Films, TV, magazines, and social media like Instagram have distorted how many of us see our bodies. These different media outlets show us their ideal body types, and can make us feel like our bodies are not good enough. Having a negative body image means that you feel bad about how you look. This is dangerous because it can lead to harmful habits such as disordered eating.
This can also affect our self-worth and self-acceptance, making us feel that because our bodies don’t match the ideal, we ourselves are somehow not good enough.
Studies show that the more mass media preteens and teens consume, the more likely they are to express feelings of dissatisfaction with their bodies. This means the more mainstream TV, movies, social media celebrities, and magazines we look at, the more likely we are to feel bad about how we look.
Researchers have found a link between the use of social media, negative body image, and unhealthy eating (Aparicio et al., 2019). Higher levels of unhappiness with our bodies is linked with an increased risk of having or developing eating disorders in both male and female adolescents, although the risk is higher for females.
Preteens and teens are affected by these beauty ideals and expectations in many ways. For example, sometimes those who identify as boys often face societal pressure to have a larger “more muscular” body, while sometimes those who identify as girls often feel under pressure to be thin.
How racism affects body image
The beauty ideals we see in the media may often imply racist ideas that White people or people with European features are somehow “more beautiful” than everyone else. For example, many fashion models and Hollywood celebrities have light skin, long straight or wavy hair, light-colored eyes, are tall and thin, and have small noses. This implication can cause others to feel like people who don’t look this specific way are somehow less beautiful, less important, or even less human.
Beauty comes in many shapes, colors, and sizes and we are all worthy of love, respect, human kindness, and rights!
It’s wonderful to see celebrities, musicians, and actors like Beyoncé, Lizzo, Lucy Liu, Yalitza Aparicio, and Rihanna, who are loud and proud about who they are and where they come from. But even though there are more and more Black, Indigenous, and people of color celebrities and influencers in the media, those who are deemed to be closer to White beauty standards (for example they have lighter skin) may often get more work and pay, win more awards, and receive more publicity — due to racism that is entrenched especially in the fashion, film, and music industries. For example, often in music videos, we see a light-skinned female being more desired by a male who is pursuing a relationship, while the darker-skinned female is ignored or shunned.
The celebration of White beauty standards in films, TV, social media, and magazines affects how we, our families, teachers, and friends understand beauty: including what is desirable, professional, or appropriate. Those who have experienced discrimination and negative messages about their race, heritage, and culture may experience feelings of decreased self-worth and confidence. This can put huge pressure on Black teens and young people of color, making them feel like they have to change their bodies to fit these unrealistic beauty standards — in order to be popular, have friends, avoid bullying, or simply attend school without the feeling of inequity.
In the USA, there are schools and/or communities that have a shameful history of punishing or even suspending Black students, simply for wearing their hair in natural hairstyles. There have also been school teams demanding that students cut their natural hair in order to participate in sports. This shows how racist beauty standards can seriously affect a young person’s chance to receive an education.
Skin-whitening creams, hair relaxers, and plastic surgeries are expensive and may be harmful, however, people of color and Black people may feel under pressure to undergo these treatments in order to “fit in” or be successful.
More and more people are challenging old-fashioned racist White beauty standards and sparking important discussions about how to reimagine and decolonise our ideals of beauty. You can find these conversations taking place more and more in schools, among friends, and on social media.
Is social media better for body image compared to TV and movies?
On social media, we may find ourselves comparing our bodies and faces to the slim, athletic, and “idealized” body shapes of friends and celebrity influencers.
Researchers argue that the more time you spend on social media, the more likely you are to feel bad about the way you look (Easton et al., 2018)
However, if used properly, social media can actually be good for your body image. Following influencers who share a similar body type, skin color, or hair type to you may help you to appreciate your own beauty. The key is to follow body positive profiles and take regular vacations from social media.
When you spend a lot of time on social media it can harm your body image by exposing you to many images of “idealized” body types, prompting you to start comparing yourself to them. Many photos and videos on social media (and in magazines etc.) are heavily edited using makeup, lighting, Photoshop, and filters to make people look “better” than they do in real life. This creates a warped dream world and gives us beauty ideals that are impossible to live up to.
It’s easy to develop unrealistic standards for yourself based on what you see online, and then feel upset when you cannot reach these standards.
Social media’s effects on mental & physical health
Most of us like using social media because it can help us stay connected with friends, family, and what is going on in the world. But unfortunately, if we spend a lot of time on social media, this can lead to increased depression and anxiety, and feelings of worry, sadness, loneliness and have grave impacts on our mental health.
To maintain good mental health as humans, we need face-to-face interaction with other people. Nothing relieves stress and elevates your mood like an eye-to-eye connection with somebody who cares about you. When we spend more time on social media than we do having in-person interactions, this increases the risk that we will become more anxious or depressed.
Social media influencers (and our friends!) often use filters and other tools to change the way they look in photos. You might think that being aware of this would mean that tHohe pictures don’t affect you so much, because you know they are not “real.” Unfortunately, even when we know that images are edited, they can still make us feel uncomfortable about our appearance, clothes, lifestyle, etc.
We also know that most people share only the highlights of their lives on social media, the good and beautiful moments. It’s much less common that people post about the bad, boring, and average moments — which we all experience. But even when we know this, it doesn’t take away those feelings of jealousy and unhappiness that may happen when you look at a friend’s filtered pictures of their beautiful beach vacation or read about their exciting new job.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a negative impact on their mental and/or physical wellness or are having thoughts of self-harm or suicide, talk to a trusted adult and/or seek immediate support by visiting:
To learn more about social media’s effect on mental and physical health, check out BLOOM’s Social Media & YOUth page.
