Social media can tear you down or build you up

Like it or not, social media is a part of life, and you may as well use it to your advantage. You can use social media to build self-esteem. You hear of many people avoiding social media altogether because it messes with your confidence. While that can be true, social media does have some value, and there can be benefits from using it in a healthy way and in moderation. In a world when most people are using social media, you can feel disconnected if you don’t use it at all. Additionally, avoidance doesn’t help with self-esteem issues. Instead, you can learn to use social media to build self-esteem.

Today, we live in a world where there is enormous pressure placed on adolescents to look perfect. Such high standards are almost unachievable by normal, human beings, which often drives adolescents to do drastic things to make themselves look better. It doesn't help that in so many publications, there's a huge trend of using Photoshop to make people look “perfect”. This sets a standard that is completely unrealistic, and it can damage people's self-esteem as they try to achieve it and inevitably fail. As if there wasn't enough deceit in the world, what with cosmetic enhancements and procedures, now we have to deal with Photo shopped images as well.

Image is everything with these celebrates, and looking “perfect” is in this day in age just part of the job, but at what is the cost?

Lindsay Lohan is one star you'll all recognize, although she's stayed out of the spotlight in recent years. She used to be the talk of the town, especially because of social media. Now she's retreated away a little bit from the public life, although she still has a very active social media presence. She began her career as a child star in movies like The Parent Trap before moving on to a successful pop music career. This particular Instagram picture is clearly altered. If you look at the door behind her butt, you can see that it's warped way out of normal proportions. That means that somebody altered the picture to make Lindsay Lohan's rear end look fuller, rounder, and bigger. Did she really need to do that? No, but it’s just prof that even celebrates are not immune to these unrealistic standards.

Britney Spears is another star that needs no introduction. Like Lindsay Lohan, this mega celebrity has had her ups and downs during her life, made public through social media.

There's no doubt that this photo hits those beauty standards on the head, but if you look closely, you can see that it has indeed been altered. The curve of her lower back has been "retouched" with Photoshop, as there shouldn't actually be water there. If you look at where the edge of the pool is by her head, it makes no sense that there would be water underneath her back, and not another part of the ledge previously seen.

As you can see, Bieber's entire pelvic area is dramatically enlarged in the right photo and his butt, thighs, arms, back and chest are inflated too. Showing that this issue effects everyone. Not just women.

 

In saying this It’s human nature to compare ourselves to others — and unfortunately, many of us draw the inaccurate conclusion that we simply don’t measure up to others when it comes to weight and overall appearance. Although this is certainly an issue in “real” life, retouched photos in magazines and online exacerbate these insecurities by presenting images of models and celebrities with ultra-thin bodies, unblemished skin and perfect hair.

Photoshop is damaging adolescent’s perception of what perfection should look like. There is no picture that is perfect in this world and we need to accept our bodies and promote self-love. Building up each other’s confidence is a universal message that needs to be shared NOT promoting false images while damaging other young minds in the process.

But it can’t be all doom and gloom, can it? Surely there is a way that we can use social media for good? Here are some ways you can use social media in a positive way.

You can use social media for educational purposes; for example, learning about mental health, self-esteem, personal development or something else that you’re interested in is possible. You can subscribe to/follow topics that you like or use it for inspiration. Know that you have control of what you do and don't follow. For example, too much news can get you down but you can limit the amount of news that you're exposed to. Instead, there are many positive and uplifting sites that you can subscribe to.

In addition to education there are many online support groups you can join where you can meet like-minded people and be supported. Social media can help you realise that you're not alone and there are others going through the same issues that you are.

 Social media can also be something to keep your mind occupied. Reading about a topic you’re interested in is much better than letting your negative thoughts ruminate over and over again.

An important thing to note is moderation. Spending too long on social media can be a problem and it’s important to address that. Overdoing it can interfere with your quality of life and it can prevent you from getting into the real world. Addiction or obsession is not healthy and social media is not a replacement for face-to-face interaction.

In conclusion, social media can be either helpful or harmful, depending on how you use it and the way you respond to it. Ultimately, it's your choice. Social media is very much a part of today's world, and you can learn to use it to your advantage and build self-esteem.

 

Did you find this blog post helpful? What are your experiences with social media and self-esteem? —where they positive or negative?

 

Let me know in the comments.

 

—until next time, The body posi panda