The Damaging Effects of Social Media on Women’s Self-Esteem

It is now established that social media has a huge impact on our self-esteem, but how do we understand if they are hurting us?

The reason why we started spending more and more time on social media is the pursuit of non-passive entertainment. The idea of ​​interacting with those who post content through likes and comments seems more fun than watching a simple TV show.

The problem is that it is precisely direct interaction that puts us in a closer relationship with those we observe on social media. For example, when we see Belen Rodriguez on television we are not inclined to make a comparison with her because we know that her beauty is enhanced by the work of many professionals such as hairdressers, make-up artists and stylists who work on her image.

The most toxic illusion transmitted by social media is instead the idea that everything is absolutely true. Even if we know how powerful filters are now to alter the photographed image, how deceptive certain photos are or how “posed” certain shots are, we always have the feeling that the photos are authentic.

This triggers in us a series of reactions that we are not always aware of but which, in the long run, completely ruins our self-esteem.

Physical and psychological signals that social media is hurting us

Once we commented lightheartedly, now we make less and less comments and we just put a few likes here and there. When we write a comment we always try to be as neutral and “invisible” as possible so as not to trigger controversy. This behavior is indicative of anxiety and avoidance.

It means we’re here pledging to avoid any conflict because we have fear of being attacked on social media and we think we don’t have the strength to respond to certain hateful comments.

If the habit of writing as few comments as possible is accompanied by physical symptoms such as tachycardia and anxiety every time we open social networks or publish a photograph it means that social networks are having one bad influence on our psychophysical well-being.

Lots of selfies to not publish any

Also take lots of selfies and then end up with don’t post any or saving only a very small number indicates a problem. Means that our self-esteem is wavering because we continually compare ourselves with other people we constantly see on social media and who seem more beautiful, thinner or more perfect than us.

Also take selfies but only publish them after heavily editing them with filters and other apps it is an indication that we have now entered a destructive circle.