The Influences of Social Media on Eating Disorder Risk

Abstract

As a society, people are approaching an informational age, a period where people are in constant communication through various applications and platforms. One emerging tool is social media, an online platform that can be used to communicate, post information, share opinions, and document photos. As more people use social media, there are risks of misinformation and triggering content being spread. This phenomenon is beginning to affect its users’ mental health, such as mood regulation and eating behaviors. Eating disorders are becoming more prevalent, especially in adolescents and teenagers. Researchers have conducted studies analyzing the influences social media has on users’ mindsets and eating behaviors. They found that social media has contributed to the rise of eating disorders by fostering unhealthy peer comparisons, promoting an unhealthy ideal body, and normalizing disordered eating patterns. The content the users’ view online affects their mental functioning and leaves them more susceptible to developing an eating disorder to achieve a societal standard at any cost. To combat this dilemma, psychologists have started focusing on social media usage related interventions to minimize the risk factors contributing to eating disorders. These interventions consist of social media literacy campaigns, raising awareness about the influence of social media, and developing a growth mindset. Changing the way the user uses social media is how psychologists are attempting to solve this issue. Future research should focus on long-term benefits of these interventions and continue focusing on ways to decrease the negative impacts of social media on individuals’ mindset and behaviors.