成人抖阴

Help fund stories like this.

Media influences and conventional beauty standards have long plagued society.

This issue took on new urgency in May 2023 when the over the .

Research shows that images of beauty as depicted in movies, television and magazines , issues with disordered eating and .

These trends have been documented , in the and in and ethnic backgrounds.

Experts have long suspected that social media may be playing a role in the growing . However, the surgeon general鈥檚 warning is one of the first .

Social media can be toxic

Body dissatisfaction among children and adolescents is commonplace and decreased quality of life, worsened mood and unhealthy eating habits.

As an , I regularly work with clients who experience eating disorder symptoms, self-esteem issues and anxiety .

I also : I am 15 years post-recovery from an eating disorder, and I grew up when people were beginning to widely use social media. In my view, the impact of social media on diet and exercise patterns needs to be further researched to inform future policy directions, school programming and therapeutic treatment.

The mental health of adolescents and teens has been , and the and brought it into the spotlight. As the mental health crisis surges, researchers have been taking a in these increasing mental health concerns.

The pros and cons of social media

About 95% of children and adolescents in the U.S. between the ages of 10 and 17 are .

Research has shown that for finding . However, studies have also shown that the use of social media contributes to social comparisons, unrealistic expectations and .

In addition, those who have tend to spend more time on social media. People in that category are more likely to and . Women and are more likely to feel worse about their bodies and themselves after they spend time on social media.

A breeding ground for eating disorders

A recent review found that, as with mass media, the use of social media is a risk factor for , body image dissatisfaction and disordered eating. In this review, social media use was shown to contribute to negative self-esteem, social comparisons, decreased emotional regulation and idealized self-presentation that negatively influenced body image.

Another study, called the , published in April 2023, found that 9 in 10 children and adolescents ages 10 to 17 are exposed to toxic beauty content on social media and 1 in 2 say that this has an impact on their mental health.

Eating disorders are that develop because of biological, social and psychological factors. Eating disorder hospitalizations and the need for treatment have dramatically .

include isolation, food scarcity, boredom and related to weight gain, such as the 鈥�.鈥� That was a reference to the weight gain some people were experiencing at the beginning of the pandemic, similar to the 鈥渇reshman 15鈥� belief that one will gain 15 pounds in the first year of college. Many teens whose routines were disrupted by the pandemic turned to eating disorder behaviors for or were influenced by family members who held unhealthy beliefs around food and exercise.

Researchers have also found that increased time at home during the pandemic and therefore more exposure to toxic body image and dieting social media content.

While social media alone will not cause eating disorders, , which are amplified by social media, can contribute to the development of eating disorders.

鈥楾hinspo鈥� and 鈥榝itspo鈥�

Toxic beauty standards online include the normalization of cosmetic and surgical procedures and pro-eating-disorder content, which promotes and romanticizes eating disorders. For instance, social media sites have promoted trends such as 鈥渢hinspo,鈥� which is focused on the thin ideal, and 鈥渇itspo,鈥� which perpetuates the belief of there being a perfect body that can be achieved with dieting, supplements and excessive exercise.

Research has shown that 鈥� or dieting through pseudoscientific claims can lead to obsessive behavior around dietary patterns. These unfounded 鈥渨ellness鈥� posts , chronic stress, body dissatisfaction and higher likelihood of .

Some social media posts feature , which directly or indirectly encourages disordered eating. Other posts promote deliberate manipulation of one鈥檚 body, using harmful quotes such as 鈥渘othing tastes as good as thin feels.鈥� These posts provide a false sense of connection, allowing users to bond over a shared goal of losing weight, altering one鈥檚 appearance and continuing patterns of disordered eating.

While young people toxic beauty advice鈥檚 effects on their self-esteem, they may still continue to engage with this content. This is in part because friends, influencers and to follow certain accounts.

How policy changes could help

are proposing different .

Policy recommendations include increased transparency from social media companies, creation of higher standards of and that would discourage companies and marketers from using altered photos.

Phone-free zones

Small steps at home to cut down on social media consumption can also make a difference. Parents and caregivers can for the family. Examples of this include putting phones away while the family watches a movie together or during mealtimes.

Adults can also help by modeling healthy social media behaviors and encouraging children and adolescents to focus .

Mindful social media consumption is another helpful approach. This requires recognizing what one is feeling during social media scrolling. If spending time on social media makes you feel worse about yourself or seems to be causing mood changes in your child, it may be time to change how you or your child interact with social media.

This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .

Help fund stories like this.