Social Media, Self Esteem & Mental Health

Social media fuels a never ending loop of social comparison.

As Mental Health Awareness month continues, we would like to dive deeper into why social media has such a strong influence on girls and their mental health.

At BIO Girls, we have a handful of lessons encompassing this idea of social comparision. Not only does this social comparison happen at school and in various social settings, but much of this social comparison is stemming from spending hours and hours scrolling on social media.

On social media, girls are relentlessly judging themselves against their ‘peers’ or people they don’t even know to define their own abilities or social status.

Social media feeds are dominated by achievement and success. Girls see content making them feel as if they SHOULD be doing something… making them feel like they are behind or failing.

People who make social comparisons on social media report greater depressive symptoms. They also say their current self is falling short of their ideal self – unhappiness and shame.

Girls are also prone to social comparison because they are socialized to take care of others and care what others think. Girls also internalize stress from relationships.

Finally, appearance is heavily linked to social value for girls.

These are all reasons that BIO Girls exists.

BIO Girls Executive Director, Missy Heilman, joined LevelUp Fargo, Matto Foundation and DMF for a webinar to discuss social media and its impact on mental health in youth.

Check it out:

takeaways

Healthy and Unhealthy Social Media Use

Missy stated five important questions to assess the drive behind social networking and the differences between healthy and unhealthy use. Check out these excerpts:

1. Does this post say something about myself, or am I trying to prove myself?
   There is an imbalance in the images youth are scrolling through. Most only show the highlights, and they paint a picture of a seemingly perfect life. Consequently, young people see a disconnect between these portrayals and their reality, so they struggle to achieve unreasonable standards.
   

2. Am I using social media to connect or compete?
   Social media may offer convenient ways to interact with others, but it also gives more exposure to physical standards than kids have ever had before. Even so, excessive screen time in general, as we have seen during the pandemic, can lead to further problems like substance use, depression, and anxiety.
   

3. Does this post say what I think, or am I trying to see what others think of me?
   The standards of achievement, performance, and physical appearance are constantly changing, along with how they are shown on social feeds. When youth fail to keep up, it tears away at their perception of self-worth.
   

4. Am I using social media to be part of something bigger, or to improve my social status?
   There are certain tendencies seen in posts that could signify deteriorating self-esteem. These include using social media to portray a certain lifestyle, using social media to alter true physical appearance, or claiming a social status based on social media’s quantifiable measures of likes, comments, and shares.
   

5. Am I seeking validation from an external source?
   Ultimately, looking for approval on social platforms is a lost cause. The momentary affirmation young people get from it cannot be replaced by meaningful, face-to-face conversations. They need the occasional reminder that there is a life to live outside of their screens.