While scrolling through Instagram, you see a pretty girl, cute clothes, diet tips, and a beach trip. You can’t help but want everything that they have, or to look like they do. If this happens to you, don’t feel alone. Social media has a big impact on people’s self-esteem.

 It’s not that social media should be banned, or that you shouldn’t be allowed to have it. It’s a great way to stay connected and show everyone the things you enjoy. I love Snapchat, and I love making my “picture perfect” Insta profile. But that’s the thing, it has to be “picture perfect”.

The standards these days are set too high. You are constantly scrolling through people’s pages, who you believe have a perfect life. Celebrities, influencers, even your own friends are posting things that you don’t have. You could be completely content with your life, then go on a social media scroll, and all of a sudden you want so much more.

Many people don’t realize that these people on social media don’t have the picture-perfect life. People are only posting their highs, because why would they post their lows? You see the Bahamas trips, the cute pets, and good hair days. You don’t see the behind-the-scenes. Everyone needs to remember that everyone goes through struggles, no matter how put together they look.

Social media has also been affecting young people’s self-image. You can go on TikTok and click on a filter and all of a sudden you have a sharper jawline, bigger eyes or lips, and the perfect makeup. The next thing you know you are wondering why you can’t look like that in real life. 

It’s fun to post your life, but sometimes it can feel like a competition. Who has the best body? Who had the best summer? Who has the cutest pet? Who went somewhere over spring break? Everyone wants to one-up one another. 

While researching this topic I found an article from Child Mind Institute. The article explains that people mask themselves behind social media. They could be the most depressed person, or even the meanest person, but they hide behind pictures or videos. You could be so jealous of someone’s life, without even realizing that theirs might be just as hard. If you would like to check out this article, here’s the link: https://childmind.org/article/social-media-and-self-doubt/. 

While interviewing other students they all gave me the similar information. They feel like the second they go on social media, they want things they don’t have or to look like people they don’t look like. Sometimes they feel a little insecure if they don’t get as many likes as their friends, or comments telling them they look good. 

Really, there is little that can be physically done about this, because social media is never going to go away. We all need to learn to not be jealous of others, and to be content with our lives. We need to remember that pictures don’t show everything, and people’s lives aren’t always what they seem. Of course, if social media is really affecting your mental health, or you feel like you’re too wrapped up, it might be best to take a break. You can always surround your feed with things that make you happy. Remember to love yourself, social media isn’t always what it seems.