How Social Media Is Negatively Affecting Body Image Among Youth 

Children today are adept at using social media, with kids even younger than 12 having access to it. However, this is a cause for concern. According to WHO, one in seven 10-19 year olds suffer from some kind of mental disorder.Social media is a brutal place where influencers often promote unrealistic beauty standards leading to thousands, if not millions, of kids judging each other and themselves for not being as pretty or as muscular as the people they see online.

Exposure to Social Media and Mental Health

Most of the younger generations were raised with iPads and TVs, exposing them to media, particularly social media, from an early age. Although some parents monitor their children’s online presence, it is difficult to constantly monitor the content their children are exposed to because of its ubiquitous nature. The truth is that these perspectives aren’t directly thrown at you; instead, they slowly pile up and lead to eventual mental health issues.

Pre-teens and teenagers today are constantly comparing themselves with one another and with anyone they see on the internet. To them, this is natural: wanting to look like someone they see online. However, this is, in fact, not something healthy to do. Research shows that younger people have started to develop mental health issues, starting from 2020 onwards. They face anxiety, depression, and severe body dysmorphia.

The Impact on Physical Health

Comparing themselves to these influencers is not only causing mental health issues, but it’s also leading people to make physical changes. Kids have developed eating disorders in their attempts to attain a certain beauty standard. Eating disorders are serious conditions that lead to constant hospital visits and can even lead to the development of potentially fatal diseases.

In the end, in many aspects, youth of today live tougher lives than those of our older generations. The issues of today are a mental warfare and cannot always be seen. Thus, some parents undermine their children’s issues, leading to even more problems. What must be realized by everyone is that people show fragments of their lives online, which appeal to the public. Not everyone looks perfect all the time, and we need to celebrate our uniqueness.