Impact of Social Media on One's Self Esteem

Introduction

This essay will explore why social media can impact one’s self-esteem. In 2019, it is evaluated that there may be a whopping figure of 2.77 billion social network users around the world. More often than not, people post pictures, things they like, or activities they do on social media so that people around them can know what’s happening even if they have not met up for a long period of time. It keeps them connected. Social media forms a community that allows people from around the world to share their thoughts and opinions on products, incidents, or topics that may interest them. This, of course, will induce a certain level of impact on one’s self-esteem as time goes by. There are still, however, many more uses for social media, such as searching for health information online or reading the latest news, so one does not have to trouble themselves to purchase a newspaper. Most of these uses are benevolent, while a minority are malevolent and can negatively affect one’s self-esteem. Understanding more about social media and self-esteem is crucial because people worldwide are actively using social media daily, and some have been affected in both positive and negative ways.

Social Media as a Source of Comfort and Help

Firstly, people can seek comfort and help through the use of social media. Nowadays, people worldwide commonly use social media daily. As everyone knows, during the phase of adulthood, we tend to face setbacks, whether in our careers or relationships, and often, some may never get past that stage of life. This is where social media works wonders for those who have lost their courage to move forward. Campaigns on social media, such as Instagram and Twitter’s #HereForYou, encourage people with mental health issues to share their stories publicly so that others with the same issues will not feel alone. Many celebrities have participated in this campaign by sharing their personal health and mental problems and how they overcame them with time. Popular Instagram users have also shared posts about their ongoing mental issues. This not only allows people to feel that they are not alone, but it also enables users to have one-on-one sessions so they can seek help from those bravely fighting mental illness (Metro, 2017). Many times, people go online to look up information about diseases or medical problems (63 percent) or medical treatment and procedures (47 percent). They are also interested in diet, nutrition, and vitamins (44 percent) and exercise or fitness information (36 percent) (NBC News, 2018). As more people seek to lead healthier lifestyles these days, they tend to search online or discuss fitness information and diet in online communities, leading to a more balanced lifestyle. By accessing this information, individuals can feel more confident in their ability to make healthy lifestyle choices. To conclude, it is clear that one can get their questions answered with the help of social media.

Negative Impacts: Cyberbullying and Mental Health

Secondly, social media, being a double-edged sword, can also cause depression or self-harming behaviors due to cyberbullying, such as people leaving negative comments on one’s posts. In a recent report (BBC News, 2011), there was a case where a 14-year-old teenager slit his wrist due to being cyberbullied. He began receiving nasty messages on Facebook, stating that he was worthless and people neglected him, even though he proclaimed to be an outgoing person. It did not affect him initially, as he took it lightly until the messages became increasingly nasty, leading him to inflict self-harm. Another case (NBC News, 2017) involved a 12-year-old girl who took her own life because she was cyberbullied. She received messages on social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat stating she had no friends and suggesting she should take her own life. This incident persisted for months, leading to deteriorating health, chronic headaches, and stomach aches, causing her to avoid school. Thus, it is evident that social media can lead to depression and self-harm.

Influence on Self-Perception and Rumors

Thirdly, self-perceptions are influenced by social media. Nowadays, many people perceive Islam as a ‘violent’ religion due to the actions of a few individuals, such as suicide bombers acting in the name of Islam. Rumors spread, leading people to believe Islam is violent based on isolated incidents. Consequently, the Malay community may feel insecure due to these rumors. “First, we don’t know how to deal with rumors. Rumors that confirm people’s biases are now believed and spread among millions of people” (Ghonim, unknown). Furthermore, body shaming on social media is another factor that may affect one’s self-esteem. A survey conducted by Yahoo found that 94 percent of teen females have experienced body shame, compared to 64 percent of teen males. Many ways exist to body shame someone online using social media. For example, one may post a photo of themselves on Facebook and receive nasty comments from anonymous accounts. This can make users more self-conscious and less confident about their physical appearance, even if their body is within an acceptable weight range. The comments can lead them to believe they are overweight (Yahoo, 2016). Therefore, it is evident that social media significantly influences one’s self-perception.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, this essay has discussed three main factors explaining why social media affects one’s self-esteem. It is evident that many aspects of social media can impact one’s self-esteem. Research cited in this paper points out that while social media may negatively affect some individuals, it can also be beneficial to a certain extent. Despite discussing several factors exploring the impact of social media on self-esteem, more research is needed, as it is impossible to cover all factors related to social media. In my opinion, it is likely that many people who use social media experience some level of impact on their self-esteem. However, it is also possible for individuals to remain unaffected by social media if they spend less time on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

References

BBC News. (2011). Case of teenager harmed by cyberbullying. Retrieved from [link]

Ghonim, W. (n.d.). Quote on rumors and biases. Retrieved from [link]

Metro. (2017). Mental health campaigns on social media. Retrieved from [link]

NBC News. (2017). Cyberbullying and its consequences. Retrieved from [link]

NBC News. (2018). Health information search statistics. Retrieved from [link]

Yahoo. (2016). Survey on body shaming among teens. Retrieved from [link]