How Instagram CAN negatively impact body image
🎞1 in 5 UK adults said that images seen on social media caused them to worry about their bodies.
🎞87% of women and 65% of men compare their bodies to images seen on social media
🎞Looking at images of the thin ideal has been shown to self-objectification.
We all have a unique relationship with social media but research shows that for many people social media has a negative impact on the relationship they have with their body.
We have a responsibility to cultivate our own media consumption and to diversity our feed. Instagram can either be used to affirm the worldview of beauty and promote diet culture , or it can be a beautiful place to represent real life with real bodies.
STOP, and take a moment to look at who you are following. Do they make you feel good about yourself?
If they don’t, UNFOLLOW or MUTE them.
RED FLAGS WHEN CHOOSING WHO TO FOLLOW:
Promotion of diet products
Lack of diversity
Encouraging restrictive diets and/or tracking food
Transformation pictures or ‘selling’ quick fix solutions i.e ‘Lose weight in 6 weeks"‘
ANYTHING THAT MAKES YOU FEEL WORSE ABOUT YOURSELF
A few years ago I intentionally widened the amount of account types that I followed. I wanted to normalise all bodies, all colours, all races, all abilities. My appreciation for different bodies grew and I began to see the true beauty in diversity.
We are not born with a one size fits all idea of beauty. It is something we have learnt. The GOOD news is that our minds can be rewired changed and retrained. THANK YOU neuroplasticity.
JUST A NOTE 📝 I would encourage you to follow a variety of accounts not just ones that focus on bodies (even in a positive way). Try following accounts that make you laugh, are cute (puppies for me 🐾), art (I love calligraphy accounts), home decor, food or whatever else you are interested in!
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