32% of teen girls said that when they are feeling bad about their bodies, Instagram makes things worse. And the solution is not as simple as closing the app. Instagram’s addictive nature makes it difficult for teens–and everyone– to stop their scrolling.
Instagram usage has also been linked to anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts.
At the core of these issues is something Instagram promotes more than any other social media app: negative social comparison. Everything we see in our feeds constantly has us asking, “How do I measure up?”
With the sheer volume of content on the app, we are bound to feel like we will never be good enough based on the things we see.
Instagram is known as the highlight reel of our lives. It’s a curated reality where even “vulnerable” posts are designed with the algorithm in mind. Instagram influencers tout authenticity, but how can anyone really be authentic in staged photoshoots and planned posts?
How do we stop this tidal wave of harmful imagery from messing with our body image?
Even when we know it’s not “real,” it certainly feels real, so we can’t just convince ourselves to stop comparing ourselves to facades. And quitting the ‘gram cold turkey just isn’t realistic. Here’s what you can do to protect your mental health while scrolling:
Hit unfollow
Take the time to weed out accounts or hashtags that make you feel bad about yourself. That fitness influencer may seem like #goals, but every body is unique, and you deserve to feel at peace with the one you have.
If some of your own friends’ posts are prompting comparisons and making you feel less than, look for alternative ways to stay in the loop. Follow their other social media accounts, friend them on Snapchat, and get life updates over text or the old-fashioned way.
Curate a positive feed
Look up hashtags like #haes (Health At Every Size) or #bodyneutrality to find people who do not promote unrealistic beauty standards or dieting. Follow accounts with educational content, inspirational quotes, animals, nature, art, crafts, cakes, and other non-body focused themes. Follow KindfulBody on Insta here and check out who we follow as a starting point.
Reflect on what you see
No one can completely avoid seeing something on Instagram that might make them feel bad about their body. When this happens, take a few moments to reflect on the image and your feelings about it. Ask yourself the following questions: What do you think the person who posted it wanted to communicate about themself? Is the post realistic? Does having a body like that matter in the grand scheme of things? What non-physical traits could you focus on instead? What does that body type represent to you?
Seek body image therapy
Body image issues didn’t start with Instagram, and they certainly won’t end with it. Getting professional help for your body image issues can help you feel more comfortable in your skin and prevent you from falling into disordered eating habits.
All of the therapists at Kindful Body specialize in body image therapy. If you want to work on your relationship with your body, you can arrange to meet with one of them after completing a consultation.
Review your relationship with food
Instagram influencers also share tips on how to eat and maintain certain body types. Keep in mind that these bloggers are NOT professionals, and there is no one “right” way to eat. Your plate doesn’t have to look like the perfectly arranged, colorful #foodgrams you see in your feed. Everyone’s food needs are different.
Unfortunately, there is a lot of disordered eating being promoted on Instagram under the guise of “healthy eating.” You were not built to feel guilty, ashamed, or ill because you ate food to fuel your body. In fact, your body is hard-wired to feel joy when eating. If you are struggling with using food to manage a negative view of your body it can easily lead to disordered eating and long-term physical and emotional pain.
We are here to tell you, it does not need to be this way. There is support out there to live in peace with your body, food, and the world. You can do this!
Here are some resources to help you learn more about creating a healthy relationship with food, exercise, and your body:
Is there a diet that works? — Kindful Body
Health at Every Size (HAES) Eating Disorder Treatment — Kindful Body
Eating Disorder Help in California — Kindful Body
Are You Addicted to Exercise? — Kindful Body
Orthorexia Warning Signs — Kindful Body
If you are looking for body image or eating disorder treatment in California and would like to explore working together, we can help determine which eating disorder therapist would likely be the best fit for you during your initial free 15-minute consultation.
Contact us here to schedule your free 15-minute consultation. Our specialties include emotional eating, binge eating, eating disorder therapy, online eating disorder therapy, teens and college eating disorders, and eating disorder treatment in California.
We have eating disorder therapists online in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Mateo, and across California.
