How Social Media Trends Can Lead to Self-Criticism
Social media has made connection easier. However, it also has had negative impacts on users’ mental and physical health.
I was a teenager when Facebook came out. I saw the beginning of overconnectivity. In middle school, my friends and I made accounts. We only posted our best pictures. We wrote our diary-like statuses. We gave our opinions. The likes we got were validating, innocently.
As I got older, Instagram was the new thing. Users scrolled pictures endlessly. Likes felt even more important to one’s online social status. We didn’t just see our peers online. We also saw celebrities and “social influencers.” Likes and follows became a weighing scale. They told you how cool you were, both online and in person.
If you didn’t look the part, people paid less attention. Trust me, you would notice the drop in likes. Instead of embracing myself, I became self-critical. I’d send photos to my friends for approval. I’d ask which captions fit best. I didn’t think social media was harming my self-esteem. I just wanted the perfect post.
The social influencer era grew. I noticed others being self-critical. Fashion trends like the Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge often fueled them. The challenge had negative effects. Teens became critical of their thin lips. They used overdrawn lip liner. They got lip injections. Other trends emerged: BBL surgeries, masculine lace fronts, waist trainers, etc. These trends point out our flaws. They also point out things that make us unique. Social media helped these perfection standards spread worldwide in just seconds. The correlation between social media and self-worth became hard to ignore.
Over time, I realized it was impossible to be perfect. The ideal of perfection changes all the time. But it is possible to be you. I stopped seeking validation. Instead, I tried to share meaningful moments and spread useful information.
So, try putting the phone down and embracing every aspect of yourself! Everyone smiles for the camera, but should you smile for them? Or should you smile for you?
About the Author: Vaughn Coleman is an Afro-queer writer specializing in screenwriting and short fiction. Her writing and editing are in the University of the Arts “Underground Pool” magazine.
Resources
If you or a loved one needs help, check out Healthy Minds Philly’s Boost Your Mood resource page!
