You would think with 5 billion people on social media (I’m not kidding, it’s 5 billion people) we would be exposed to diverse experiences, lifestyles, and lots of body positivity quotes. As a person in my 20s, I constantly compare myself to people on social media. I feel like they are skinnier, prettier, or more fit than I am. I know that lots of people feel similarly to me, so let’s explore what social media does to our body image.&nbsp;<h2>Social Media: What is it Actually Doing to My Body Image?</h2>Lots of researchers acknowledge that excessive screen time is bad for our mental health. But exactly what we are doing with our screen time dictates the impact that it has on our mental health. When images of models or jacked athletes flood our feed, they completely change our perception of what’s normal.It is easy to see highly edited bodies on social media and think that is the way everyone is. The truth of the matter is lots of people use retouching apps or edit their pictures to look more desirable. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://renfrewcenter.com/library/">The Renfrew Center</a> found that 50% of all social media users retouch or edit their images before they post them on social media. The body you are comparing yourself to is often not real.&nbsp;Here are some other facts about image retouching on social media:&nbsp;<ul><li>Low Self Esteem: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://bmcpsychology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40359-023-01143-0#Sec1">Researchers in Germany</a> found that image editing is highly associated with lower self esteem and feelings of attractiveness. If 50% of people are editing their pictures, this means that half of all social media users feel the need to change their bodies. </li><li>Height and Weight on Dating Apps: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0146167208318067#con1">Researchers at Cornell </a>found that 81% of dating app users report inaccurate information about their height and weight. </li><li>Mental Health Risks: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1111/j.1471-6402.1997.tb00108.x">Researchers at the University of Michigan</a> found that body monitoring, or noticing exactly what your body looks like constantly, is associated with risk factors correlated to poor mental health and eating disorders.&nbsp;</li></ul>This research is a good reminder that what we compare ourselves to on social media are often highly edited. They also help us understand how a majority of people on social media feel self conscious and insecure about their own bodies. If you find yourself in a comparison spiral, remind yourself about this research.&nbsp;<h2>The Path Forward</h2>We’ve established that social media is not the best place if you’re feeling self conscious about yourself. However, there are ways to navigate social media that can help you feel confident and beautiful. Packing your social media with body positive content creators is an excellent reminder that all bodies are different and beautiful.&nbsp;Here are some of our favorite body positive creators:<ul><li>Megan Jayne Crabbe (@meganjaynecrabbe)- an author and podcast host that promotes the power of body positivity and the joy of taking up space. Shares body positive quotes and information.</li><li>Joyana (@enjoyselflove)- a social media influencer that shows how different photography angles and poses can make your body look different. She provides a great perspective on how instagram is often heavily filtered and shares body positive quotes. </li><li>I WEIGH (@i_weigh)- Founded by actress Jameela Jamil, I WEIGH focuses on radical inclusivity around weight, and challenges how society values an unrealistic beauty standard. They share body positivity quotes and tips online and through her podcast.</li><li>Stevie Blaine (@bopo.boy)- An LGBTQIA and Body Acceptance activist that is doing important work for male body positivity on social media, which is often not discussed as frequently. By sharing their experiences and body positive affirmations, they are changing male body positivity culture.</li><li>Alex Light (@alexlight_ldn)- A body confidence creator that highlights how much society focuses on weight and body type. She also highlights her personal journey with an eating disorder and body positive affirmations.</li><li>Hillary McBride (@hillaryliannamcbride)- A therapist, speaker, and author of “Practices for Embodied Living.” She speaks about enjoying life fully in the lives we are in and shares body positivity quotes.&nbsp;</li></ul>Changing the narrative on your social media from body image quotes like “my body is not good enough” to love your body quotes like “I am grateful for what my body allows me to do” can change your mindset not only about yourself, but about others as well. It is often a good idea to take a mental health social media break, but filling your social media with positive influencers can also be a huge help.<h2>Mental Health Resources</h2>Unfortunately, the burden of social media and body image is really hard to escape from. We can try to fill our feeds with body positive creators, but sometimes negative thoughts can creep in. This can have effects on our eating patterns and self talk, which are detrimental to our overall mental health. Below are two of my favorite mental health resources you can use when you feel like you need an extra boost.&nbsp;Therapy: Connecting with a therapist that has expertise on eating disorders or body image is an excellent way to move away from body negativity. To find a therapist with a specific focus, you can use The National Eating Disorder Association’s <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/resource-center/">Resource Center</a>.Certified Peer Support Specialist: A peer supporter is someone who experienced a similar mental health history (in this case, someone who has had issues with body image in the past) that is trained in different support skills. A peer support specialist is someone who can relate to your struggles, is there for you while you navigate body image challenges, and provides insight about what worked for them. You can read more about peer support <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://peers.net/">here</a>.&nbsp;<img src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/myyBWrmuNavNE4wgyL-EX_u4Wl_soQaHoEdDUJXRDFQqSL-fa1Vf_XDaf2iRKthTxtOnAIsTlG3VOrvYmGnBSDCDqqAdjoJuFxFwNBuPJ1uGwu5XBqXF7tr6vbZu1BnT7Oc-W7s_mEug3gA1IvFwSxw" width="292" height="292">Meet Sam H! Sam is a certified peer support specialist on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://peers.net/">peers.net</a> who experienced body dysmorphia and an eating disorder in her time as a competitive dancer. She now uses her experiences to help others who struggle with eating disorders or body image issues. You can read more about Sam H. and book a peer support session with her <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://peers.net/peer-supporters/sam-h?_gl=1*a368ne*_up*MQ..*_ga*ODI1MzE4NTE3LjE3MDczOTQwMTk.*_ga_H5SXK15P1X*MTcwNzM5NDAxOC4xLjAuMTcwNzM5NDAxOC4wLjAuMA..">here</a>!&nbsp;We also have a whole list of resources <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://blog.peers.net/resource-links/">here</a> that can help you find a therapist or explore different ways to get help.&nbsp;<h2>Social Media and Body Image</h2>Your body, my body, your neighbor’s body, your mail person’s body: these are all REAL bodies. What you see on social media is not always a real body, no matter how many body positivity quotes are paired with it. Remember that there are ways to come out of the body comparison spiral: reminding yourself of research about photo editing, filling your social media with body positive creators, and seeking mental health support are all ways you can ground yourself in body positivity. Social media can fill your feel with quotes about self image, quotes about taking care of your body, and quotes about body and mind. Remind yourself, your body, no matter the shape or size, is worth love, respect, and compassion. You’ve got this.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Hannah Johns

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