THE PORTRAYAL OF EATING DISORDERS IN THE MEDIA

“Over 1.6 million people in the UK are estimated to be directly affected by eating disorders” [1]. With such a high statistic in mind, we must consider the influence that the media has on this mental disorder.

Social Media:

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Social media platforms such as Instagram and Tik Tok have all become a significant platform for young adults to express themselves also, keeping up with friends or different celebrities. Therefore, it is not surprising that these platforms have a large influence on the mental health of their users, especially on mental disorders that surround appearance such as anorexia.

Anorexia within the Media:

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To understand what anorexia is, and who it affects we must become aware of its definition and history. Anorexia is a “psychological disorder characterized by fear of becoming fat and refusal to eat” [4]. Institutions such as ‘anorexia and bulimia care’, claim that anorexia predominantly “affects girls and women”. However, recently, more “boys and men” are becoming diagnosed with it.[5].

Anorexia within the media, has become an increasing issue. A study recently done by the ‘National Eating Disorder Association’, found that a large group of “women between the ages of 18 and 25” connected social media with “body image concerns” [6].

Body Image within Social Media:

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Although social media is a great platform to connect individuals through chats and shared interests, it has also become a primary platform to portray the ‘ideal’ body image to young adults. With tools that encourage editing of pictures such as photoshop and face tune, individuals can edit out their insecurities by changing the way they look, for example by editing the size of their waist or blurring out their natural skin. Social media has easily become a place where one can lose their sense of reality.

With this in mind, it is clear how this can negatively affect someone with anorexia. Those with anorexia already have a distorted view of their body, therefore images of people with the “ideal” body shape may further their body dysmorphia.

We have become so dependent on social media, that we find ourselves comparing our lives and our bodies to the images posted on social media. Because of this dependence on social media, young adults are becoming more wary of how they look, wanting to impress their virtual audience. The standard of ‘beauty’ that is advertised in social media is now being reflected in ‘real-life’ as young adults are constantly trying to adjust their body to meet the ‘ideal’ requirements for society.

Social media is promoting anorexia by allowing edited images and promoting models with ‘stick thin’ waists and face tuned skin, promoting the view that young adults with natural beauty or acne and maybe slightly chubbier physiques are ‘ugly’. This then leads to these users receiving less likes and sometimes harsh comments from cyber bullies.

Cyber Bullying within Social Media, and its Effect on Mental Health:

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Social media enables individuals to maintain anonymity. While this can protect a user’s privacy, it also allows cyberbullying others without any consequences.

In addition to becoming dependent on social media, people have become dependent on positive opinions from people that know them and from strangers through social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. Where this could be viewed as a positive thing, boosting the confidence of young adults, and encouraging them to try new things, it can also damage one’s mental health when one begins to believe the unrealistic standard of ‘beauty’ advertised by social media. Nowadays, if you do not fit the ‘norm’ of having perfect skin and a perfect size figure, you need to change. Social media constantly share weight loss systems and makeup tips. Is this to simply help those that want it, or is it pushing people to change themselves to fit the social media norm of beauty?

Overall social media has negatives and positives when portraying mental illnesses. When portraying anorexia, it lacks educational value and instead encourages pushing society into an unrealistic idea of beauty. Distorted images and edited faces add to the confusion young adults are facing today on the way they should look. Thus more young adults are trying extreme diets promoted on social media platforms such as “The Instagram diet; 14 ways to cut portions without feeling hungry” [10], which inevitably leads to them being diagnosed with anorexia.

Society need to step back from social media and see there is no real beauty, and everyone is individual to themselves.

References:

· [1] About eating disorders: Statistics. (2020). Anorexia and bulimia care. [Online]. Available from: https://www.anorexiabulimiacare.org.uk/about/statistics#:~:text=Over%201.6%20million%20people%20in%20the%20UK%20are,yet%20available%20in%20many%20parts%20of%20England.%20%281%29 [Accessed 20th Feb. 2021].

· [2] Fleur, J. 2016. Social Media Evangelists. [Online]. [Accessed 11th March 2021]. Available from: https://institute.wycliffecollege.ca/2016/02/social-media-evangelists-2/

· [3] Rider University. 2021. The connection between social media and eating disorders among college students. [Online]. [Accessed 11th March]. Available from: https://online.rider.edu/blog/social-media-and-eating-disorders/

· [4] Social Medias Impact on eating disorders. (2020). Magnolia Creek: Treatment center for eating disorders. [Online]. Available from: https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.magnolia-creek.com/eating-disorder-recovery-blog/social-media-and-eaing-disorders/amp/ [Accessed 20th Feb. 2021].

· [5] Social Medias Impact on eating disorders. (2020). Magnolia Creek: Treatment center for eating disorders. [Online]. Available from: https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.magnolia-creek.com/eating-disorder-recovery-blog/social-media-and-eaing-disorders/amp/

· [6] Gleissner, G. (2017). Social Media and its Effect on Eating Disorders. [Online]. Available from: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/social-media-and-its-effect-on-eating-disorders_b_591343bce4b0e3bb894d5caa

· [7] Rider University. 2021. The connection between social media and eating disorders among college students. [Online]. [Accessed 11th March]. Available from: https://online.rider.edu/blog/social-media-and-eating-disorders/

· [8] Medical News Today. 2021. How does social media use affect our body image? [Online]. [Accessed 11th March]. Available from: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323725

. [10] Larkin, M. 2021. Five questions that can change your life. [Online]. [Accessed 11th March 2021]. Available from: https://mollylarkin.com/five-questions-can-change-your-life/