credit: Thought Economics
Of course, this is great news, but it is only the beginning. Instagram, as well as other social media platforms, still have a long way to go in the battle for a safe space. Still, there are ways to design your timeline so that it makes you feel good about yourself, and Jameela Jamil has her advice; “Curate your space. Just like as in your personal life, you have to do that online. I don’t follow models, people who sell weight-loss products, or anyone who makes me feel bad about the way I look, live my life or if I have enough money. Anyone who makes me feel bad about myself or my life I mute, block, or delete. You have the power; we’ve become used to thinking we have to follow these people who lie to us, don’t care about us or our physical or mental health, they just our want money.” My personal recommendations for body positive accounts are; @bodyposipanda, @nourishandeat, @megan_rose_lane, @chessiekingg, @i_weigh, @iskra, and @ashleygraham. Make an effort to be more candid on your own account, and maybe unfollow some Kardashians while you’re at it.
Photo: screenshot from Twitter
If you or someone you know needs support, resources, or treatment options for an eating disorder, the NEDA helpline is accessible at 800-931-2237.