Experts state that sharing 'thin' or 'muscular' bodies on social media accounts leads to the adoption of an unrealistic beauty standard, and as individuals compare themselves to the images and lifestyles in these posts, feelings of worthlessness and inadequacy can emerge.
Assistant Professor Dr. Elif Kurtuluş said, “The pressure to gather likes, comments, and followers on social media can further increase insecurities regarding body image.”
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Vice Dean Assistant Professor Dr. Elif Kurtuluş drew attention to the increasing number of posts on social media applications reflecting 'perfect' bodies, popular diets, and idolized lifestyles.
Assistant Professor Dr. Elif Kurtuluş stated that such posts, which are considered harmless, can bring about an alarming situation for individuals who have negative thoughts about body image and compare themselves with other users on social media, and continued:
“This situation can manifest as the intensification of eating disorders and body image dissatisfaction. The sharing of 'thin' or 'muscular' bodies on social media accounts leads most people to adopt an unrealistic beauty standard that they cannot achieve. As individuals compare themselves to the images and lifestyles in these posts, feelings of worthlessness, inadequacy, and body image dissatisfaction can emerge.”
Pressure to Collect Likes, Comments, and Followers
Assistant Professor Dr. Elif Kurtuluş also explained that individuals can become more prone to developing eating disorder symptoms by attempting to gain control over their bodies as a result of the feelings of inadequacy and worthlessness they experience. She drew attention to the increase in harmful content on social media, such as pro-anorexia messages defined by extreme fear of weight gain and self-starvation, and pro-bulimia messages defined by compensatory behaviors like purging after eating binges, excessive exercise, and laxative use, as well as posts promoting unhealthy behaviors like excessive exercise or ‘clean eating’.
Assistant Professor Dr. Elif Kurtuluş stated, “The pressure to collect likes, comments, and followers on social media can also further increase insecurities regarding body image.”
Content That Can Trigger Eating Disorders
Assistant Professor Dr. Elif Kurtuluş also noted that an individual being humiliated by different users through social media applications due to their appearance and eating habits can lead to serious psychological distress, and said, “Social media algorithms can trap users in an echo chamber, continuously presenting content that can trigger body image dissatisfaction and eating disorders. This exposure is highly critical in terms of increasing disordered eating behaviors and dissatisfaction with body image.”
Despite all these trends, Assistant Professor Dr. Elif Kurtuluş stated that social media can also raise awareness about ‘body positivity,’ and explained that the power of social media can be utilized to combat its potential harmful effects.
Social Media Awareness and Media Literacy are Important
Assistant Professor Dr. Elif Kurtuluş stated that awareness about the unrealistic nature of many images on social media, as well as media literacy, would be beneficial for individuals to spend time more healthily on these platforms. Assistant Professor Dr. Elif Kurtuluş concluded her words as follows:
“For instance, the power of influencers who actively use social media and reach thousands of people with their posts can be leveraged to raise awareness by encouraging users to display a more realistic lifestyle and body image. The struggle with eating disorders and body image issues can become so severe that it goes beyond an individual's social media use and significantly impacts their daily life. On the other hand, social media applications can be an empowering platform for maintaining well-being and self-acceptance.”