How Social Media is Affecting Body Image, and How Women Can Overcome It

“We can’t hate ourselves into a version of ourselves we can love.” — Lori Deschene

Body image will always be quite a complex topic for women around the world. Many believe it is one of the most important factors for fitting into society. However, technology like social media muddy the waters of what is acceptable body image and what is not, reportedly promoting toxic body image at a scale never before seen by the world.

There are ongoing debates surrounding unrealistic body image and beauty standards in social media. For example, women are demanded to be fair-skinned and slim to be considered beautiful. As a result, those who do not fit these standards take a blow to their self-esteem.

This article will explore how social media affects body image, its risks, and practical steps to counter its harmful effects. Discover ways to embrace your unique beauty and reclaim confidence in a world of filtered perfection.

How social media is affecting body image

Body image refers to how you perceive your body color, weight, and height.

You can have a positive or negative body image, depending on your level of self-concept. External factors, like social media, can also influence how you see yourself.

Social media has been identified as one of the biggest hurdles for women to embrace their body image positively. It promotes unrealistic beauty standards, as well as forces women to seek validation from others to value themselves positively.

Below, you’ll find an explanation of toxic social media cultures and their impact on how you view yourself.

Unrealistic beauty standards and comparison culture

Social media normalizes unrealistic beauty standards. For example, women may feel pressured to be excessively thin due to the ideal sizes promoted by trendsetting fashion companies. Consequently, those who feel like they are not as skinny as this “ideal” size could end up developing eating disorders.

Ideal body image in the media also leads women to engage in unhealthy routines, such as extreme exercise and dieting. For example, if a celebrity successfully loses weight, people will force themselves to try this celebrity’s method, not knowing that it may not suit their bodies.

If you focus solely on getting skinny as quickly as possible, you may use a celebrity’s dieting method as a shortcut to reach your goals. However, this approach can harm your physical and mental well-being.

A worse scenario might happen if attempting to mimic that celebrity’s lifestyle doesn’t work. You’ll feel discouraged and compare yourself to celebrities or others who succeed with the diet. Consequently, this habit can lower your self-esteem and make you question your worth.

The role of filters and photo editing

Another reason you might struggle to appreciate your body image is that social media normalizes the excessive use of filters and photo-editing tools.

Photo filters are usually used to enhance the quality of a photo. However, with the advancement of technology, there are now many available filters that can change the features of your body to fit the ideal look you desire.

Social media and body image research shows a link between how attractive people perceive themselves and how they feel about themselves overall. As a result, more people feel confident after applying filters to their posts and feel less satisfied with their daily looks.

The psychology of likes and validation

The relationship between social media and body image is further complicated by the rise of “influencer” culture.

Influencers, often idealized figures on social media, set beauty standards and trends. Many people believe that imitating these influencers will enhance their lives. They think it will bring them closer to becoming influencers and earning followers’ validation.

Not to mention harmful social media trends. Many social media trends are going on at any given time. These trends can encourage you to do whatever it takes to gain validation from others.

For instance, following popular Korean beauty diets to lose weight quickly has left many women malnourished. Chasing these trends can harm your physical health and self-esteem, making it important to approach them cautiously.

Practices for overcoming negative body image influences

You need to keep several things in mind to manage social media’s positive impact on body image. Here are some other practices that you can try to use social media wisely to support a positive body image:

Practice body neutrality

Instead of forcing you to practice body positivity, a popular new term, “body neutrality,” allows you to have a better relationship with your body.

Body neutrality is how people balance their perception of their body image to avoid excessive positivity and negativity. Furthermore, body neutrality focuses on accepting and respecting your own body, instead of loving or hating it. Here are some practical advice to practice body neutrality:

Stop checking your body too much. Your insecurities might develop once you check on yourself too many times. Thus, paying less attention to how you look in the mirror or photos might help create a more positive relationship with your body.
Wear anything that makes you feel comfortable. By choosing comfortable clothes instead of following trends, you will no longer feel pressured to fit into certain societal standards.
Create your own movement pace. Instead of following unrealistic workout routines, exercising at your own pace will enhance your physical and psychological health. Furthermore, appreciating your body’s abilities is better than focusing on how many calories you burn.

Body neutrality helps you avoid unrealistic beauty standards and enhance your self-acceptance. It challenges negative thoughts caused by societal expectations about women’s bodies. However, keep your actions balanced. Overlooking the positive aspects of your body image is still bad.

Limit and curate social media consumption

The root cause of the current issue surrounding women’s body image is the excessive use of social media. Therefore, limit and curate your social media consumption to address this problem.

Here are several things that you can do to manage your social media use positively:

Curate your social media timeline. Instead of following negative, unrealistic influencers, follow accounts that promote body positivity, diversity, and self-love. If necessary, mute or unfollow negative accounts.
Focus on your real connections. By recognizing the importance of real interactions with people around you, you can gain more positive energy to face the day. This also reduces exposure to negative content. Plus, enjoyable real-time activities develop self-compassion.
Practice mindfulness. Be aware of your emotions and thoughts after seeing upsetting social media content. Doing so lets you determine the next steps to overcome these feelings. For example, you can replace those negative thoughts with positive affirmations about your bodies.

Develop self-compassion and positive self-talk

Self-compassion is how you are being kind to yourself through acceptance. In supporting how you perceive your body image, self-compassion helps you to be able to practice positive body talk.

Self-compassion can help debunk negative body talk by helping you recognize your value. As a result, you can naturally set aside negative self-criticism and replace it with positive affirmations. This can help you embrace your body image and develop a healthier relationship with your body.

Here are several things you can do to enhance your self-compassion and positive body-talk:

Positive affirmations. The easiest way to practice positive affirmations is to incorporate them into your daily routine. You can create affirmations emphasizing your strengths and worth to shift your focus away from insecurities. For example, “my hair is unique and lovely” or “my skin is beautiful and healthy.“
Regular self-care. Practicing self-care can help you nourish your body and mind. Activities like yoga and meditation help you be more calm.
Positive offline activities. Face-to-face interactions create a genuine connection with others. Furthermore, offline interactions can reduce your exposure to unrealistic beauty standards. This will help you cut the comparison habit, increasing self-acceptance and body positivity.

In conclusion

Social media offers both benefits and drawbacks for everyone. However, one of the most significant drawbacks is that it dramatically challenges women’s body image.

Social media affects this perspective by spreading unrealistic body standards and unhealthy lifestyles.

It is essential to stay mindful when using social media to maintain a positive body image. By incorporating the practices above, you can combat the negative pressure of social media on your body image, resulting in better mental and physical well-being.

Love and embrace your uniquely beautiful body!

If you would like to see more resources on self-concept, check out the Personal Resilience Science Labs. The lab uses the research of the Institute for Life Management Science to produce courses, certifications, podcasts, videos, and other tools. Visit the Personal Resilience Science Labs today.

Photo by kroshka__nastya on Freepik

Sekar Raissa