‘She is going to Europe for vacation, and here I am – stuck in my house!’, ‘He has the latest phone, and I have been using the same one for 3 years now!’, ‘Their house is so big, I can never have such a huge house’
While the exams mentioned above are completely hypothetical, they do help us get a glimpse of comparison. With the advancement in technology, social media comparison has become even more popular and the cost of comparison higher. The cost of comparison can include unwanted extreme loans, decline in mental health and reduced overall well-being.
The Psychology Behind Comparison
Social comparison theory helps in understanding the experience of comparing oneself to others. Leon Festinger is one of the many researchers who have contributed a lot towards better knowledge about social comparison theory. The following points can help in getting an insight into the psychology behind comparison:
- Comparison can often begin as a way to better evaluate oneself with respect to references around oneself
- Upward comparison involves comparing oneself with those who are perceived as better or superior. This can either lead to feeling motivated to do better or a feeling of envy due to one’s position in the comparison.
- Downward comparison involves a person comparing oneself with those who are worse, and this can lead to an enhanced self-esteem or pride.
Social Media and Women’s Self-Esteem
The advancement in science and technology has also increased social media usage in daily activities. There are a lot of studies conducted to understand the impact of social media on women and the relationship between social media and self-esteem. While social media can offer a space for expression and creativity, it can also have a negative side. Researches support that increased social media usage can have a detrimental impact on self-esteem. Higher use of social media has also been linked with a decline in body image satisfaction, thereby shedding light on the relationship between body image and social media.
The Impact of Social Media on Women’s Mental Health
Social media can impact the mental health of women in many different ways, and some of those have been listed below:
- Lower level of self-esteem due to constant comparison with others and feeling worse about oneself
- Higher chances of dissatisfaction with one’s body due to unrealistic beauty standards
- Risk of developing eating disorders and anxiety-related concerns due to excessive social media usage
While each individual may be impacted by social media in a different way, it is important to become aware of the negative impact so that one can cautiously use social media.
Reclaiming Self-Worth in the Digital World
Mental health effects of social media help us become more aware of how it is being used and can encourage individuals to reclaim their self-worth.
- Mindfully using social media so that the content consumed does not negatively impact one’s wellness
- Identifying the dependence on likes, comments, followers, and gradually becoming more independent from the same
- Becoming aware of how social media can only show us one particular side of life and creating a difference between the reel and the real world
Body Image in the Age of Filters and Perfection
The filters in social media can promote unrealistic beauty standards that can influence, especially the younger generation. Constant exposure to filtered and edited pictures can make one feel less about one’s physique. Body image and social media have been linked in many different studies, indicating a higher need to become conscious users of online content instead of getting controlled by the online content itself.
How Social Media Affects Mental Health
The impact of social media on mental health can be observed in many different ways, such as:
- Mental health effects of social media can include signs of anxiety disorder and depression
- One may also experience a decline in self-esteem, self-worth and body image-related concerns
- An increased sense of fear of missing out and loneliness can be observed as one compares social life with others
- Social media addiction and a lack of control over one’s social media usage can lead to dysfunction in daily routine
Signs That Social Media Comparison Is Affecting You
If you, or anyone that you know of, is starting to get highly influenced by social media comparison and their life is negatively impacted by the same, then it is strongly recommended to seek professional support. Some of the many signs that can help you become more mindful of how social media comparison is impacting your life include:
Continuous comparison with others’ lives depicted on social media
Extreme mood fluctuations due to likes, shares, comments, etc
Feeling low about oneself after scrolling for some time
Negative thoughts about oneself and increased self-criticism
Feeling extremely envious towards others due to social media comparison
Rebuilding Self-Worth Beyond Social Media
You are not defined by the number of views, followers and likes on your social media platform! Your self-worth goes beyond that, and identifying this can be one of the initial steps towards building a better self-concept. You can rebuild your self-worth in many ways, such as:
- Identifying your strengths beyond social media usage
- Limiting contact with triggering content
- Practising gratitude for one’s accomplishments
- Remembering that online content does not necessarily have to be true
- Seeking professional support for working on self-esteem issues
Conclusion
If you feel your mental health is strongly impacted by the world of social media applications, then feel free to reach out to the expert professionals of Athena Luxus. Our team consists of psychologists and psychiatrists who can help with proper assessment, diagnosis and intervention development.
We can together rebuild your sense of self-esteem and self-worth – Contact us today by giving us a call at 9718921212 or writing to us at customercare@athenabhs.com
