If you scroll through your Instagram feed, browse through your relatives’ Facebook posts, or tap through your friends’ Snapchat stories, chances are you’ll probably see pictures and videos that do more harm than good to your self-esteem. On Instagram, especially with the help of filters and airbrushing, a lot of the pictures you see are edited to perfection. As for Facebook, if someone isn’t posting about their political views, it’s usually a post about the new job promotion they got or the vacation they just came back from. Also, doesn’t it hurts when you see a story on Snapchat of a party you weren’t invited to? So the question is: does social media damage your self-esteem? Is the only way to love yourself to go on a hiatus and delete all your social media accounts?
Of course not. First things first, always remind yourself that what people post is just the highlight reel. You never saw the Instagram picture before the filters, or the struggles behind getting the job promotion, or the inevitable drama that happened at that party. Very few people would post something negative on their social media; everyone wants to seem glamorous and perfect on the screen.
Secondly, there are so many parts of social media that do boost people’s self-esteem. It might seem like all celebrities are flawless with their on-point makeup and not a hair out of place, but lately, they have been posting more vulnerable pictures of themselves to show they are just like everyone else. Actresses like Gal Gadot, Katie Holmes, and more have all posted #nomakeup selfies on Instagram. And the singer Lorde even posted a picture of herself with acne cream on to let her fans know that they’re not alone if they struggle with skin problems. As someone who struggles with eczema and acne, seeing celebrities with their bare faces made me feel more comfortable and confident in how I looked.
Social media is also a way you can find your community. Maybe you’re into something really weird or niche that none of your friends are into. For me personally, I love hip-hop from the 90’s but it was hard for me to find other people who had the same music taste as me. With social media though, I was able to connect with other old-school hip-hop fans from all over the world. This really boosted my self-esteem because I realized that I wasn’t alone in what I loved, and I could talk about music with a group of people without feeling judged or misunderstood. All it takes is finding a Facebook group, or looking through Instagram fan pages and hashtags.
Companies have also changed the way they advertise on social media to celebrate more self-love and acceptance. Aerie is definitely at the forefront of representation: in June, the company started featuring models with crutches, visible diabetes patches, vitiligo, and down syndrome. These pictures were shared all over social media, and so many girls posted about how they were excited because it was the first time they ever saw representation of themselves online. Other companies have done similar things. For instance, NARS added more shades to their concealer collection this year to help people of all shades find their perfect match, and the luxury brand Christian Louboutin recently expanded their nude shoe collection to compliment women of all skin tones.
Social media is everywhere. Nowadays, you really can’t avoid using it if you want to communicate with other people. There might be some posts that make you feel jealous or insecure, but there are also thousands of other posts that will give you the confidence boost you need. If you know where to look and keep in mind that not everything you see on the screen is accurate, social media can be one of the best tools for loving yourself.