#(for baby boomers) and i refuse to actually make it part of my social psyche

[briefcasejuice]

sometimes i scroll past a post on my dash and it's like i temporarily turn into a point and click game and i get dialogue that says, "i shouldn't interact with that kind of discourse. i fundamentally disagree with its existence. there are other things to see on your dashboard," before i move on

[theglobenews-blog]

Is Social Media Really Making Teens Insecure?

- Written and Edited by DeX, with thanks to the interviewed girls (all of whom have had their names changed to protect their identities)

These days, the news cycle is dominated by social media horror stories: mental health problems, dangerous predators, and of course, the fear social media is making our teens feel insecure about themselves. The constant bombardment of perfectly beautiful celebrities showing off their glamorous lifestyles can’t be having a positive effect on teenage minds. However, research with a group of teenage girls from across Britain and Ireland suggests social media may be having a far better influence than one might first expect. 

90% of girls between 12 and 18 say they feel insecure about the way they look and 78% feel insecure about other characteristics, including their personalities and intelligence. Teens interviewed by The Globe expressed a wide range of insecurities. “My face” (Pippa, 17), “The fat around my stomach” (Ava, 15), “Dark hair on my body” (Jennifer, 16) were among the responses regarding the teens’ physical appearance. Possibly the most disturbing conclusions reached by researchers was the age at which these insecurities became embedded in young people. Answers such as “My legs, my face and my weight” from Lauren aged only 12 suggest something much deeper than the impact of celebrities online. Some young people pointed to incidents in their childhoods that they believe may have contributed to their later self-esteem issues. 13 year old Kiera hypothesised the perfect-bodied, platinum blonde Barbie dolls many girls once enjoyed provided an unrealistic self-image: “They impact small girls to make them feel bad if they don’t look right”. From an incredibly young age, girls are subtly told they must be this perfect Barbie character, a sentiment shared by 12 year old Andie: “We are growing up and being taught to look a certain way”.

Cynical baby-boomers could easily suggest that social media celebrities are a key contributor to these frankly terrifying testimonies and, while many teens interviewed by The Globe News agreed that celebrities play a role, 77% stated they felt more pressure from their friends and society as a whole. 14 year old Georgia told a Globe researcher about the relationship between her friends and her insecurities: “Friends just joke about stuff like your insecurities as banter, without knowing it actually really hurts you.” The pressure felt from close friends was fairly unanimous among the interviewees and many suggested the closer they are to someone the more pressure they feel. “They know me and what I’m insecure about” (Bethany, 13) and “You validate their opinion more than a stranger” (Jaycee, 16). 

Additionally, the looks of celebrities appear to have no influence on one very prominent and potentially more serious issues the girls described: their insecurity regarding their personality. Many young girls discussed their issues with mental health: “Sometimes I’m a bit of a downer” - stated 16 year old Jennifer, as she went on to describe her struggle with anxiety and depression.

Of course, it shouldn’t be overlooked that social media does hold significant influence over the self-esteem of young girls. “Seeing really skinny models” (Ava, 15), “Seeing everyone with the ‘perfect life’” (Georgia, 14) and “People [making] fun of how you look” (Scarlett, 13) simply can’t be having a positive effect on girls this young. However, researchers were in fact surprised by the positive effects of social media described by the interviewed girls. Many talked happily about “motivational people” and “body positivity accounts”. Others lit up when talking about their online friends: “People won’t judge me on how I look” (Lauren, 12) and “I’ve met people who make me feel whole” (Leah, 14).

So what does the future look like for teenage girls experiencing these expressed problems? To put it plainly, not particularly good. As long as the older generations refuse to accept that social media is not the sole cause for teen insecurity, these girls will continue to view their bodies and personalities in a way most of us can hardly bear to imagine. Attempts have been made to alter the self-esteem-lowering online culture, with a recent example being Instagram’s ‘like test’ in which they no longer show how many likes each post has as an attempt to draw attention away from the numbers. While the test is still in its early phases, it has been met with my scepticism and cynicism by young people.

As a rule, the most effective change comes from those who need that change. When prompted, girls of all ages began creating innovative ways to help. Some described direct help including “Hotlines” (Alisha, 16) and “Support groups for girls who are insecure” (Ava, 15). Some believed their schools could do more with “Motivation classes” (Leah, 14). But some wanted more sweeping changes to societal norms: “There should be more adverts promoting body positivity and the lack of a need to shave” (Alison, 13) and “Just for people to talk about it, normalise it” (Carrie, 13). These girls look forward to a society in which they don’t have to feel ‘lesser’ or ‘wrong’ for looking different or being themselves. And, as a wider society, we should be part of the solution to stop girls feeling this way, especially girls as young as Carrie and Alison who have no right to even be thinking about issues such as this. 

To finish the depressing insight into the teenage psyche, researchers decided a slightly more positive outlook was necessary. The Globe asked the girls to describe something they liked about themselves and (after they had been told “nothing” wasn’t an acceptable answer) they provided some rather heart-warming answers.

“My kindness” (Carrie, 13), “My determination” (Connie, 13 & Pippa, 17), “Cupid’s bow” (Hattie, 13), “How tall I am” (Ava, 15), “My eyes” (Scarlett, 13), “My gymnastic skills” (Bethany, 13), “I like my sense of humour” (Ash, 15) & “My ability to make others smile” (Alison, 13).

Photo Cred: Shutterstock