The fear of missing out
FOMO or “fear of missing out” has been around much longer than social networks have. Social media like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter can amplify feelings that our friends and peers have a better life than we do.
The belief that you’re missing out on some things can hurt your self-esteem, cause anxiety, and make you want to use social networks even more. FOMO might make you feel like you need to check your phone more frequently to see new posts or respond obsessively to every notification — even if this means taking risks while driving, missing sleep due to staying up late at night, or prioritizing social networking engagement over real-world friendships and connections.
Social media, drugs, and alcohol
The number of adolescents using drugs and alcohol continues to rise. But social media adds another way for preteens and teens to be exposed to substance use and abuse. During our preteen and teen years we often find it very important to fit in with our friends and other young people our age. This can leave us vulnerable to peer pressure and manipulation. When we see celebrities, influencers, and everyday people on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, and Snapchat using or abusing drugs and alcohol, this can have a negative effect on us.
Preteens and teens can begin using drugs or alcohol and become addicted because of various factors, including:
Fear of missing out on something
Wanting to fit in, appear more mature or experienced
The belief that others are having more fun/living a better life than them
Constantly comparing themselves to others, and feeling inadequate about their life or looks
Getting bullied online via unpleasant remarks, rumors, or lies that have a lasting effect on their life
Self-centeredness and obsession with their online image to the point that their real-world relationships and interactions deteriorate as a consequence
Suffering mood disorder characteristics such as anxiety or depression as a result of alienation, loneliness, and a significant lack of face-to-face contact and interaction
To learn more about other factors that affect our self-esteem and body image and how to counteract and improve them, explore BLOOM’s Self-Esteem & Body Image page.
Self-worth is a measure of how much you respect yourself. It is not determined by what others think of you or the accomplishments you have made — it comes from within. You are inherently worthy and can give yourself the love you desire. It is a choice you can consciously make everyday and with practice it will get easier.
Self-acceptance is probably the greatest gift you can offer yourself. Self-acceptance is unconditional: it means accepting you as you are, faults and all. If we make self-acceptance or self-love conditional, the reality is that we will never be satisfied with ourselves.
The truth is that our bodies are continuously evolving and will never be the same as they were the day before. If we put our self-worth on something as fluid as our appearances, we will perpetually ride the emotional roller coaster of body preoccupation and humiliation.
If you want to alter your appearance, do it for yourself. However, keep in mind that your body image should not determine your value. A lovely body or a gorgeous face will not last forever nor change the way you truly feel about yourself inside. If your self-worth is based only on how you look, then imagine how your self-worth could change from day to day. Explore self-worth beyond the boundaries of your appearance. Once you understand who you are and are content with that, you can find serenity even while you navigate life’s unavoidable highs and lows.
The most important thing to remember and repeat to yourself is that you are already whole. You are unique and you are enough just the way you are.
Racism is another obstacle on the path to good self-esteem and a healthy body image. Racism is a belief system that treats one person better than another based on their race, ethnicity, or the color of their skin. In fact, racism is the practice of believing that one race is superior to another one. When people mistreat other people because of their skin color, race, or ethnicity, it has the same kind of effect as when people are discriminated against. However, with racism, it sets people up to believe that they have the right to treat other people as less than themselves or feel like they are better than someone else simply because of their skin color, or racial background.
There are many systems in the world where you can find racism embedded in their policies and practices, this is called systemic racism. Some of these systems include housing, schooling, healthcare, neighborhoods, and policing. For example, when people of color use these systems — want to buy a house in a particular neighborhood, go to a certain school, get medical care, or call the police for help — racism can stop them from getting the fair treatment they deserve. These kinds of practices can chip away at someone’s self-confidence and over time can cause anxiety, distress, anger, lower self-worth, and depression — this all negatively impacts an individual’s self-esteem.
Remember, there are many ways to counter the external challenges you will face in your journey to develop a healthy body image and self-esteem. Since Day 1, you’ve had everything you need within yourself – don’t let the world convince you that you do not. Know that YOU are inherently worthy and have the power to love yourself in the way you desire by making small choices and commitments to yourself everyday. Remind yourself of this truth daily. With practice it will get easier and you will likely start to notice a difference in the way you feel.
Perfectionism and self-criticism are other personality characteristics that can contribute to a negative body image.
Many people who suffer from anorexia or bulimia also have distortions of their body image, and they often have neurological abnormalities in their parietal cortex, the region of the brain that assists people in sensing their body proportions. In other words, these people may see their bodies as bigger than they really are, because the information provided by their brain is incorrect.
Most people who lose weight are able to adjust their mental body image to reflect what they see in the mirror. But people who become malnourished as a result of anorexia or bulimia may have difficulty updating their mental picture. They may continue to perceive a larger version of their body, instead of their present physical state. Additionally, people who suffer from body image distortion often concentrate on perceived faults rather than their overall look.
It can be a challenge to admit that you are suffering from a distorted body image. People experiencing this might ignore the worries of friends and family members, because what friends and family say does not match with what they themselves see when they look in the mirror. For anyone trying to address an eating disorder in therapy, it is essential to address body image distortion. When a distorted or negative body image is not addressed, this can increase a person’s risk of recurrent and ongoing disordered eating.
Remember, there are many ways to counter the external challenges you will face in your journey to develop a healthy body image and self-esteem. Since Day 1, you’ve had everything you need within yourself – don’t let the world convince you that you do not. Know that YOU are inherently worthy and have the power to love yourself in the way you desire by making small choices and commitments to yourself everyday. Remind yourself of this truth daily. With practice it will get easier and you will likely start to notice a difference in the way you feel.
