Sometimes, it’s hard to remember that social media is really just a highlight reel.
It’s hard not to compare yourself to other people and their experiences while you scroll down your Instagram feed.
As a social media user, you share what you want to about your life. Most people only share the best of the best, in hopes to improve their self image and the way others perceive them.
With the prevalence of filters and special effects, it can become difficult to differentiate between what is real and what is not. Whether it is a digitally edited body or an altered photo of a scenic vacation, this contributes to false ideas of what people’s lives are truly like behind their phone screen. Today, it’s common to use apps like “Facetune” to edit the color and texture of your skin, enhance your breasts or butt, slim your waist and more.
“Facetune” costs $3.99 on Apple’s App Store. It has 4.9 stars overall. In an article released by Tech Crunch, Facetune has around one million active monthly users as of July 2019.
I asked my 1,519 Instagram followers a few questions about their relationship with their Instagram feed. When asked, “Does Instagram make you feel self conscious?” 104 people voted yes and 69 people voted no.
When asked, “Does Instagram make you feel like you have to look a certain way to have a ‘successful post’ with lots of likes, comments and shares?” 109 people voted yes, and 59 people voted no.
These polls helped to prove that more than half of people, in an over one hundred user sample size, have Instagram insecurities. Some of the most prominent insecurities come from the promotion of diet culture and weight loss. This is where body dysmorphia comes into play.
Body dysmorphia is a common issue that social media users across the globe suffer with. Mayo Clinic defines body dysmorphia as “a mental health disorder in which you can’t stop thinking about one or more perceived defects or flaws in your appearance — a flaw that appears minor or can’t be seen by others. But you may feel so embarrassed, ashamed and anxious that you may avoid many social situations.”
This is where comparing yourself to others begins. It’s hard to scroll your Instagram feed and not see beautiful women and lavish lifestyles. It’s even harder not to compare your own life to these types of posts, and wonder why you, too, can’t live the lifestyle you so desire.
One of the most comparable examples of body dysmorphia is that of young women scrolling their Instagram feeds. Although the representation of different body types has gotten better over the last few years with the rise of plus sized models and celebrities, the 21st century standard of beauty is typically a blonde, slim, almost-perfect-looking woman.
Young women see these seemingly beautiful women and want to look like them, assuming that they are the only acceptable standard of beauty. It is difficult not to think this way when these women usually have a high following with lots of likes and comments- something that all Instagram users strive for.
This is where the desire to Facetune your photos, or even create a false perception of what your life is like, arises. You can change your photo to make yourself look any way that you want, and provide an image of yourself for the world to help boost your own self esteem. This can be psychologically damaging as it can limit you from wanting to be involved in real life social situations, because you like your image on Instagram more than real life.
Not only can Instagram create body dysmorphic thoughts for its users, it also contributes to the common feeling of “FOMO,” or “fear of missing out.” With the abundance of travel bloggers and Instagram personalities that visit incredibly beautiful places, it’s tough not to wish you had those same opportunities.
When asked, “Do you find yourself wishing you could live someone else’s life because of their Instagram content?” 115 people voted yes and 65 people voted no.
For the average person, constant traveling and extravagant living is out of the question. For an influencer, that seems to be the everyday norm. This can be discouraging because often times, success and luxury is associated with happiness. This is where it becomes immensely important to remember that Instagram is just a highlight reel.
A YouTuber named Natalia Taylor recently conducted somewhat of a social experiment while staging vacation photos at her local IKEA. Taylor told her followers that she was on vacation in Bali, Indonesia, and posted photos of herself dressed up at (what looked like) a tropical vacation spot.
At first glance, Taylor seems to be living it up in a tropical cabana. But, after a further look into her photos, some IKEA loving fans could tell that the Instagram photos were staged. Followers recognized certain furniture pieces, and the store can be seen in a slightly blurred mirror reflection.
These are not things that you would notice unless you picked the photos apart. It is easy to believe something you see without having any prior opinions. Just because someone looks happy on Instagram, doesn’t mean they are.
Instagram is a highlight reel. Although a seemingly obvious statement, not everything you see is real online. Instagram makes it easy to morph yourself into whoever, whatever or wherever you want to be.
